Research Article Open Access

Chilling Injury in Mamey Sapote Fruit (Pouteria sapota): Biochemical and Physiological Responses

Guillermo O. Pérez-Tello1, Miguel Ángel Martínez-Téllez2, Irasema Vargas-Arispuro2 and Gustavo A. González-Aguilar2
  • 1 Instituto Tecnológico del Valle del Yaqui, Block 611, Valle del Yaqui, 85000, Bácum, Sonora, Mexico
  • 2 Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C., Km 0.6, Carretera a la Victoria, AP 1735, 83000, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico

Abstract

Problem statement: Cold storage is needed in order to delay senescence and achieve a longer commercial life of tropical fruits like mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota), therefore, the physiological and biochemical responses of this fruit to cold storage were evaluated. Approach: Samples from different storage temperature (20, 10 and 2°C) were taken at five-day intervals and Chilling Injury Index (CII), decay (%), pulp firmness, weight loss (%), sucrose, fructose and glucose contents, electrolyte leakage (%), ethylene and carbon dioxide production rates and the activities of Peroxidase (POD), Polyphenoloxidase (PPO) and Phenylalanine Ammonia-Lyasa (PAL), were evaluated. Results: CII of fruit stored at 2 and 10°C was similar and symptoms included abnormal ripening into trimming zones close to the skin and pulp. Development of CI symptoms was more evident after 10 days of storage at 2 and 10°C. This trend may be associated with decrease of sucrose content but not with fructose that increased on fruits stored at 2°C (p<0.05). For mamey fruits stored at 2°C, the PAL activity was significant lower than in the fruits stored at 10°C, but it did not increase in response to the chilling temperature. No appreciable changes on POD activity were observed in fruit stored at 2°C. PPO activity continuously decreased on fruit stored at 2°C and similar behavior was observed on fruit stored either at 10 and 20°C, during the first 15 days of storage. Conclusion: Our results demonstrated the sensitivity to mamey sapote fruits to low storage temperatures (2 and 10°C). Symptoms developed by fruit include abnormal ripening into trimming zones close to skin, as well as darkened zones into middle pulp. Sucrose content could be a better chilling injury indicator in mamey sapote than electrolyte leakage, ethylene production and POD, PPO and PAL activities.

American Journal of Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Volume 4 No. 2, 2009, 137-145

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3844/ajabssp.2009.137.145

Submitted On: 16 April 2009 Published On: 30 June 2009

How to Cite: Pérez-Tello, G. O., Martínez-Téllez, M. �., Vargas-Arispuro, I. & González-Aguilar, G. A. (2009). Chilling Injury in Mamey Sapote Fruit (Pouteria sapota): Biochemical and Physiological Responses . American Journal of Agricultural and Biological Sciences, 4(2), 137-145. https://doi.org/10.3844/ajabssp.2009.137.145

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Keywords

  • Peroxidase
  • polyphenoloxidase
  • decay
  • exotic fruits
  • ethylene