ISHS Acta Horticulturae 368: International Symposium on Postharvest Treatment of Horticultural Crops
THE KINETIC EFFECT OF PCO2 ON THE RESPIRATION RATE OF GOLDEN DELICIOUS APPLES |
| Authors: | G. Andrich, A. Zinnai, S. Balzini, S. Silvestri, R. Fiorentini |
| Abstract:
Utilizing a suitable experimental apparatus it was possible to evaluate simultaneously the O2 consumed and CO2 produced by Golden Delicious apples, stored in controlled atmosphere, as a function of partial pressure of the two respiratory gases (PO2 and PCO2). When PO2 values lower than 7 kPa were adopted, a significant difference between the volumes of CO2 produced and O2 consumed was found (T&appeq;23°C; PCO2&appeq;O kPa). Moreover, on the basis of the mathematical equations able to quantify aerobic and anaerobic respiration rates, it was possible to calculate the ATP produced by both processes and to evaluate the amount of energy available for fruit metabolism as a function of environmental PO2. If PO2 greater than 7 kPa were utilized, no fermentation occurred even if increasing values of PCO2 were adopted (0 ÷ 75 kPa). In order to investigate the PCO2 effect on the kinetics of respiratory metabolism, the aerobic respiration rate was evaluated as a function of PCO2 and PCO2/PO2 ratio. | |
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