| Abstract: | Free polyamine levels (spermine (SPM), spermidine (SPD), and putrescine (PUT)) were determined using thin-layer chromatography and fluorometric method in loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl. cv. Dahongpao) fruits stored at 1℃ and 12℃ and in postharvest SPM treated fruits stored at 1℃ respectively to investigate the relationship between changes in polyamines and chilling injury. In the loquat fruits stored at 1℃, SPM level decreased gradually in the first two weeks, then increased sharply and reached a peak value after three weeks, thereafter it decreased rapidly. SPD level decreased steadily during the first three weeks and increased significantly afterwards. PUT level evolved in a similar way as the SPM level did except that it increased slowly in the first two weeks. The fruit showed symptom of chilling injury manifested as flesh leatheriness after three weeks. However, no significant increase and decrease of these three polyamines was detected during storage at the nonchilling temperature (12℃). The SPM-treated fruits maintained high levels of SPM and SPD and remained low level of PUT during storage at 1℃, and no symptom of chilling injury was observed. These results suggested that the increase in SPM level in response to chilling exposure might serve as a defense mechanism against chilling injury while the accumulation of PUT could be a cause of the stress-induced injury and the increase in SPD level could be a consequence of this kind of stress. |
