QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF ETHYLENE PRODUCTION IN APPLE VARIETIES

Abstract

The capacity for ethylene formation is present in many kinds of fruits but appears to be entirely absent in others. In apples and pears the amounts of ethylene produced vary greatly between varieties; according to the avail-able data, the intensity of production is correlated with the longevity of the fruit in storage. In six varieties of apples, NELSON (5) found that those with the longest storage life were characterized by the least capacity to pro-duce ethylene. Similarly in pears, the short-lived variety, Bartlett, was observed to have a maximum rate of ethylene production six to seven times greater than the long-lived variety, Anjou (2). The formation and accumu-lation of ethylene in the fruit tissues is a vital factor in the natural ripening processes of pears (3) and probably of apples (4). In the present study, the production of ethylene by apple varieties in relation to season of matura-tion, rate of ripening, length of storage, respiration, and temperature are considered.