The Effect of Calcium on Respiration of Apples1

When ‘Golden Delicious’ apple fruit (Malus domestica Borkh.) Ca concentration was depressed by 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic acid (TIBA), 3 sprays of Ca(NO3)2 increased fruit Ca concentration and visibly reduced fruit pitting and internal breakdown. TIBA application at intervals from full bloom stopped Ca accumulation in the skin, but not in the flesh. Consequently, it appears that Ca moves into the flesh for a longer period after bloom, but at a slower rate than it does into the skin. TIBA was the only one of several growth regulators used that reduced fruit Ca concentration. Although within a given year Ca was associated with pitting, low-Ca fruit did not pit every year. Apparently, low Ca predisposes fruit to pitting, but pit development is associated with unknown factors.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Calcium Levels of ‘Golden Delicious’ Apples as Influenced by Calcium Sprays, 2,3,5-triiodobenzoic Acid, and Other Plant Growth Regulator Sprays1

Stahly

Benson

1976

“…The beneficial effect of Ca on firmness retention in fruit stored in air, slow CA, and delayed rapid CA can be attributed to a general reduction in the rates of fruit respiration (1,4) and senescence (14).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of “Rapid CA”, High CO2, and CaCl2 Treatments on Storage Behavior of ‘Golden Delicious’ Apples1

Lau¹,

Meheriuk

Olsen

1983

Excellent firmness retention in ‘Golden Delicious’ apples was achieved in a “rapid CA” (rapid reduction of O2 by use of N2 flushing) storage procedure. Pretreatment of the fruit with high levels of CO2 prior to rapid CA had little or no effect on firmness. Higher flesh calcium content was beneficial in firmness retention when fruit was stored in air, in “slow CA” (O2 reduced by fruit respiration), or held in air for 10 days prior to rapid CA. Rapid CA provides an effective means to control softening in ‘Golden Delicious’ apples and to avoid injury caused by calcium and high CO2 treatments.

“…(6). It has been suggested that Ca is involved in controlling respiration (12) and can reduce ethylene production (17,21). Others have shown that Ca treatment can cause a slight reduction of respiration and ethylene production of apple fruit at 18°C (26).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effects of Postharvest Infiltration of Calcium, Magnesium, or Strontium on Decay, Firmness, Respiration, and Ethylene Production in Apples

Conway

Sams

1987

‘Delicious’ apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) were pressure-infiltrated (68.95 kPa) above atmospheric at harvest with CaCl2, MgCl2, or SrCl2. After 5 months in storage at 0°C, the fruit were removed, wound-inoculated with a conidial suspension of Penicillium expansum, and kept for 7 days at 20°. Fruit then were rated for decay severity, ethylene production, respiration, firmness, and injury, and analyzed for the concentration of the appropriate cation. Calcium was the optimum cation for reducing decay, maintaining fruit firmness, and suppressing ethylene production. Cation treatments had little effect on respiration, and Mg was the only cation that caused distinctive injury to the fruit surface.