Articles
Role of cuticular wax composition and stem scar size in the transpirational water loss of blueberries
Article number
1357_13
Pages
85 – 92
Language
English
Abstract
Fruit water loss during postharvest storage is a major concern to blueberry growers and breeders as it affects fruit texture and the sensitivity to pathogens and fungi.
Cuticular waxes are part of the cuticle and play an important role in preventing water loss and maintaining firmness in fruits.
However, water loss from blueberry occurs both from the cuticle and the stem scar, but detailed correlations between the water loss rate and both the cuticular wax composition and the stem scar size have not been investigated thoroughly.
In this study, cuticular waxes have been characterized in two highbush blueberry cultivars (i.e., Bluecrop and Last Call) during four-week postharvest storage at 0.5°C and 95% RH. Total wax content was 1.68 times higher in Last Call (79.12 μg cm-2) than that in Bluecrop (49.62 μg cm-2) at harvest, while the profile was similar in both cultivars.
Triterpenoids and diketones together accounted for approximately 80% of total waxes; ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, and hentriacontane-10,12-dione (the C31 diketone) made up the majority of the wax components.
Total wax content increased in both cultivars during postharvest storage at 0.5°C, mainly due to the increased triterpenoid content.
Diketone content remained constant during storage.
On average 70% of transpirational water loss was through the cuticle, while the rest 30% was through the stem scar, with variations observed between cultivars. Last Call blueberries had a higher wax content and a lower transpirational water loss.
In both cultivars, a bigger stem scar enhanced transpirational water loss.
This study provides new insights on factors that affect postharvest transpirational water loss in blueberries with different genetic backgrounds.
Cuticular waxes are part of the cuticle and play an important role in preventing water loss and maintaining firmness in fruits.
However, water loss from blueberry occurs both from the cuticle and the stem scar, but detailed correlations between the water loss rate and both the cuticular wax composition and the stem scar size have not been investigated thoroughly.
In this study, cuticular waxes have been characterized in two highbush blueberry cultivars (i.e., Bluecrop and Last Call) during four-week postharvest storage at 0.5°C and 95% RH. Total wax content was 1.68 times higher in Last Call (79.12 μg cm-2) than that in Bluecrop (49.62 μg cm-2) at harvest, while the profile was similar in both cultivars.
Triterpenoids and diketones together accounted for approximately 80% of total waxes; ursolic acid, oleanolic acid, and hentriacontane-10,12-dione (the C31 diketone) made up the majority of the wax components.
Total wax content increased in both cultivars during postharvest storage at 0.5°C, mainly due to the increased triterpenoid content.
Diketone content remained constant during storage.
On average 70% of transpirational water loss was through the cuticle, while the rest 30% was through the stem scar, with variations observed between cultivars. Last Call blueberries had a higher wax content and a lower transpirational water loss.
In both cultivars, a bigger stem scar enhanced transpirational water loss.
This study provides new insights on factors that affect postharvest transpirational water loss in blueberries with different genetic backgrounds.
Publication
Authors
Y. Yan, E.M. Gerbrandt, A. Pratap Singh, S.D. Castellarin
Keywords
blueberry quality, postharvest storage, weight loss, triterpenoids
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