ISHS Acta Horticulturae 368: International Symposium on Postharvest Treatment of Horticultural Crops
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSIOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS IN AVOCADO FRUITS STORED AT CHILLING TEMPERATURE |
| Authors: | J.P. Zamorano, J.L. De La Plaza, C. Merodio |
| Abstract:
The effects of chilling on avocado fruit physiology and biochemistry have been examined following the evolution in the respiration and ethylene production rates, texture, and electrophoretic profiles of total protein extracted from the mesocarp of fruits stored at 3 °C, as compared to fruits at 20 °C. The respiration and ethylene production rates were drastically reduced at 3 °C, showing no climacteric peaks, and fruit softening was almost absent. External chilling injury symptoms (pitting and browning of the skin) were observed after three weeks of cold storage. The pattern of electrophoretically resolved polypeptides indicated that the changes observed during avocado ripening at 20 °C (increases in 15.8, 21, 23.5, and 25.8 kD polypeptides; decreases in 18.2, 23, and 24 kD polypeptides) were not present during storage at 3 °C for two months. It is proposed that differential synthesis and/or degradation of some of the mentioned polypeptides is required for avocado fruit ripening. No chilling-induced polypeptide was found using this approach. | |
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