Tracer studies with avocado tissues indicate that methionine is converted to ethylene at stages of the climacteric rise and the climacteric peak, but not at the preclimacteric stage. The results suggest that the control of ethylene biosynthesis is at a step after methionine is synthesized. The endogenous content of methionine was found to be so low that methionine must be actively turned over f...

Apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) have been identified as one of the main dietary sources of antioxidants, mainly phenolic compounds. These compounds vary in their composition and concentration, among cultivars and fruit tissues. In this research, the total phenolic content (Folin-Ciocalteau assay), antioxidant capacity (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power, FRAP assay) and mineral composition in th...

The photosynthetic properties of the internal and peripheral tissues of the cherry tomato fruit (Lycopersicum esculentum var. cerasiforme Dun A. Gray) were investigated. Whole fruit and their isolated tissues evolve large amounts of CO(2) in darkness. In the light, this evolution decreases but nevertheless remains a net evolution; 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea abolishes the effects of...

Disassembly of cell wall polysaccharides by various cell wall hydrolases during fruit softening causes structural changes in hemicellulose and pectin that affect the physical properties and softening of tomato fruit. In a previous study, we showed that the changes in pectin during tomato fruit ripening were unique in each fruit tissue. In this study, to clarify the changes in hemicellulose in t...

The diversity of shape in life is astounding, and this is particularly vivid when the varied forms observed in our fruit bowls are examined. How some of the tissues of the Arabidopsis fruit are moulded is starting to be understood, revealing how plants may sculpt plant form by modulating the degree of meristematic properties. In this fruit the KNOX I and BLH meristem identity genes promote medi...

We show that phytochromes modulate differentially various facets of light-induced ripening of tomato fruit (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Northern analysis demonstrated that phytochrome A mRNA in fruit accumulates 11.4-fold during ripening. Spectroradiometric measurement of pericarp tissues revealed that the red to far-red ratio increases 4-fold in pericarp tissues during ripening from the immature...

Adult western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), were most abundant on flower clusters of apple, Malus × domestica Borkhausen, from king bloom to full bloom. Low numbers of thrips remained on the clusters after petal fall as fruit enlarged. Thrips larvae peaked in numbers after densities of adults had peaked, usually by petal fall. Two staining proce...

Exposing pericarp tissue excised from immature tomato fruit to 4.5 mmol l C2H4 revealed a negative C2H4 feedback mechanism in relation to its biosynthesis since ACC concentration and C2H4 production by the tissue were reduced. An opposite trend (positive C2H4 feedback mechanism) was observed in pericarp tissue excised from fruit at the pink stage. At the mature-green stage however, tissue showe...

We isolated Cordyceps nutans from the stipe and abdominal tissues of fruit bodies using a surface sterilization method. Hyphal growth was observed in inocula from both the stipe and abdominal tissue. Some strains from discharged ascospores were obtained and colony characteristics were compared to the strains isolated from the tissues. Colonies of isolates from ascospores grew quite slowly. Isol...