The Change of Ethylene Production, Respiration, and Flesh Firmness as Influenced by Treatment with Aminoethoxyvinylglycine and 1-Methycyclopropene in 'Fuyu' Persimmon Fruits Stored at Low Temperature

摘要

Non-astringent 'Fuyu' persimmon fruits has an excellent crispy texture due to a firm flesh. The flesh, however, softens rapidly, if the fruits are exposed to an ambient temperature after low temperature storage. Softening is the most ethylene sensitive ripening response, thus in this study the ethylene production of the fruits was investigated in relation to the flesh softening. The 'Fuyu' fruits produced and accumulated only very small amounts of ethylene and ACC, especially during storage at low temperature. The flesh firmness was also well maintained for 4 months so long as they were stored at a low temperature. Such a reduced softening rate seems to be closely related to the inhibited ethylene production at low temperature. However, longer storage at low temperature resulted in more rapid softening when exposed to an ambient temperature. Immediately after exposure to ambient temperature, the fruits showed a transitional ethylene peak concomitantly with a respiration burst. The AVG treatment could not only inhibit the transitional ethylene production, but rather shortened the time to the initiation of climateric ethylene production. Unlike AVG, 1-MCP reduced the respiration burst and effectively retarded the softening rate at the ambient temperature.