Ethylene biosynthesis in apricot: Identification of a ripening-related 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase (ACS) gene

Apricots are climacteric fruits with a high susceptibility to flesh softening and loss of flavor during postharvest storage, and most of the ripening processes are regulated by ethylene, which also has an effect on its own biosynthesis. To understand this process in apricot, inhibition of ethylene biosynthesis and perception was performed for studying key genes involved in the ethylene biosynthetic pathway. Apricots, cv. “Patterson”, were harvested with yellow-green ground color and immediately treated with either the ethylene perception inhibitor 1-methyl cyclopropene (1-MCP) at 10 μL L⁻¹ or the ethylene biosynthesis inhibitor aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) at 1 g L⁻¹. After treatment, quality and physiological attributes such as firmness, color, total soluble solids, acidity, fruit weight, ethylene production and respiration rates were evaluated every 2 d until they ripened at 20 °C. Gene expression analysis was performed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Both ethylene inhibitors were effective in reducing ethylene production, respiration rate and fruit softening. Three 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic-acid synthase (ACS) genes were characterized, but only the expression of ACS2 was highly reduced by ethylene inhibition, suggesting a key role in ethylene synthesis at ripening. Contrarily, ACS1 and ACS3 showed a higher expression under ethylene inhibition suggesting that the corresponding genes are individually regulated in a specific mode as observed in other climacteric fruits. Finally, changes in 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic-acid oxidase genes did not show a consistent pattern of ethylene modulation.     

Controlled Atmosphere Storage of Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus L.)

Sour cherry (Prunus cerasus L.) variety 'English Morello' fruits were stored for up to 20 days at 2°C in air or controlled atmosphere (CA) consisting of 25% CO₂+10% O₂, 15% CO₂+10% O₂, or 5% CO₂+10% O₂. The effects were compared on decay, juice optical density, titratable acidity, pH, soluble solids content and firmness. CA treatment has a great potential for sour cherry storage in maintaining quality and in extending the length of the storage period. The study has indicated that the decay of sour cherry can be greatly reduced by 25% CO₂. High CO₂ concentration gave the best retention of red colour and titratable acidity throughout the storage period. Fruit juice optical density and firmness increased with storage time. Fruits stored in 25% CO₂+10% O₂ had higher soluble solids content compared with fruits stored in air.     

Calcium salts and heat treatment for quality retention of fresh-cut ‘Galia’ melon

‘Galia’ melon is one of the most common cv produced in Spain destined for fresh consumption and/or for the fresh-cut processing industry. Nevertheless, fresh-cut melon is very susceptible to softening during storage, even under chilling and modified atmosphere packaging. This softening process is related to Ca levels in fruit tissue. After preparing trapezoidal shaped sections of ‘Galia’ melons, the pieces were dipped for 1 min a 60 °C in Ca chloride, citrate, lactate, ascorbate, tartrate, silicate, propionate or acetate using a Ca concentration equivalent to 0.4% (0.15 g g⁻¹) pure Ca chloride, combined with 50 mg L⁻¹ H₂O₂ for controlling microbial growth. Dipping in sterile distilled water (without Ca salt) at 60 °C for 1 min was used as a control treatment. Firmness, pectin methylesterase and polygalacturonase activity, Ca content, microbial growth, respiration rate, and sensory evaluation, were evaluated throughout 10 days of storage at 5 °C under a passive modified atmosphere reaching 4.5 kPa O₂ and 14.7 kPa CO₂. At the end of shelf life, Ca ascorbate, chloride and lactate provided melon pieces with a lower respiration rate, increased tissue total Ca content, and maintained a good firmness. In addition, those Ca salts reduced microbial growth. Sensory parameters, such as flavor perception, were kept above the upper limits for marketability. A considerable loss of flavor was found in all treatments except with Ca chlorine, lactate and ascorbate, the only treatments found acceptable from the consumer point of view.     

近红外光谱无损检测李果实硬度的研究

[目的]实现无损快速检测＂大石早生＂李果实的硬度。[方法]采用近红外光谱仪采集＂大石早生＂李果实漫反射光谱信息,并相应测量果实硬度,经异常样品的剔除、定量模型的建立和优化以获得最优的李果实硬度近红外定量检测模型。[结果]4 000~9 000cm-1范围上结合直线差减法所建立的模型具有良好的精密度和稳定性,R2为0.770 5。[结论]建立的定量检测模型可为＂大石早生＂李果实的快速、无损检测提供依据。     

双孢蘑菇硬度的近红外漫反射光谱无损检测

以双孢蘑菇为试验材料,基于近红外漫反射光谱定量分析技术,研究其贮藏期间硬度无损检测模型的建立方法.采用偏最小二乘法对双孢蘑菇的近红外光谱进行分析,并且比较了4种(一阶导数、二阶导数、标准正交变量变换、多元散射校正)光谱预处理方法的建模结果.试验结果表明,在选定的光谱(5000～10000cm-1)范围内,二阶导数光谱预处理方法所建模型效果最佳,其校正决定系数为0.947 1,验证决定系数为0.826 1,说明基于近红外漫反射光谱的检测方法简便易行,可用于无损评价双孢蘑菇贮藏期间硬度的变化.     

油桃硬度品质的光谱图像检测技术研究

应用光谱图像技术进行了油桃硬度品质无损检测技术的研究.通过采集不同波长(分别为632nm、650nm、670nm、780nm、850nm和900nm)的光谱图像,对所采集的光谱图像灰度分布进行洛伦茨分布(LD)、高斯分布(GD)、指数分布(ED)函数的拟合,通过比较发现洛伦茨分布为最优灰度分布拟合函数.将油桃的硬度与洛伦茨分布函数拟合所得参数分别进行多元线性回归,建立最佳单波长、最佳双波长组合、最佳三波长组合和最佳四波长组合的校正方程,相关系数分别是最佳单波长R为0.801;最佳双波长R为0.899;最佳三波长R为0.903;最佳四波长R为0.940.试验表明:利用光谱图像技术无损检测油桃硬度是可行的,为利用计算机图像对水果进行内部品质的无损检测提供技术依据.     

Mode of action of nitric oxide in inhibiting ethylene biosynthesis and fruit softening during ripening and cool storage of ‘Kensington Pride’ mango

The mode of action of nitric oxide (NO) in inhibiting ethylene biosynthesis and fruit softening during ripening and cool storage of mango fruit was investigated. Hard mature green mango (Mangifera indica L. cv. ‘Kensington Pride’) fruit were fumigated with 20 μL L⁻¹ NO for 2 h at 21 °C and allowed to ripen at 21 ± 1 °C for 10 d, or stored at 13 ± 1 °C for 21 d. During ripening and cool storage, ethylene production and respiration rate from whole fruit were determined daily. The 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) content, activities of ACC synthase (ACS), ACC oxidase (ACO), and fruit softening enzymes such as pectin esterase (PE), endo-1,4-β-d-glucanase (EGase), exo- and endo-polygalacturonase (exo-PG, endo-PG) as well as firmness and rheological properties of pulp were determined at two- and seven-day intervals during ripening and cool storage, respectively. NO fumigation inhibited ethylene biosynthesis and respiration rate, and maintained higher pulp firmness, springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness, adhesiveness, and stiffness. NO-fumigated fruit during cool storage and ripening had lower ACC contents through inhibiting the activities of both ACS and ACO in the fruit pulp. NO-fumigated fruit showed decreased activities of exo-PG, endo-PG, EGase, but maintained higher PE activity in pulp tissues during ripening and cool storage. In conclusion, NO fumigation inhibited ethylene biosynthesis through inhibition of ACS and ACO activities leading to reduced ACC content in the fruit pulp which consequently, reduced the activities of fruit softening enzymes during ripening and cool storage.     

葡萄在贮藏和货架期间品质的预测模型

建立了葡萄在贮藏和货架期间的品质模型。基础模型由4℃、10℃、20℃、25℃和相对湿度95%下的硬度和质量变化回归求得;修正模型由0℃和相对湿度95%下贮藏60d,接着置于20℃下5d的葡萄的硬度和质量变化来修正。结果表明,不考虑水蒸汽压ΔpH2O影响的硬度模型基本能够预测硬度在贮、售中的变化(P=6.15%),在贮藏过程的质量模型可以忽略ΔpH2O的作用,而货架期内必须考虑ΔpH2O的影响,其模型预测值与试验值吻合(P=2.57%)。     

桃子冲击力学特性及其与桃子硬度的数学模型

桃子成熟度不同，其冲击力学性质不同。从３ｃｍ高度自由下落至金属平板上，获得桃子恢复系数ｒ、能量吸收百分率Ｅ和冲击力时间特性参数ｆｐ／ｔｐ，它们与桃子硬度Ｈ间均有极显著相关。建立了这三参数与桃子硬度间的数学模型，分别为１／ｒ＝ａ＋ｂ／Ｈ，Ｅ＝ａｅ￣（ｂ／Ｈ）和１／（ｆｐ／ｔｐ）＝ａ＋ｂ／Ｈ。试验还表明利用冲击力时间特性参数作为按硬度（成熟度）分级的参数比另二参数更适宜，从高度３ｃｍ下落后桃子损伤极小。本试验结果为设计水果成熟度快速检测仪和自动分级机提供了科学依据。     

猕猴桃硬度近红外漫反射光谱无损检测

为了给猕猴桃成熟度判定提供一种无损检测手段,进行了基于近红外漫反射光谱定量分析技术检测冷藏期间猕猴桃硬度的试验研究。采用偏最小二乘法对“华优”猕猴桃的近红外光谱进行了分析,并且比较和讨论了4种光谱预处理方法的建模结果。试验结果表明,在全谱范围内,一阶微分光谱所建模型效果最佳,其校正相关系数为0.963,预测相关系数为0.852。