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Wax composition of ‘Red Fuji’ apple fruit during development and during storage after 1-methylcyclopropene treatment

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  • Postharvest Technology
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Abstract

Changes in surface wax composition of ‘Red Fuji’ apple (Malus domestica Borkh. ‘Red Fuji’) during development and during storage at 0 ± 1°C after 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatments were studied by the means of gas chromatography -mass spectrometry. Total wax increased during fruit development. During the storage at 0 ± 1°C, total waxes declined, and the decline was significantly delayed in 1-MCP-treated fruit. Total waxes were chromatographically separated into nonpolar and polar components. Nonacosane was the most abundant nonpolar wax, comprising 95% of total hydrocarbons. Polar wax components were comprised of nonacosan-10-ol (29%) and nonacosan-10-one (16%), along with a series of fatty acids and derivatives. Distinct patterns of wax changes were observed. Nonacosane, heptacosane and nonacosene increased during the development and decreased over seven months of fruit storage at 0 ± 1°C. Declines were delayed or slightly suppressed in 1-MCP-treated fruit. By contrast, nonacosan-10-ol, nonacosan-10-one, and 9, 12-octadecadienoic acid showed variable accumulation trends during the development but significant increases during storage that were strongly suppressed in 1-MCP-treated fruit. The association of wax changes with ethylene production and the responses to 1-MCP indicate that ethylene strongly influences wax composition in ‘Red Fuji’ apple fruit.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Horticulture, Northwest A & F University, Yangling, Shaanxi Province, 712100, PR China

    Xiaoqing Dong, Jingping Rao, Xiaoxiao Chang & Fucun Xin

  2. Horticultural Sciences Department, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0690, USA

    Donald J. Huber

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  1. Xiaoqing Dong
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  2. Jingping Rao
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  4. Xiaoxiao Chang
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  5. Fucun Xin
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Correspondence to Jingping Rao.

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Dong, X., Rao, J., Huber, D.J. et al. Wax composition of ‘Red Fuji’ apple fruit during development and during storage after 1-methylcyclopropene treatment. Hortic. Environ. Biotechnol. 53, 288–297 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13580-012-0036-0

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