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Potential mechanisms associated with strawberry fruit firmness increases mediated by elevated pCO2

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  • Postharvest Technology
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Abstract

Postharvest treatment of strawberry fruit with an elevated pCO2 induces transient increases in the fruit firmness. The mechanism responsible for this firmness increase is not clearly understood. This study addressed the physiological responses of strawberry fruit to CO2 treatment to understand the factors to induce firmness increase. High CO2 treatment induced modification of pectic polymers, the decrease of water-soluble pectins (WSP) and increase of chelator-soluble pectins (CSP), which are the major factors for firmness increase. The shift of WSP to CSP is related with calcium binding to WSP. The calcium binding to wall polymers was induced without changes of PME activity and methoxy content of WSP and CSP. Our results suggested that fruit firmness increase of strawberry by postharvest CO2 treatment occurred primarily through pectin polymerization mediated by calcium.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Horticultural Science, College of Agriculture and Life Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 305-764, Korea

    Yong Soo Hwang

  2. Department of Horticultural Research, National Institute of Horticultural & Herbal Science, Rural Development Administration, Suwon, 440-706, Korea

    Jeong Ho Min, Dae Young Kim & Jin Gook Kim

  3. Horticultural Sciences Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, P.O. Box 110690, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA

    Donald J. Huber

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  1. Yong Soo Hwang
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  2. Jeong Ho Min
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  3. Dae Young Kim
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  4. Jin Gook Kim
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  5. Donald J. Huber
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Correspondence to Yong Soo Hwang.

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Hwang, Y.S., Min, J.H., Kim, D.Y. et al. Potential mechanisms associated with strawberry fruit firmness increases mediated by elevated pCO2 . Hortic. Environ. Biotechnol. 53, 41–48 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13580-012-0097-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13580-012-0097-0

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