Ethylene Production by Tomato Fruits at Various Temperatures and Effect of Ethylene Treatment on the Fruits Studies on Storage Temperature of Tomato Fruits Part IV)

Abstract

ChibaTomato fruits were harvested at mature green stage and stored at 4, 20, 33°C and room temperature. The ethylene production by these fruits during the storage was studied along with carbon dioxide production.At room temperature, a marked increase in ethylene production preceded the respiratory climacteric rise.At 33°C, respiratory rate declined progressively and ethylene production was greatly reduced during the storage. When the fruits were transferred to room temperature, ethylene production was recovered to a half level of production at room temperature.At 4°C, respiratory rate was repressed to low level and ethylene production was barely detectable during the storage. A large amount of carbon dioxide and a small quantity of ethylene were produced after the transfer to room temperature.Ethylene treatment (50 ppm) at 20°C, caused mature green fruit to ripe earlier and to cause the climacteric rise in respiration also more rapidly. At 4 and 33°C, however, changes in respiratoy rate and progress of ripening were not observed. © 1976, Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry. All rights reserved.