Cultivar and Harvest Location Influence Fruit Softening and Antioxidative Activities of Peach during Ripening

Fruit softening and quality management is very important to reduce postharvest losses in peach. Present study was conducted to observe the effect of harvest location and cultivars on peach fruit softening and quality during ripening at ambient conditions (30 +/- 1 degrees C and 60-65% RH). Fruit harvested from Sillanwali exhibited significantly higher ethylene production (24.27 mu L C2H4 kg(-1) h(-1)), respiration rate (1.04 mL CO2 kg(-1) h(-1)), ascorbic acid contents (11.11 mg 100 g(-1)), activities of catalase (CAT; 47.53 U mg protein(-1)), peroxidase (POD; 32.48 U mg protein(-1)), endo-polygalacturonase [(endo-PG; 11.61 Delta viscosity (mg protein(-1) h(-1))], exo-polygalacturonase (exo-PG; 138.9 mu g gal acid mg protein(-1) h(-1)) enzymes, and significantly lower fruit firmness (25.83 N), ground colour (1.65 score), soluble solid contents (SSC; 11.15 degrees Brix), total phenolic contents (TPC; 72.28 mg GAE 100g(-1)), antioxidant scavenging activity (ASA 47.72%), activities of pectin esterase (PE; 1.19 mM NaOH mg protein(-1)h(-1)) and endo-1,4-beta-D-Glucanase [(EGase; 2.57 Delta viscosity (mg protein(-1) h(-1))] enzymes as compared to fruit harvested from Soan Valley. Peach cv. 'Early Grand' showed significantly higher ethylene production (22.35 mu L C2H4 kg(-1) h(-1)), respiration rate (0.85 mL CO2 kg(-1) h(-1)), ASA (59.5%), activities of CAT (49.35 U mg protein(-1)), endo-PG [(11.43 Delta viscosity (mg protein(-1) h(-1))] and exo-PG (147.22 mu g gal acid mg protein-1 h(-1)) enzymes, whereas lower fruit firmness (30 N), TPC (108.33 mg GAE 100 g(-1)), activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD; 27.75 U mg protein(-1)), PE (1.17 mM NaOH mg protein(-1) h(-1)) and EGase [(2.54 Delta viscosity (mg protein(-1) h(-1))] enzymes than 'Flordaking'. In conclusion, harvest locations and cultivars have significant influence on the various physico-chemical attributes including activities of various fruit softening and antioxidative enzymes in peach fruit. (C) 2013 Friends Science Publishers