Effect of on-tree storage on ripening related changes and sugar metabolism in fruits of different low-chill pear varieties
摘要
The present study dynamically monitored the fruit quality characteristics and sugar metabolism as indexes of the ripeness of low-chill pear varieties during on-tree storage for 15 days. The fruit firmness, acidity, pectin content and phenolic compounds had the highest values on stage S-I (0 day of on-tree storage) in all tested low-chill pear varieties, and declined with the progress of on-tree storage. While the fruit weight and total soluble solids exhibited the highest values on stage S-IV (15 days of on-tree storage). At the last stage of harvest, ‘Patharnakh’ pear exhibited a slower decline in firmness and titratable acidity (TA) as compared to ‘Ya Li’, ‘Nijisseiki’ and ‘Keiffer’ varieties. Similarly, ‘Patharnakh’ variety showed highest antioxidant activity (DPPH activity) (29.8%), total phenolic content (TPC) (350.2 mg GAE kg− 1 FW), total flavonoid content (TFC) (459.2 mg RE kg− 1 FW), pectin (2.12 mg g− 1), soluble solid content (TSS) (12.9%), acid invertase (AI) (0.15 µmol/min mg protein) sorbitol oxidase (SOX) (0.24 nmol/min mg protein), and sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) (0.63 nmol/min mg protein). Among all tested pear varieties, ‘Patharnakh’ can retain superior quality characteristics during on-tree storage better than other tested varieties.