ISHS Acta Horticulturae 398: Postharvest Physiology of Fruits
EFFECT OF RELATIVE HUMIDITY ON RIPENING OF 'LE LECTIER' PEAR FRUIT |
| Authors: | H. Murayama, D. Satoh, Y. Ohta, T. Fukushima |
| Keywords: | Ethylene, Fruit ripening, Polyuronides, Pyrus communis, Relative humidity |
| Abstract:
'Le Lectier' pears were harvested at a commercial harvest. On the next day, the fruit were held at 20°C with 55%, 75%, or 95% relative humidity (RH). The flesh firmness at 95% RH rapidly decreased from the 3rd week and reached less than 10 N, appreciable firmness, after 5 weeks. In those fruit, there was a marked increase in the ethylene production after 4 weeks. Moreover, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) content gradually increased from the 4th week. The fruit at 55% or 75% showed greater flesh firmness than those at 95% at and after 4 weeks and never softened appreciably. Those fruit did not show any increase in ethylene production and ACC content for as long as 8 weeks before being discarded. After 5 weeks at 55%, fruit held in 200ppm ethylene for 48 hours, showed a significant increase in ethylene production and ACC content. The flesh firmness decreased rapidly after ethylene treatment. Moreover, the content of the water-soluble polyuronides increased and that of HCl-soluble polyuronides decreased after treatment. Fruit stored at 1°C for 2 weeks softened properly and produced ethylene even at 20°C with 55% RH. These results suggest that low RH inhibits the normal ripening of 'Le Lectier' fruit owing to the suppression of ethylene biosynthesis. | |
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