Relationships between Fruit Cracking and Changes of Fruit Diameter Associated with Solute Flow to Fruit in Cherry Tomatoes

Ohta, Katsumi; Hosoki, Takashi; Matsumoto, Ken; Ohya, Masahide; Ito, Nobuyasu; Inaba, Kunio

doi:10.2503/jjshs.65.753

Cited by 28 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 12 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…In an uniaxiale tensile test the isolated CM is subjected to constant strain rates at defi ned stages of hydration. In vivo, however, the CM is part of the exocarp composite and subjected to biaxiale strain during fruit growth, where strain rates are markedly lower than in tensile tests and often subjected to diurnal oscillations (Ohta et al, 1997). Our data demonstrate that the structural support of the CM by underlying epidermal and hypodermal cell layers is indeed important (Figs.…”

Section: Effect Of Water On Mechanical Properties Of CMmentioning

confidence: 71%

Water on the Surface Aggravates Microscopic Cracking of the Sweet Cherry Fruit Cuticle

Knoche¹,

Peschel²

2006

jashs

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The effect of surface water on the frequency of microcracks in the cuticular membrane (CM) of exocarp segments (ES) of developing sweet cherry fruit (Prunus avium L.) was studied. Strain of CM and ES on the fruit surface was preserved by mounting a stainless steel washer on the fruit surface in the cheek region using an ethyl-cyanacrylate adhesive. ES were excised by tangentially cutting underneath the washer. Frequency of microcracks in the CM of ES was determined following infi ltration for 10 minutes with a 0.1% acridine orange solution by fl uorescence microscopy before and after exposure to deionized water (generally 48 hours). Exposing the surface of ES of mature 'Burlat' sweet cherry fruit to water resulted in a rapid increase in microcracks in the CM that approached an asymptote at about 30 microcracks/cm 2 within 24 hours. There was no change in microcracks in the CM when the surface of the ES remained dry. Incubating ES in polyethylene glycol solution that was isotonic to fruit juice extracted from the same batch of fruit resulted in a greater increase in frequency of microcracks as compared to incubation in deionized water. The waterinduced increase in microcracks was closely related to strain of the CM across different developmental stages within a cultivar [between 45 and 94 days after full bloom (DAFB); r 2 = 0.96, P ≤ 0.001, n = 9] or across different cultivars at maturity (r 2 = 0.92, P ≤ 0.0022, n = 6). Incubating ES of developing fruit in enzyme solution containing pectinase and cellulase such that the outer surface remained dry resulted in complete rupture and failure of the ES. Time to rupture and percentage of ruptured ES were closely related to the strain of the CM (r 2 = 0.92, P ≤ 0.001, n = 9 and r 2 = 0.68, P ≤ 0.0063, n = 9, respectively). Removal of epicuticular wax had no effect on frequency of water-induced microcracks. Also, temperature had no effect on frequency of water-induced microcracks, but frequency of microcracks increased exponentially when exposing the outer surface of ES to relative humidities above 75%. At 100% humidity the increase in frequency of microcracks did not differ from that induced by liquid water. Local wetting the surface of intact fruit in the pedicel cavity or stylar end region resulted in formation of macroscopically visible cracks despite of a net water loss of fruit. Uniaxiale tensile tests using dry and fully hydrated CM strips isolated from mature 'Sam' sweet cherry fruit established that hydration increased fracture strain, but decreased fracture stress and moduli of elasticity. Our data demonstrate that exposure of the fruit surface to liquid water or high concentrations of water vapor resulted in formation of microcracks in the CM.

show abstract

Section: Effect Of Water On Mechanical Properties Of CMmentioning

confidence: 71%

Water on the Surface Aggravates Microscopic Cracking of the Sweet Cherry Fruit Cuticle

Knoche¹,

Peschel²

2006

jashs

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Since new synthesis of CM material was essentially absent in the sweet cherry fruit during stage III, S and the resulting stress were positively related to R. Also, the frequency of exocarp segments having microscopic cracks increased markedly during the period of high S. Surface disorders are common in a number of fruit crops that (i) may be directly or indirectly related to CM failure and (ii) are induced during developmental stages where R and S are high. Such disorders include russeting in apple (Faust and Shear 1972) and prune (Michailides 1991), russeting (Bakker 1988) and cracking in tomato (Ohta et al 1997), and maturity bronzing of banana (Williams et al 1989(Williams et al , 1990. Also, the characteristic cork net of muskmelon is thought to originate from cuticular ®ssures and subsequent formation of a periderm (Webster and Craig 1976).…”

Section: Physiological Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Studies on water transport through the sweet cherry fruit surface: II. Conductance of the cuticle in relation to fruit development

Knoche

Peschel

Hinz

et al. 2001

Planta

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Water conductance of the cuticular membrane (CM) of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L. cv. Sam) fruit during stages II and III (31-78 days after full bloom, DAFB) was investigated by gravimetrically monitoring water loss through segments of the exocarp. Segments were mounted in stainless-steel diffusion cells, filled with 0.5 ml of deionized water and incubated for 8 h at 25 +/- 2 degrees C over dry silica. Conductance was calculated by dividing the amount of water transpired per unit surface area and time by the difference in water vapor concentration across the segment (23.07 g m(-3) at 25 degrees C). Fruit mass and fruit surface area increased 4.9- and 2.8-fold between 31 and 78 DAFB, respectively. However, CM mass per unit area decreased from 3.9 to 1.5 g m(-2) and percentage of total wax content remained constant at about 31%. Stomatal density decreased from 0.8 to 0.2 mm(-2) (31-78 DAFB). Total conductance of the CM on the fruit cheek (gtot.) remained constant during stage II of development (approx. 1.38 x 10(-4) m s(-1) from 31 to 37 DAFB), increased to 1.73 x 10(-4) m s(-1) during early stage III of fruit growth (43-64 DAFB) then decreased to 0.95 x 10(-4) m s(-1) at maturity (78 DAFB). Partitioning gtot. into cuticular (gcut.) and stomatal conductance (gsto.) revealed that the relative contribution of gcut. to gtot. increased linearly from 30% to 87% of gtot. between 31 and 78 DAFB. respectively. On a whole-fruit basis, g,tot. and gcut. consistently increased up to 64 DAFB, and decreased thereafter. A significant negative linear relationship was obtained between gcut. and CM thickness, but not between the permeability coefficient (p) and CM thickness. Further, p was positively related to strain rate, suggesting that strain associated with expansion of the fruit surface increased p.

show abstract

“…Cracking can occur during fruit growth and/or ripening and affects several fruits such as tomato, pepper, cherries and many others (Sekse 1995, Aloni et al 1998, Dorais et al 2004, Huang et al 2006). Cracks are assumed to occur when internal pressure exceeds the breaking stress of the epidermis, mainly the cuticle (Ohta et al 1997). In cherry tomato, cracking only appears during ripening (Bakker 1988, Ehret et al 1993) and has been shown to have a genetic as well as an environmental component (Peet 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tomato fruit continues growing while ripening, affecting cuticle properties and cracking

Domínguez

Fernández

Hernández³

et al. 2012

Physiologia Plantarum

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Fruit cuticle composition and their mechanical performance have a special role during ripening because internal pressure is no longer sustained by the degraded cell walls of the pericarp but is directly transmitted to epidermis and cuticle which could eventually crack. We have studied fruit growth, cuticle modifications and its biomechanics, and fruit cracking in tomato; tomato has been considered a model system for studying fleshy fruit growth and ripening. Tomato fruit cracking is a major disorder that causes severe economic losses and, in cherry tomato, crack appearance is limited to the ripening process. As environmental conditions play a crucial role in fruit growing, ripening and cracking, we grow two cherry tomato cultivars in four conditions of radiation and relative humidity (RH). High RH and low radiation decreased the amount of cuticle and cuticle components accumulated. No effect of RH in cuticle biomechanics was detected. However, cracked fruits had a significantly less deformable (lower maximum strain) cuticle than non-cracked fruits. A significant and continuous fruit growth from mature green to overripe has been detected with special displacement sensors. This growth rate varied among genotypes, with cracking-sensitive genotypes showing higher growth rates than cracking-resistant ones. Environmental conditions modified this growth rate during ripening, with higher growing rates under high RH and radiation. These conditions corresponded to those that favored fruit cracking. Fruit growth rate during ripening, probably sustained by an internal turgor pressure, is a key parameter in fruit cracking, because fruits that ripened detached from the vine did not crack.

show abstract

Relationships between Fruit Cracking and Changes of Fruit Diameter Associated with Solute Flow to Fruit in Cherry Tomatoes

Abstract: SummaryThe course of cracking in cherry tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) grown in water culture in a glasshouse in relation to the diurnal changes in fruit size and the rate of solute uptake was investigated.

Cited by 28 publications

References 12 publications

Water on the Surface Aggravates Microscopic Cracking of the Sweet Cherry Fruit Cuticle

Water on the Surface Aggravates Microscopic Cracking of the Sweet Cherry Fruit Cuticle

Studies on water transport through the sweet cherry fruit surface: II. Conductance of the cuticle in relation to fruit development

Tomato fruit continues growing while ripening, affecting cuticle properties and cracking

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About