Modelling malic acid accumulation in fruits: relationships with organic acids, potassium, and temperature

Malic acid production, degradation, and storage during fruit development have been modelled. The model assumes that malic acid content is determined essentially by the conditions of its storage in the mesocarp cells, and provides a simplified representation of the mechanisms involved in the accumulation of malate in the vacuole and their regulation by thermodynamic constraints. Solving the corresponding system of equations made it possible to predict the malic acid content of the fruit as a function of organic acids, potassium concentration, and temperature. The model was applied to peach fruit, and parameters were estimated from the data of fruit development monitored over 2 years. The predictions were in good agreement with experimental data. Simulations were performed to analyse the behaviour of the model in response to variations in composition and temperature.