贮藏温度和气体状况对苹果果胶、多聚半乳糖醛酸酶变化的影响

在苹果贮藏前期温度和CO_2浓度由高到低同步变动形成双维变动气调(TDCA)。 前期高温期间,果实予以高浓度CO_2处理,可抑制高温促使早熟的不利效应,其保鲜效果优于冷库,接近传统气调贮藏,表现在果肉硬度下降平缓;原果胶转化为水溶性果胶的速度减慢;多聚半乳糖醛酸酶活性显著受抑。低浓度CO_2抑制高温效应的作用大为减弱。低温下,不同浓度CO_2作用差异不大,均优于对照。     

Effects of chilling on tomato fruit texture

The effects of chilling on tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill cv. Caruso) texture were investigated using fruit stored at 22°C (nonchilled) or 5°C (chilled) for 28 days. or at 5°C for 15 days before transfer to 22°C to facilitate ripening during and additional 13 days (prechilled). Prechilled fruit exhibited symptoms of slight chilling injury, i.e. development of mealiness, accelerated softening relative to that of nonchilled fruit and nonuniform surface colour development. The firmness of all fruit decreased during ripening and chilled storage when measured by flat plate compression and puncture, especially during the early stages of ripening of nonchilled and prechilled fruit. The compression firmness of pericarp tissue similarly decreased during ripening of nonchilled and prechilled fruit, but was maintained during chilling. Total moisture content (ca 94%) of tissue, uronide content (32-35% w/w) and extracted β-galactosidase activity did not differ significantly ( P > 0.05) among fruit during ripening and chilled storage. The degree of uronide methyl esterification in ethanol-insoluble solids prepared from pericarp tissue (EIS) was relatively low for all fruit. i.e. <40%. EIS from which greater levels of pectinesterase were extracted (i.e. nonchilled>chilled>prechilled) exhibited decreased levels of uronide methyl esterification. Markedly elevated levels of β-glucosidase activity were extracted from prechilled EIS. Total polygalacturonase activity (mainly as PGI) and autolysis of enzyme-extracted EIS were inversely correlated ( P ≤ 0.05) only with the loss of nonchilled fruit and tissue firmness and prechilled fruit firmness. Results suggest a possible role for β-glucosidase in textural changes of prechilled fruit and tissue (e.g. loss of firmness, development of mealiness) and also implicate loss of skin strength in the softening of whole fruit during chilling.     

不同黑莓品种果实形态和硬度分析及其解剖结构和微形态特征观察

以3个黑莓(Rubus spp.)品种‘Arapaho’、‘Boysenberry’和‘Kiowa’的成熟果实为实验材料,对果实的形状指标以及硬度进行了测定,并采用石蜡切片技术和扫描电子显微镜分别对3个品种果实的解剖结构以及外果皮及果肉的微形态特征进行了观察;在此基础上,对果实结构与果实硬度的关系进行了探讨.结果表明:品种‘Arapaho’果实的硬度值(0.79 lb·mm-2)大于品种‘Boysenberry’和‘Kiowa’果实的硬度值(0 lb·mm-2):品种‘Arapaho’果实的纵径、横径和单果质量均极显著小于‘Boysenberry’和‘Kiowa’果实.石蜡切片观察结果显示:3个品种的外果皮均较薄且无角质层覆盖,由1～2层表皮细胞组成;其中,品种‘Arapaho’果实的表皮细胞1层、短小且排列紧密,品种‘Boysenberry’果实的表皮细胞2层、细长且排列疏松整齐,品种‘Kiowa’果实的表皮细胞2层、胞壁有褶皱且果面局部凹陷.品种‘Arapaho’的中果皮由大量较完整的薄壁细胞组成并包含没有解体的维管束,而品种‘Boysenberry’和‘Kiowa’的中果皮内均匀分布着解体的薄壁细胞.扫描电镜观察结果显示:品种‘Boysenberry’外果皮具浅波状纹饰、表皮细胞形状不规则,并具稀疏的表皮毛和片状分泌物;品种‘Kiowa’外果皮表面有明显的不规则波纹状纹饰;品种‘Arapaho’外果皮表面纹理紧凑致密、表皮细胞轮廓清晰且形状规则.3个品种的果肉细胞均呈现不同程度的解体现象,但品种‘Arapaho’的果肉细胞中分布有没有解体的胶状物质.根据观察结果推测:黑莓果实果皮和果肉的解剖结构以及微形态特征与其硬度有一定的关系.     

Availability of assimilates and formation of aroma compounds in apples as affected by the fruit/leaf ratio

Availability of assimilates in apple trees ( Malus domestica cv. Jonagored) was affected by removing young fruits to obtain 3 ranges of fruit/leaf ratios with average values of 130, 268 and 381 fruits per kg leaf dry matter. Fruit analyses were carried out at fruit harvest and 4 times during a 3-week ripening period. The analyses included detection of volatile aroma components from the juice by headspace gas chromatography. At a low fruit/leaf ratio, higher concentrations of total dry matter, soluble solid and titrateable acids were found. The flesh was also firmer, and ethylene development proceeded at a lower rate and reached a lower maximum value. Aroma compounds consisted of ca 20% esters, 73% alcohols and 6% C-6 aldehydes. The production of butylacetate and hexylacetate, which were the dominating esters, peaked during the ripening period and was most pronounced at the lowest fruit/leaf ratios. At the last sampling date this was also the case for butanol, which was the dominating alcohol. Other esters and alcohols behaved similarly, while C-6 aldehydes showed no significant differences in the fruit/leaf ratio. We suggest that the greater availability of assimilates when internal competition is relieved at a low fruit/leaf ratio causes increased accumulation of fatty acid aroma precursors and aroma compounds as well as of sugars, acids and other compounds in the fruits.     

硬肉桃果实成熟前后几种矿质元素的含量变化及其与果实硬度的关系

比较桃品种‘川中岛白桃’和‘双久红’成熟前后20d内果肉硬度与几种矿质元素之间关系的结果表明：两品种桃在成熟前后20d内,P、Mg、Zn、Cu的含量均持续下降,N、Fe、Mn的含量则均呈上升趋势。相关分析表明,果实硬度与P、Mg、Zn、Cu的含量呈极显著正相关,与N和Fe含量呈极显著负相关;而Mn含量与‘川中岛白桃’果实硬度呈极显著负相关,与‘双久红’果实硬度呈显著负相关。     

Down-regulation of an Auxin Response Factor in the tomato induces modification of fine pectin structure and tissue architecture

It has previously been shown that down-regulation of an auxin response factor gene (DR12) results in pleiotropic phenotypes including enhanced fruit firmness in antisense transgenic tomato (AS-DR12). To uncover the nature of the ripening-associated modifications affecting fruit texture, comparative analyses were performed of pectin composition and structure in cell wall pericarp tissue of wild-type and AS-DR12 fruit at mature green (MG) and red-ripe (RR) stages. Throughout ripening, pectin showed a decrease in methyl esterification and in the content of galactan side chains in both genotypes. At mature green stage, pectin content in methyl ester groups was slightly higher in AS-DR12 fruit than in wild type, but this ratio was reversed at the red-ripe stage. The amount of water- and oxalate-soluble pectins increased at the red-ripe stage in the wild type, but decreased in AS-DR12. The distribution of methyl ester groups on the homogalaturonan backbone differed between the two genotypes. There was no evidence of more calcium cross-linked homogalacturan involved in cell-to-cell adhesion in AS-DR12 compared with wild-type fruit. Furthermore, the outer pericarp contains higher proportion of small cells in AS-DR12 fruit than in wild type and higher occurrence of (1-->5) alpha-L-arabinan epitope at the RR stage. It is concluded that the increased firmness of transgenic fruit does not result from a major impairment of ripening-related pectin metabolism, but rather involves differences in pectin fine structure associated with changes in tissue architecture.     

Effects of foliar sprays containing calcium, magnesium and titanium on plum (Prunus domestica L.) fruit quality

An experiment was performed in which Ti⁴⁺-ascorbate was sprayed onto plum trees in several combinations with other commercial compounds containing Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ to study the effects on the commercial quality of fruits, with special focus on improving their resistance against postharvest handling damage.

All the treatments containing titanium increased the tree performance (branch elongation, flowering and fruit setting intensities) and fruit size. At harvest fruits from the Ti-treated trees showed improved resistance to compression and penetration, as well as a decrease in weight-loss during postharvest storage. A similar response was obtained for the external colour, though all the treatments seemed to delay somewhat the apparent ripening status. Nevertheless, the fruits from Ti-treated trees showed a better behaviour in the evolution of the colour parameters during storage than did the control fruits.

Titanium application significantly increased the calcium, iron, copper and zinc concentrations in peel and flesh. This improvement in the calcium absorption is explained as a consequence of the beneficial effect of titanium on the absorption, translocation and assimilation processes.     

Under-expression of the Auxin Response Factor Sl-ARF4 improves post-harvest behavior of tomato fruits

Auxin is one of the most prominent phytohormones regulating many aspects of fleshy fruit development including fruit set, fruit size through the control of cell division and cell expansion, and fruit ripening. To shed light on the role of auxin fruit ripening, we have previously shown that Sl-ARF4 is a major player in mediating the auxin control of sugar metabolism in tomato fruit (cv MicroTom). Further extending this study, we show here that down-regulation of Sl-ARF4 in tomato alters some ripening-related fruit quality traits including enhanced fruit density at mature stage, increased firmness, prolonged shelf-life and reduced water (weight) loss at red ripe stage. These findings suggest that Sl-ARF4 plays a role in determining fruit cell wall architecture and thus providing a potential genetic marker for improving post-harvest handling and shelf life of tomato fruits.