Modulation of tomato pericarp firmness through pH and calcium: Implications for the texture of fresh-cut fruit

The effect of pH and calcium on pericarp firmness and pectin solubility was investigated in tomato fruit (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. ‘Tavira’). Pericarp disks were vacuum-infiltrated with 50mM CaCI₂ or with distilled water and incubated for 4 h in buffer solutions at pH 4.5 and 7.0, and subsequently stored at 2 ◦C for 5 days. CaCl2 treatment had a significant effect on firmness retention in disks from turning and ripe fruit. Pericarp disks from mature-green fruit infiltrated with CaCl2 were firmer than untreated tissue after a 4 h incubation period, but the effect of calcium did not persist during storage at 2 ◦C. pH had a significant effect on the firmness of pericarp disks excised from turning and ripe fruit, but not on mature-green tissue. Treatments at pH 7.0 caused a reduction of the softening rate in disks from turning and ripe fruit, but had no significant effect at the mature-green stage. Water-soluble pectins decreased significantly in mature-green and ripe pericarp tissue following treatment with CaCl2 at pH 7.0, suggesting that pH affects pectin dissolution. Firmness changes induced by pH and calcium after a 4 h incubation treatment were highly correlated with pectin dissolution. The results indicate that, besides calcium, pH contributes to textural changes in tomato fruit pericarp. Since wounding inflicted during processing and acidic solutions used to prevent enzymic browning and microbial growth are likely to acidify the apoplast of fresh-cut fruit, the ability to maintain an apoplastic pH near 7.0 can significantly contribute to enhanced firmness of fresh-cut fruit

Uncoupling the sensory effects of 1-Methylcyclopropene and Ripening stage on 'Hayward' Kiwifruit

'Hayward' kiwifruit were treated with 0.5 μL·L-1 of 1-methylcyclopropene (1- MCP) and stored in air at 0 °C. Treatment with 1-MCP reduced softening of kiwifruit during storage but did not affect soluble solids or titratable acidity. Sensory analyses were performed by a consumer panel and by trained panelists after 41, 77, and 161 days in storage. 1-MCP treatment negatively affected consumer preference, expressed as degree of liking. The trained panel clearly perceived 1-MCP-treated kiwifruit after 41 days in storage at 0 °C as more sour and firmer but less juicy, less sweet, and less flavorful than untreated fruit. After 161 days in storage, the perceived differences between 1-MCP-treated and untreated fruit had been reduced for sweetness and acidity, but the panel perceived 1-MCP-treated fruit as firmer and lagging behind in the ripening process. Altering the poststorage ripening rate, by placing 1-MCP-treated fruit at a higher temperature than untreated controls, allowed fruit to develop in such a way that a sensory panel was unable to distinguish between treatments. This result indicates that 1-MCP-treated fruit can be perceived by the consumer as similar to untreated fruit if adequately conditioned.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Polygalacturonase-mediated dissolution and depolymerization of pectins in solutions mimicking the pH and mineral composition of tomato fruit apoplast

The effects of polygalacturonase (PG) on pectin dissolution and depolymerization were examined in cell walls from mature-green tomato fruit incubated in a conventional (C) buffer (30 mMsodium acetate, 150 mMNaCl, pH 4.5) and in buffers mimicking the apoplastic solution of maturegreen (MG) and ripe fruit (R). Pectin dissolution from cell walls was much higher in C-buffer than in MG- or R-buffers. Buffered phenol inactivated cell walls incubated in C-buffer released 4.9 mg mg 1 pectin, which increased to 86.4 mg mg 1 when PG was added. In the R-buffer, PG increased the pectin dissolution from inactive cell walls from 0.5 to 18.3 mg mg 1. However, when the assay was conducted in buffer mimicking maturegreen fruits, added PG did not increase pectin dissolution. The release of uronic acids from active cell walls in C-buffer and R-buffer was consistently lower than that from inactive walls due to the activity of pectinmethylesterase. Gel filtration profiles of CDTA-soluble pectins extracted from cell walls previously incubated in C-buffer or R-buffer with PG reveal that the enzyme is capable of hydrolyzing insoluble, ionically bound, pectins. These data support the idea that pH and mineral composition of the fruit apoplast provide a means for biochemical regulation of cell wall metabolism

In vivo pectin solubility in ripening and chill-injured tomato fruit

In vivo pectin solubility was examined in ripening and chill-injured tomato fruit with down-regulated polygalacturonase (PG, EC 3.2.1.15) activity and untransformed wild-type fruit by analyzing a pressure-extracted fluid of apoplastic origin. Pectin concentration in the apoplastic fluid increased threefold during ripening and was not affected by endogenous PG. In contrast, PG strongly affected pectin concentration in a bulk pericarp fluid obtained after tissue disruption. There was a 14-fold increase in bulk pectin levels during ripening of PG-antisense fruit and a 36-fold increase in wild-type. Pectins soluble in the apoplastic fluid decreased slightly during storage of fruit at 5ºC for 14 days but increased considerably upon subsequent transfer to 15ºC. Concentration of monomeric galactose in the apoplastic fluid increased during ripening from 41 to 67 µg mL⁻¹. Galactose levels were threefold to fourfold higher in the bulk than in the apoplastic fluid. Low-temperature storage caused a 50% reduction in the galactose present in the bulk fluid and a 20% reduction in apoplastic concentration of galactose. These results indicate that pectin dissolution in ripening tomato fruit is PG-independent even though the enzyme is catalytically active in ripe fruit. Low-temperature storage reduces in vivo pectin solubility, an effect that is reversed upon transfer to higher temperature following cold storag

Differential responses of the antioxidant defence system and ultrastructure in a salt-adapted potato cell line

Changes in lipid peroxidation and ion content and the possible involvement of the antioxidant system in salt tolerance at the cellular level was studied in a potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) callus line grown on 150 mM NaCl (salt-adapted) and in a non-adapted line exposed to 150 mM NaCl (salt-stressed). Salinity reduced the growth rate and increased lipid peroxidation in salt-stressed line, which remained unaltered in the adapted line. Na+ and Cl− content increased due to salinity in both lines, but the adapted line displayed greater K+/Na+ ratio than the stressed one. Total superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), ascorbate peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11), and glutathione reductase (GR, EC 1.6.4.2) activities decreased in both salt-exposed lines; catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6) activity did not change in the adapted line, but decreased in the stressed cell line. Salinity caused the suppression of one GR isoform, while the isozyme patterns of SOD, APX, and CAT were not affected. Ascorbate and reduced glutathione increased in both salt-exposed calli lines. α-Tocopherol increased as a result of salt exposure, with higher levels found in adapted calli. Electron microscopy showed that neither the structural integrity of the cells nor membrane structure were affected by salinity, but plastids from adapted cells had higher starch content. The results suggest that the enzymic and non-enzymic components of the antioxidant system are differentially modulated by salt. Different concentrations of antioxidant metabolites are more relevant to the adaptive response to salinity in potato calli than the differences in activity of the antioxidant enzymes.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Incorporation of strawberry into yoghurt: effects on the phytochemical composition

Yogurt has high nutritional value as source of calcium, protein, and provides the beneficial effects of living bacteria. Fruit preparations can be added to yogurt to create new products and combine the nutritional value of dairy and fruit matrices. Interactions of plant phenolics with proteins may lead to the formation of soluble or insoluble complexes. These interactions may have a detrimental effect on the in vivo bioavailability of both phenolics and proteins. The aims of this study were to establish evaluate the protein profiles of yogurt before and after the addition of strawberry and to assess the antioxidant properties and phytochemical of the fruit yogurt, in order to evaluate the possible interaction between protein and phenolic compounds therein. Industrial strawberry preparates containing 50% of fruit, 23% sucrose, 8% glucose-fructose syrup, starch (2%) were incorporated in natural yogurt and kept during 28 days at 2ºC. Extracts were obtained with methanol: formic acid (9:1 v/v) and stored at -20°C for 1 h to facilitate protein precipitation. Extracts was centrifuged and supernatant filtered with 3 kDa membrane. Total antioxidant activity was assessed by the ABTS method, total phenolics by Folin Ciocalteu’s method, and total anthocyanins by pH-differential method. Individual phenolics and anthocyanins were analysed by HPLC-DAD and proteins profile were analyzed by FPLC, SDS-PAGE and Urea-PAGE. An immediate decrease in total antioxidant activity and total phenolics was observed after addition of fruit preparate to yogurt. Antioxidant activity, decrease from 0.84±0.08 to 0.65±0.06 mg ascorbic acid equivalents/g fw. Total phenolics decrease from 1.14±0.05 to 0.98±0.03 mg gallic acid equivalents/g fw and anthocyanins did not change significantly (0.060±0.008 to 0.067±0.017 mg pelargonidin-3-glucoside/g fw). After 28 days at 2°C, the antioxidant activity decrease 18%, total phenolics 11% and anthocyanins 25%. Ellagic acid decreased 20%, while (+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, rutin and kaempferol increased 7, 5, 18 and 12%, respectively. Anthocyanins decreased by 18, 48 and 21% for cyanidin-3-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-glucoside and pelargonidin-3-rutinoside, respectively, during the 28-day shelf-life period. (+)-Catechin, (-)-epicatechin, rutin and pelargonidin-3-glucoside were always present in yogurt in lower concentration than in the original fruit (accounted for dilution effects), suggesting strong interaction of these phenolics with the dairy matrix. The only soluble protein detected was alfa-lactalbumin present at 0.22 mg/mL, which decrease 47% when fruit is added. This strong reduction suggests an immediate formation of complexes upon incorporation of strawberry preparate. Free alfa-lactalbumin continued to decrease (48%) during shelf-life, being less available to absorption. These results suggest that interactions between strawberry and yogurt components may affect nutritional availability.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Height control in ornamental plants: sustainable alternatives to growth regulators

A necessidade de encontrar estratégias sustentáveis eficazes no controlo da altura da planta é actualmente um grande desafio que se coloca à horticultura ornamental protegida. Este estudo teve como objectivo: (1) analisar a informação disponível acerca dos factores que afectam a altura das plantas; (2) compreender os mecanismos fisiológicos envolvidos no processo de alongamento do caule; (3) definir alternativas sustentáveis para produzir plantas compactas, reduzindo ao mínimo a aplicação de „reguladores químicos de crescimento‟. Concluiu-se que manter uma temperatura nocturna superior à temperatura diurna (DIF negativa ou tratamento DROP) ou a alteração do espectro luminoso (elevado rácio vermelho/vermelho-longínquo) apresentam um forte potencial como métodos não químicos no controlo da altura de várias espécies de plantas ornamentais. Oaumento do rácio vermelho/vermelho-longínquo, poderáser efectuado de diferentes modos incluindo a utilização defilmes fotosselectivose/ourecorrendoa um conjunto de medidas facilmente aplicáveis tais como:(i) evitar densidades de plantação muito elevadas; (ii) utilização de luz suplementar com elevado rácio vermelho/vermelho-longínquo (ex. lâmpadas de assimilação em substituição de lâmpadas incandescentes); (iii) evitar a exposição das plantas à radiação do crepúsculo (devido à diminuição natural do rácio vermelho/vermelho-longínquo). O stress mecânico é também uma medida eficaz para a manutenção de plantas compactas em determinadas espécies. Paralelamente, o recurso ao Melhoramento de plantas no sentido de seleccionar cultivares ananicantes poderá ser bastante promissor. Porém, na maioria dos casos, não será uma medida única que permitirá a obtenção de plantas compactas, mas a combinação de várias estratégias.Height control in ornamental plants: sustainable alternatives to growth regulators. The need to find sustainable and efficient strategies to control plant height is currently a great challenge in the protected cultivation of ornamental plants. The aim of this study was to: (1) analyse the available information on the factors involved in plant height; (2) understand the underlying physiological mechanisms behind stem elongation; (3) define sustainable alternatives for producing compact floricultural crops, reducing the application of chemical growth retardants to a minimum level. It was concluded that keeping a night temperature higher than the day temperature (negative DIF or DROP treatment) or changing the light quality (high red/ far-red ratio) have a high potential as non-chemical methods for controlling plant height in several species of ornamental plants. Increasing the red/ far-red ratio can be done in different ways including the use of photoselective films and/or using several easy to apply measures, including: (i) avoiding very high plant densities; (ii) using supplementary light with a high red/far-red ratio (e.g. assimilation lamps instead of incandescent lamps); (iii) avoiding plant exposure to the twilight period (due to the natural reduction of the red/far-red ratio). Mechanical stress is also an effective strategy for producing compact plants in some species. Furthermore, plant breeding might offer good possibilities for developing dwarf cultivars. Nevertheless, in most cases, it will not be one single measure that will result in compact plants, but it is rather the combination of several strategies.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Antioxidant properties and fruit quality during long-term storage of “rocha” pear: effects of maturity and storage conditions

Free radical scavenging activity and the content of ascorbic acid and glutathione were investigated during long-term storage of the pear (Pyrus communis L. ‘Rocha’) fruit harvested at different maturity stages, stored in air or under controlled atmosphere and subjected to postharvest treatments with diphenylamine (DPA) and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). Harvest maturity had a significant effect on storage disorders, fruit firmness, soluble solids content and acidity. Differences in ascorbate content and free radical scavenging activity at harvest did not persist during storage. Controlled atmosphere and DPA strongly reduced the incidence and severity of browning disorders and superficial scald, whereas 1-MCP provided the most effective control. Neither DPA nor 1-MCP affected the free radical scavenging activityinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio