Effect of delayed storage and continuous ethylene exposure on flesh reddening of ‘Royal Diamond’ plums",

MANGANARIS G, VICENTE AR, CRISOSTO C, LABAVITCH JML

JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

Willey

Año: 2008 vol. 88 p. 2180 - 2185

0022-5142

 BACKGROUND: Flesh reddening has been described as one of the manifestations of low temperature storage for prolonged periods in plum. The influence of factors such as ethylene and delayed storage has not been studied to date. In order to asses that plum cv. ‘Royal Diamond’ fruit were (a) stored at 5 °C (control), (b) held at 20 °C for 2 days before storage at 5 °C (delayed storage), or (c) maintained at 5 °C under 15 ìL L-1 ethylene. Fruit were then transferred to 20 °C and ethylene, respiration, weight loss, firmness, soluble solids content, acidity, flesh reddening, anthocyanin accumulation and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity were determined. RESULTS: Delayed storage fruit showed more extensive flesh reddening than control fruit, with increased PAL activity and higher anthocyanin accumulation. Symptoms were even more markedly expressed when stored at 5 °C in ethylene. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicated that fruit ripening stage is a critical factor determining the flesh reddening susceptibility of ´Royal Diamond’ plums. Fruit continuously exposed to ethylene showed a dramatic increase in reddening suggesting that ethylene contributes to development of the disorder.