The Relationship between the Morphology and Structure and the Quality of Fruits of Two Pear Cultivars (Pyrus communis L.) during Their Development and Maturation

Abstract

The flavour and nutritional values of pears are appreciated by consumers worldwide, who, however, demand specific fruit quality, that is, attractive appearance, firmness and flavour, and health safety as well as long-term shelf life and storability. Pear cultivars differ in terms of the above-mentioned traits; therefore, we undertook investigations to demonstrate the differences in structure of fruits of two pear cultivars that determine fruit quality in its broadest sense. The micromorphology, anatomy, and ultrastructure of “Clapp's Favourite” and “Conference” fruits in the fruit set stage and in the harvest maturity stage were investigated under light microscope and scanning and transmission electron microscopes. The fruits of “Clapp's Favourite” and “Conference” in the fruit set stage exhibited distinct differences in the values of anatomical parameters only. Substantial differences in fruit structure were observed in the harvest maturity stage. The analyses indicate that firmness and durability of pear fruits are largely influenced by the presence of russeting, the proportion of closed lenticels and number of stone cells, and the content of starch grains and tannin compounds. The thickness of the cuticle and presence of epicuticular waxes as well as the number of lenticels and the number and depth of microcracks play a minor role.

Characterization and analysis of CCR and CAD gene families at the whole-genome level for lignin synthesis of stone cells in pear (Pyrus bretschneideri) fruit

“…‘Dangshan Su’ pear ( Pyrus bretschneideri cv. Dangshan Su), originating in Dangshan County, Anhui Province, China, is a well-known diploid cultivar (2 n =34) due to its high value in the fresh fruit market as well as for its medicinal properties ( Konarska, 2013 ; Wu et al, 2013 ; Yan et al, 2014 ).…”

Comparative genomic analysis of the PAL genes in five Rosaceae species and functional identification of Chinese white pear

“…‘Dangshan Su’ pear ( Pyrus bretschneideri cv. Dangshan Su), originating in Dangshan County, Anhui Province, China, which is the most widely cultivated pear variety at present in China (Konarska, 2013). But there is a defect in the variety: the content of stone cell mass in its fruit is high and its diameter is large, which restricts the development of ‘Dangshan Su’ pear industry.…”

Expression of Biphenyl Synthase Genes and Formation of Phytoalexin Compounds in Three Fire Blight-Infected Pyrus communis Cultivars

“…Production of pear fruits reaches approximately 25 million tonnes a year [ 2 ]. The great demand for the fruits is associated with their nutritional value and attractive taste [ 3 ]. Pears are high in vitamin C, potassium, iodine, and fibers.…”

“…Pears are high in vitamin C, potassium, iodine, and fibers. Pears are low in calories, stimulate digestion and bowel peristaltic movement, affect blood pressure, and exhibit diuretic, antipyretic, and antitussive activities [ 3 , 4 ].…”

“…communis is popular in Europe, indicated by a number of cultivars. However, only few cultivars combine satisfactory appearance and flavor with long-term storability [ 3 ].…”