Low-oxygen-induced Poststorage Suppression of Bell Pepper Fruit Respiration and Mitochondrial Oxidative Activity

Abstract

<jats:p>Bell pepper (Capsicum annum var. <jats:italic>Jupiter)</jats:italic> fruit were exposed to 1.5% O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> for 1 to 5 days at 20C to examine whether the low-O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>-induced poststorage respiratory suppression (PRS) in whole fruit could be due to limitations in mitochondrial oxidative capacity. Mitochondrial oxidative capacity was not affected after storing bell peppers for 1 day in 1.5 % O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub>. Extending the storage period from 1 to 5 days in 1.5 % 0, resulted in PRS of CO<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> production for about 55 hours after transfer to air, and a marked reduction in the oxidative capacity of isolated mitochondria. Mitochondrial activity was suppressed for 10 hours after transfer to air but, within 24 hours, bad recovered to values comparable to those of mitochondria from fruit stored continuously in air. Storing bell peppers in 1.5% O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> for 5 days resulted in a reduction in the respiratory control (RC), while ADP/O ratios were not affected. The reduction was temporary since the RC attained normal activity after returning bell peppers to air. Cyanide-sensitive cytochrome and CN-insensitive pathways were suppressed after storing fruit in 1.5 % O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> for 5 days. After returning fruit from a low-O<jats:sub>2</jats:sub> atmosphere to air, the alternative pathway recovered at a greater rate than the cytochrome pathway.</jats:p>

Atmospheric Composition and Quality of Fresh Mushrooms in Modified Atmosphere Packages As Affected by Storage Temperature Abuse

“…The degree of damage depends on CO 2 concentration, O 2 concentration, storage duration, temperature and on the type of produce. It has also been clearly shown that very low O 2 concentrations reduce the oxidative capacity of mitochondria (Rahman et al, 1995).…”

Thirty-six Years of Award-winning Vegetable Publication Excellence in ASHS Journals

“…Dr. Jack Juvik, Professor at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL, USA, has received the award three times (1991, 1994, and 2003) and also won the Homer C. Thompson Award for the most outstanding research paper in vegetable crops published by ASHS in 1983. Four people have received the award twice: Dr. Donald J. Huber (1996,1999), Professor at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Dr. Jim Myers (2017,2022), Baggett-Frazier Endowed Professor of Vegetable Breeding and Genetics at Oregon State University,…”