Ultrastructural Effects of Postharvest Treatments on the Vacuolar Inclusions in Pear (Pyrus Communis L. CV. Hardenpoint) Peel

Abstract

In the course of our investigations on the ultrastructural effects of postharvest treatments applied for shelf life extension of hardenpont pear, we have observed specific changes in the vocuolar content of peel. In the hypodermal cells of the untreated control compact dense vacuolar inclusions developed during storage for two months. CaCl2 solution applied after picking changed the structure of the inclusions by the end of storage, while gamma-irradiation (1 kGy) possible ultrastructural markers of the treatments. We have not found evidence by X-ray micro-analysis for the accumulation of Ca in the inclusions after CaCl2 treatment, while Ca accumulated in the vacuolar granules of the fruit flesh