Oxidative discolouration in whole-head and cut lettuce: biochemical and environmental influences on a complex phenotype and potential breeding strategies to improve shelf-life

Lettuce discolouration is a key post-harvest trait. The major enzyme controlling oxidative discolouration has long been considered to be polyphenol oxidase (PPO) however, levels of PPO and subsequent development of discolouration symptoms have not always correlated. The predominance of a latent state of the enzyme in plant tissues combined with substrate activation and contemporaneous suicide inactivation mechanisms are considered as potential explanations for this phenomenon. Leaf tissue physical properties have been associated with subsequent discolouration and these may be influenced by variation in nutrient availability, especially excess nitrogen and head maturity at harvest. Mild calcium and irrigation stress has also been associated with a reduction in subsequent discolouration, although excess irrigation has been linked to increased discolouration potentially through leaf physical properties. These environmental factors, including high temperature and UV light intensities, often have impacts on levels of phenolic compounds linking the environmental responses to the biochemistry of the PPO pathway. Breeding strategies targeting the PALand PPOpathway biochemistry and environmental response genes are discussed as a more cost-effective method of mitigating oxidative discolouration then either modified atmosphere packaging or post-harvest treatments, although current understanding of the biochemistry means that such programs are likely to be limited in nature and it is likely that they will need to be deployed alongside other methods for the foreseeable future

Aumento do potencial de armazenamento refrigerado de nêsperas 'Fukuhara' com o uso de tratamento térmico Potential increasing in the cold-storage of 'Fukuhara' loquat using heat treatments

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a eficiência de tratamentos térmicos no aumento do potencial de frigoconservação de nêsperas 'Fukuhara' e os efeitos desses tratamentos na qualidade e nas propriedades físico-químicas e bioquímicas dos frutos. Os tratamentos de condicionamento térmico foram: armazenamento a 1ºC durante 60 dias (controle); armazenamento a 5ºC durante 60 dias (padrão); armazenamento a 5ºC, durante 7 dias, e 1ºC durante 53 dias; armazenamento a 10ºC, durante 7 dias, e 1ºC durante 53 dias; aquecimento intermitente, em ciclos de 6 dias a 1ºC + 1 dia a 15ºC, durante 60 dias; condicionamento dos frutos a 37ºC, durante 3 horas, e a 1ºC durante 60 dias; e condicionamento dos frutos a 37ºC, durante 6 horas, e a 1ºC durante 60 dias. Os frutos foram mantidos a 85-90% de umidade relativa, durante todo o armazenamento. Foram determinados: firmeza da polpa, índice de escurecimento, acidez titulável, pH, teor de sólidos solúveis, teor de ácido ascórbico, teor de compostos fenólicos, atividade das enzimas fenilalanina amônia-liase (PAL), polifenoloxidase (PPO) e peroxidase (POD) após 15, 30, 45 e 60 dias de armazenamento. Houve correlação entre firmeza de polpa e atividade de POD, após 60 dias de armazenamento refrigerado. O aquecimento intermitente e o aquecimento a 37ºC, durante 3 horas, foram eficientes no controle do escurecimento interno. Os tratamentos térmicos não evitaram o enrijecimento de polpa. Tratamentos térmicos aumentam o potencial de armazenamento de nêsperas sem alterar as características físico-químicas dos frutos.<br>The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of heat treatments on the potential improvement of the cold-storage of 'Fukuhara' loquat, and the effects of these treatments on the quality and on physicochemical and biochemical properties of fruits. The treatments applied were: storage at 1ºC for 60 days (control); storage at 5ºC for 60 days (standard); storage at 5ºC for 7 days, and at 1ºC for 53 days; storage at 10ºC for 7 days, and at 1ºC for 53 days; intermittent heat, in cycles of 6 days at 1ºC + 1 day at 15ºC, for 60 days; fruit conditioning at 37ºC for 3 hours, and at 1ºC for 60 days; and fruit conditioning at 37ºC for 6 hours, and at 1ºC for 60 days. The fruits were kept at 85-90% relative humidity, over the whole storage. The following parameters were determined: pulp firmness, incidence of internal browning, titrable acidity, pH, content of soluble solids, ascorbic acid and phenolic compounds, activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD), in evaluations after 15, 30, 45 and 60 days of storage. There was a correlation between firmness level and POD activity, after 60 days of cold storage. Intermittent heat and at 37ºC for 3 hours were efficient in controling internal browning in fruit pulp. Heat treatments did not prevent the increase of pulp firmness. Heat treatments increase cold-storage potential of loquat without changing fruit physicochemical properties