Carbon Dioxide Effects on Fruit Respiration . II. Response of Avocados, Bananas, & Lemons

Abstract

,Most studies concerning the effects of the gas composition of the atmosphere surrounding fruit have been directed toward the response of the combined changes of oxygen (3) is suggested.For the avocado, a fruit which exhibits a climacteric pattern of respiration, it was shown by Biale (2) that low oxygen reduced the respiratory activity during the preclimacteric period andl the (luration of the preclimacteric period was prolonged. Within the range of 2.5 to 21 % oxygen the time required to reach the climacteric peak was extended in proportion to the decrease in oxygen tension and the intensity of respiration at the peak was reduced. No significant stimulation of respiration wvas observed by concentrations of oxygen above 35 %. However, the cumulative carbon dioxide production from the time of picking until the climacteric peak was not changed by the treatment at any level of oxygen. In the case of the banana, another fruit with a climacteric pattern, it was found by Kidd and West ( 11 ) that storage in 2.5 and 5.0 % oxygen did not materially decrease the rate of ripening. On the other hand, Leonard (13) observed a reduction in CO, liberation by fruit stored in oxygen concentrations lower than air and no effect in concentrations higher than air.Lemons did not exhibit the climacteric pattern of respiration after picking when stored in air or at oxygen tensions below that of air, as shown in the sttudies of Biale and Young (5). The respiratory 1 Received revised manuscript Dec. 20, 1961. activity under air decreased slightly during storage. Reduction of oxygen in the atmosphere surrounding the fuit reduced the rate of respiration in proportion to the oxygen concentration in the range of 21 to 5 % oxygen. Carbon dioxide evolution increased at oxygen levels below 5 %, indicating the similarity of the behavior of lemons with other fruits characterized by a critical oxygen concentration. The storage life was extended and the (lecomposition of chlorophyll in mature green lemons was delayed by lowered oxygen.The effect of added carbon dioxide on respiratorv activity of fruits at a particular oxygen concentration has been studied little, largely due to technical difficulties. Limited data are available on the banana. By the use of the katharometer method Gane (9) observed a suppression of the climacteric and reduction of respiratory activity in an atmosphere of 10 % carbon dioxide and 10 % oxygen. Wardlaw (20) subjected unripe bananas to clifferent combinations of oxygen and carbon dioxide. On the basis of gas analysis he concluded that there was a 50 X redluction in rate of respiration over a wide range of 02 and CO2 concentrations as compared with air. His (leterminations were limited to green fruit and iwere done in a closed system in which the gaseous composition could not be kept constant. The use of analytical methods described in the first paper (21) of this series has enabled us to study the effect of carbon dioxide at several oxygen levels on the respiratory activity and storage behavior. The responses to C...

Effects of Air Flow Rate, Storage Temperature, and Harvest Maturity on Respiration and Ripening of Tomato Fruits

“…However, strong inhibitions of mitochondrial reactions have been observed only at CO2 concentrations which are considerably higher than those which existed in the present study (9,11). More relevant are the studies of Young et al (14) on the effects of 02 and CO2 levels on the climacteric of intact fruits of several species. Their data show a marked delay of the climacteric in the presence of 10% 02 and 5% CO2 compared to air controls.…”

Automated Microcomputer System for Measurement of O2 Uptake, CO2 Output, and C2H4 Evolution by Fruit and Vegetables

“…A paramagnetic 02 analyser has been used to measure 02 uptake by Young and Biale (10,11) with the assay done under 10% CO2 conditions in various kinds of fruit. Lougheed and Franklin (8) report on the use of a infrared CO2 analyser for the measurement of respira- There have been no reports of a device like our system with the ability to measure 02 uptake, CO2 output, and C2H4 evolution simultaneously even under an atmosphere containing a significant amount of any these gases.…”

Respiration & Internal Atmosphere of Avocado Fruit

“…High CO.. concentration in the external atmosplhere was shown to retard the climacteric an'd the ripening of several fruits (12,14,27). At the enzymnatic level it was reported that 10 % CO., inhibite(d markedly succinate oxidation (1,17) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity (23).…”