Papaya pulp gelling: is it premature ripening or problems of water accumulation in the apoplast?

• Autor(a) principal: Oliveira,Jurandi Gonçalves de
• Data de Publicação: 2010
• Outros Autores: Bressan-Smith,Ricardo Enrique, Campostrini,Eliemar, Cunha,Maura Da, Costa,Ernani Santos, Torres Netto,Alena, Coutinho,Kelly da Silva, SILVA,Marcelo Gomes da, Vitória,Angela Pierre
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista brasileira de fruticultura (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0100-29452010000400003
• topic: ultrastructural alterations; cell turgor; fruit quality; physiological disturbances; biochemical alterations

Gelled aspect in papaya fruit is typically confused with premature ripening. This research reports the characterization of this physiological disorder in the pulp of papaya fruit by measuring electrolyte leakage, Pi content, lipid peroxidation, pulp firmness, mineral contents (Ca, Mg and K - in pulp and seed tissues), and histological analysis of pulp tissue. The results showed that the gelled aspect of the papaya fruit pulp is not associated with tissue premature ripening. Data indicate a reduction of the vacuole water intake as the principal cause of the loss of cellular turgor; while the waterlogged aspect of the tissue may be due to water accumulation in the apoplast.