title: Biochemical and physiological changes during fruit development and ripening of two sweet cherry varieties with different levels of cracking tolerance.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the biochemical and metabolic changes, related to oxidative stress, ethylene and respiration, cell wall modification and primary metabolism, between a high ('Prime Giant') and a low ('Cristalina') cracking susceptible sweet cherry cultivar during growth and ripening. While cherries are referred as a non-climacteric fruit, our results show that an increase of endogenous ethylene production at earlier fruit developmental stages is parallel to colour development and softening during growth. Higher cracking susceptibility was clearly associated to a higher fruit growth rate and accompanied by an increase net CO2and ethylene production, on a cherry basis, leading to an enhanced accumulation of oxidative stress markers (i.e. H2O2and MDA). As observed in other fruit species (i.e. tomatoes) higher cracking susceptibility was also related to enhanced activity of cell wall-modifying enzymes which in turn occurred in parallel to the ethylene rise. Overall, these results suggest that cracking development may be a more complex phenomenon than a mere consequence of altered fruit water absorption or turgor and point out the importance of ethylene on sweet cherry ripening and cracking development.
authors.affiliation: Postharvest Programme, Institute for Food and Agricultural Research and Technology (IRTA), Parc Científic i Tecnològic Agroalimentari de Lleida, Edifici Fruitcentre, 25003, Lleida, Spain. Electronic address: jordi.gine@irta.cat.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Giné-Bordonaba
authors.affiliation: Postharvest Programme, Institute for Food and Agricultural Research and Technology (IRTA), Parc Científic i Tecnològic Agroalimentari de Lleida, Edifici Fruitcentre, 25003, Lleida, Spain.
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Echeverria
authors.affiliation: Postharvest Programme, Institute for Food and Agricultural Research and Technology (IRTA), Parc Científic i Tecnològic Agroalimentari de Lleida, Edifici Fruitcentre, 25003, Lleida, Spain.
authors.forename: Dolors
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ubach
authors.affiliation: Postharvest Programme, Institute for Food and Agricultural Research and Technology (IRTA), Parc Científic i Tecnològic Agroalimentari de Lleida, Edifici Fruitcentre, 25003, Lleida, Spain.
authors.forename: Ingrid
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aguiló-Aguayo
authors.affiliation: Postharvest Programme, Institute for Food and Agricultural Research and Technology (IRTA), Parc Científic i Tecnològic Agroalimentari de Lleida, Edifici Fruitcentre, 25003, Lleida, Spain; Food Technology Department, University of Lleida, Alcalde Rovira Roure 191, 25198, Lleida, Spain.
authors.forename: M Luisa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: López
authors.affiliation: Postharvest Programme, Institute for Food and Agricultural Research and Technology (IRTA), Parc Científic i Tecnològic Agroalimentari de Lleida, Edifici Fruitcentre, 25003, Lleida, Spain.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Larrigaudière
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D018533:Biomass; D019069:Cell Respiration; D005030:Ethylenes / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005632:Fructose / Q000378:metabolism; D005638:Fruit / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D008293:Malates / Q000378:metabolism; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010368:Pectins; D011096:Polygalacturonase / Q000378:metabolism; D000068220:Prunus avium / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D005030:Ethylenes; D008293:Malates; D005632:Fructose; D008315:Malondialdehyde; C030298:malic acid; D010368:Pectins; C036216:ethylene; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D008780:Methyltransferases; D011096:Polygalacturonase; D005947:Glucose
keywords: Antioxidants; Ethylene; Oxidative stress; Prunus avium L.; Respiration