Tomato fruit chilling tolerance in relation to internal atmosphere after return to ambient temperature
1993
Bergevin, M. | Heureux, G.P.L. | Willemot, Ch
Mature-green 'Vedette' tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruit were stored with (+P) or without (-P) peduncles at 1 degrees C. During storage and after return to ambient temperature, pigment content and electrolyte leakage of pericarp tissue and fruit internal atmosphere composition were monitored. The +P fruit showed severe chilling injury (CI) symptoms - shriveling and brown discoloration of the surface on transfer to 20 degrees C after at least 8 days of exposure to low temperature. The chilling-injured fruit did not ripen normally; i.e., pigmentation did not change at 20 degrees C. The -P fruit were largely unaffected and ripened normally at 20 degrees C. Severely injured tomatoes showed an apparent decrease in electrolyte leakage after transfer to ambient temperature. The CO2 content of the -P fruit internal atmosphere was significantly lower than in +P tomatoes after return to 20 degrees C. The peduncle scar has a greater permeability to gases than the skin and facilitates gas exchange with the external atmosphere. The accumulation of CO2 in the internal atmosphere of the chilled +P fruit after transfer to 20 degrees C apparently promoted CI symptom development.
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