Ripening of apples during storage: II.—Respiratory metabolism and ethylene synthesis in Golden Delicious apples during the climacteric, and under conditions simulating commercial storage practice

Abstract

Golden Delicious apples were harvestedpre-cliniacteric and samples of fruit were stored in air at 12"c, air ut 3'5"c, 5 % COz/3% 0 2 at 3 ' 5 " c , and 2% 0 2 at 3 . 5 "~. Cnrbon dioxide and ethylene production by this fruit was measured; ihe respiration of excised peel discs, wiih particular attention to the efects of exogenoris malate, was studied after various periods of storage.Fruit stored in air at I2'c showed rhe itsrtal climacteric of COz production which was associated with a rapid rise in the rate of ethylene production and greatly increased rates of malate decarboxylation by p e d discs. Fruit stored at 3 . 5 '~ showed no cliniac teric; mdlate decarboxylation remained relatively constant for air-stored fruit, and increased only a little in fruit stored in 5 % C02!3 % 0 2 and 2 % 02. Ethylene production was little delayed in air at 3.5"c, bur was delayed for 35 days in -1 % 0 2 and 44 ddys in 5 : ( Malate sfitnulation of 0 2 uptake occurred in peel discs from senescent air-stored fruit, and more protnco2/3% 0 2 . inenfly in discsfiorii,frrrit at all stages of storage in 5 % C0?/3% 0 2 and 2% 0 2 .

Respiratory metabolism during cold storage of apple fruit. I. Sucrose metabolism and glycolysis

“…2A and 3A). The magnitude of the respiratory rise during cold storage was similar in fruit from both seasons and was comparable to that previously found to occur at 12°C by Fidler and North (1967) and Knee (1971). Also in both seasons, the onset of the climacteric was observed to occur after day 50 and the respiratory peak around day 80 after harvest.…”

“…Although the sumppression of the climacteric during refrigeration of apples below 5°C has been reported (Fidler and North 1967; Knee 1971), the results obtained in the present study clearly indicate the occurrence of the usual climacteric of CO 2 production during storage at 4°C of apple fruit from two consecutive harvests (Figs. 2A and 3A).…”

Influence of harvest maturity on cut-edge browning of ‘Granny Smith’ fresh apple slices treated with anti-browning solution after cutting

“…These results clearly point to the need to understand 'Granny Smith' apple maturity when the apples will be processed as fresh-slices at or near the harvest date. Since apples mature in storage (Knee, 1971), it is possible that early harvested apples will become less prone to this problem after some length of time in storage. This is supported by the observation that problems with 'Granny Smith' reported by slice processors decline as crop from longer term storage is utilized commercially.…”

Pome fruits

“…Overall, ME may provide a means whereby cells can maintain TCA cycle operation with an input of malate (Chapter 1). The metabolism of malate by tissue slices increases as apples pass through the climacteric (Hulme and Rhodes, 1971), so that there is a correlation between stimulation of CO2 production by malate applied to slices and whole fruit respiration (Knee, 1971). Earlier reports of an increase in ME activity during ripening (Hulme et al, 1965) were not confirmed in recent work .…”