Postharvest Biology and Technology of Temperate Fruits by Shabir Ahmad Mir Manzoor Ahmad Shah & Mohammad Maqbool Mir

Author:Shabir Ahmad Mir, Manzoor Ahmad Shah & Mohammad Maqbool Mir
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Springer International Publishing, Cham

Effect of Ethylene

Apricot is a climacteric fruit exhibiting a peak in ethylene production near ripening. According to the production of ethylene, apricots can be divided into three groups, i.e., low, medium, and high (Manolopoulou and Mallidis 1999). In apricots, the emission of ethylene starts relatively early before other ripeness characters are well advanced and can influence both fruit development and ripening. It can be produced from the amino acid methionine by the conversion to S-adenosyl-l-methionine. S-Adenosyl-l-methionine is transformed by the action of enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic-acid synthase to 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic-acid and then 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic-acid is oxidized to ethylene by the action of the enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic-acid oxidase (Lin et al. 2009). Although the role of ethylene as a modulator of gene expression is well documented in other species, the mechanism remains to be elucidated in apricot. Usually in climacteric fruits during ripening, a small amount of ethylene is needed to stimulate its own production for inducing autocatalysis (Lelievre et al. 1997).

The use of different ethylene scrubbers for removing ethylene from storage rooms is in commercial use, especially when ventilation cannot be used. For extending the postharvest life, delay in ripening is expected, which can be achieved by inhibiting ethylene biosynthesis or action. Various ethylene inhibitors can be used, such as aminoethoxyvinylglycine and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) , which have a greater effect on the ripening of medium and high ethylene producers, rather than on low and suppressed climacteric cultivars (Defilippi et al. 2005; El-Sharkawyet al. 2008). However, reduction in the preharvest fruit drop and the rate of development of maturity attributes in several fruits including apricot have been the main focus of the use of aminoethoxyvinylglycine (Palou and Crisosto 2003; Valdéset al. 2009). 1-MCP helps in blocking ethylene receptors for extended periods of time and, hence, hinders the expression of physiological effects induced by ethylene (Watkins 2006; Valdéset al. 2009). This chemical has been reported to delay the ripening of apricots provided its time of application, cultivar, and maturity of fruit are taken into consideration (Li Dong et al. 2002). Exogenous applications of ethylene as well as propylene hasten fruit softening. In impact bruising, an increase in ethylene production takes place in tissues away from the injured site of apricot fruits (De Martino et al. 2002).

In fruits like apple, plum, and banana, the production of volatile compounds and ethylene action remains closely correlated. However, it is unclear whether the production of esters is regulated by ethylene during apricot ripening (Abdi et al. 1998). Biotechnological approaches such as using sense/antisense technology for studying the effect of ethylene on fruit development and ripening have also been used (Ayubet al. 1996; Dandekaret al. 2004). Munoz-Robredo et al. (2012) reported that ethylene, especially at the ready-to-eat phase, influences apricot fruit ripening.

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