ISHS Acta Horticulturae 343: Physiological Basis of Postharvest Technologies
MEASUREMENT OF THE ETHYLENE EVOLUTION RATE OF APPLES DURING MATURATION, AND ITS CORRELATION WITH SOME COMMONLY-USED MATURITY INDICES |
| Authors: | C.S. Walsh, S.A. Altman |
| Abstract:
Ethylene evolution rates of individual fruit of four apple cultivars were measured and correlated with commonly-used maturity indices. Ethylene evolution of Gala fruits increased from ≤ 0.1 to ≥ 2.0 μL kg-1 hr-1 during maturation. Greater evolution rates were not measured until fruit were detached. In 1991, a slow, steady increase in basal ethylene evolution rate was again observed in Gala, as well as in Oregon Spur Delicious and Empire apples. Approximately three weeks elapsed between measuring rates of 0.1 μL kg-1 hr-1 and 1.0 μL kg-1 hr1. Ethylene evolution rates of individual fruit were compared to measurements of fruit weight, ground color, firmness, soluble solids and starch index. While all measured maturity indices were significantly correlated with ethylene evolution rate, the greatest correlation was found between ethylene rate and starch index. Using these data, we have developed ethylene-based starch iodine charts for gauging Gala apple maturity. | |
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