Changes in organic acids and sugars during early stages of development of acidic and acidless citrus fruit.
Most of the studies on organic acids and sugars in citrus were performed during fruit maturation, and less is known before this stage of development. The aim of our study was to investigate acids and sugars in lemon, lime, and orange from fruit-set toward development. We chose to compare organic acid and sugar accumulation among acidic and acidless varieties within three species. We estimated the acidity by titrimetry and quantified the concentrations of seven organic acids and three sugars by reverse HPLC. During the first 50 days of development, quinic acid was the major organic acid whatever the variety. Afterward, citric acid predominated in acidic varieties, while in acidless, malic acid exceeded it. Fructose substituted citric acid in acidless and could be synthesized either from citric acid or directly from glucose. Our results provided the first complete report on sugar and organic acid accumulation during the early stages of fruit development in several citrus varieties.
Albertini
Marie-Vincente
MV
Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), UR GEQA, 20230 San Giuliano, France. albertini@corse.inra.fr
Carcouet
Elodie
E
Pailly
Olivier
O
Gambotti
Claude
C
Luro
François
F
Berti
Liliane
L
D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis*; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000032:analysis; D002957:Citrus / Q000737:chemistry*; D005632:Fructose / Q000032:analysis; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008293:Malates / Q000032:analysis; D011801:Quinic Acid / Q000032:analysis
D002241:Carbohydrates; D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D008293:Malates; D011801:Quinic Acid; D019343:Citric Acid; D005632:Fructose; C030298:malic acid