Changes in volume and specific gravity of cucumber fruits after harvest in relation to the recovery from a flaccid appearance

Detached fruits of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) developed a flaccid appearance at first, but showed a recovery while stored at a temperature of 12.5°C or above. The recovery occurred in spite of the decline of fresh weight during storage. The higher the storage temperature, the sooner the fruits regained a turgid appearance.After harvesting of cucumber fruits, both their fresh weight and their volume decreased initially, while the specific gravity increased slightly. Accompanying the recovery from a flaccid appearance, however, the specific gravity of the fruits decreased and the rate of decrease in volume was retarded until eventually the fruits began to swell. The increase in volume occurred at any part of a fruit, although in a slightly different manner at the distal quarter.Fruits held at a temperature of 10°C and below, however, remained in a flaccid state during storage. In this case, fruit volume as well as fruit weight continued to decrease, but specific gravity increased gradually.Developed seeds with ivory colored seed coats were found in fruits at the end of storage at 15.0° or 17.5°C, but not in those stored at 12.5° or 10.0°C.