ISHS Acta Horticulturae 379: International Symposium on Quality of Fruit and Vegetables: Influence of Pre- and Post- Harvest Factors and Technology
EFFECT OF ANAEROBIOSIS ON ASPECTS OF AVOCADO FRUIT RIPENING |
| Authors: | S. Dori, J.N. Burdon, E. Lomaniec, E. Pesis |
| Keywords: | Polygalacturonase, Endoglucanase, Ethylene, Nitrogen |
| Abstract:
Avocado fruits (Persea americana, cv. Fuerte) were treated with ethanol vapour (0.5%) or nitrogen (97%) for 40 hrs and stored at 17°C for 7 days. Fruit softening was retarded after nitrogen or ethanol treatment compared with the controls. The anaerobic metabolite ethanol stimulated carbon dioxide production. The onset of the increase in ethylene production with ripening was delayed in the nitrogen-treated fruits. Nitrogen and ethanol induced the activity of the anaerobic enzyme, pyruvate decarboxylase, but the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase was only induced by the nitrogen treatment. The activity of the cell-wall-degrading enzyme, polygalacturonase 7 days after treatment was 30% lower in the nitrogen and ethanol-treated fruits than in the control fruits. At the same time the activity of endoglucanase was slightly reduced in the ethanol and nitrogen treatments. | |
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