[Inhibition of postharvest decay and induction of defensive enzymes by pure oxygen in Chinese bayberry fruit].
Chinese bayberry fruits were stored in air (control) or pure oxygen atmosphere for up to 12 days at 5 degrees C to investigate the effects of high oxygen on decay control and its relation to the induction of defensive enzyme activities. The results showed that exposure of Chinese bayberry to pure oxygen significantly prevented fruit decay. At the end of the storage period, the decay index of fruits exposed to pure oxygen was only 17% while that of control fruits reached 54% (Fig.1). Pure oxygen caused a significant increase in chitinase and beta-1,3-glucanase activities which reached a peak on the 6th day of storage (Fig.2). Phenylalanine ammonium-lyase (Fig.3A) and peroxidase (Fig.4) activities as well as total phenolic content (Fig.3B) increased more quickly and stayed at significantly higher levels in fruits exposed to pure oxygen during storage than the control fruits. These results suggest that the inhibition of postharvest fruit decay by high oxygen was related to the induction of defensive enzyme activities. The induced disease resistance may be involved in the mechanisms by which high oxygen treatment inhibited fruit decay in Chinese bayberry.
Yang
Zhen-Feng
ZF
College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
Zheng
Yong-Hua
YH
Cao
Shi-Feng
SF
Li
Na
N
Ma
Su-Juan
SJ
Chen
Xue-Hong
XH
Wang
Xue-Xiu
XX
D002688:Chitinases / Q000378:metabolism; D005519:Food Preservation / Q000379:methods; D043326:Glucan 1,3-beta-Glucosidase / Q000378:metabolism; D031641:Myrica / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
D002688:Chitinases; D043326:Glucan 1,3-beta-Glucosidase; D010100:Oxygen