POSTHARVEST INFILTRATION OF POLYAMINES AND CALCIUM INFLUENCES ETHYLENE PRODUCTION AND TEXTURE CHANGES IN GOLDEN-DELICIOUS APPLES

Prestorage infiltration of 'Golden Delicious' apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) with calcium (Ca) retarded texture changes during storage at OC and inhibited ethylene production of the fruit at 20C. Infiltration of the fruit with the polyamines (PA) putrescine (PUT) or spermidine (SPD) also altered texture changes, but did not inhibit ethylene production. When the fruit were treated with Ca first and then with PA, cell wall-bound Ca concentrations increased 4-fold, but PA levels in the cell wall increased only slightly. When the fruit were treated with PA first and then with Ca, PA levels in the cell wall increased 3-fold, but Ca concentration increased only 2-fold. These results indicate that Ca and PA may be competing for the same binding sites in the cell wall and that the improvement of fruit quality during storage by these cations could involve strengthening of the cell wall.