Articles
Monitoring dynamic controlled atmosphere storage (DCA) by means of chlorophyll fluorescence and the respiratory quotient
Article number
1386_11
Pages
79 – 86
Language
English
Abstract
The concept of dynamic controlled atmosphere storage (DCA) involves the reduction of the oxygen level in the storage atmosphere to the anaerobic compensation point (ACP), dynamically adjusting the atmosphere composition during storage according to the fruits physiological demand.
For this purpose DCA requires a reliable method for the detection of the ACP, which is based on sensing the fruit response to hypoxic conditions.
The objective of the present work was to evaluate the respiratory quotient (RQ) compared to chlorophyll fluorescence (Fα) as a control parameter for the O2 concentration in DCA. The research work was conducted with the apple cultivars Red Delicious and Granny Smith, selected for their differing behaviour under low oxygen atmosphere conditions.
The O2 level at the ACP and the corresponding RQ value were influenced by cultivar and growing season, but not by the maturity stage at harvest.
The two cultivars exhibited a differing response to hypoxic conditions: whereas the anaerobic pathway of carbon dioxide production was pronounced in Red Delicious, the activation of this pathway was limited in Granny Smith.
For this purpose DCA requires a reliable method for the detection of the ACP, which is based on sensing the fruit response to hypoxic conditions.
The objective of the present work was to evaluate the respiratory quotient (RQ) compared to chlorophyll fluorescence (Fα) as a control parameter for the O2 concentration in DCA. The research work was conducted with the apple cultivars Red Delicious and Granny Smith, selected for their differing behaviour under low oxygen atmosphere conditions.
The O2 level at the ACP and the corresponding RQ value were influenced by cultivar and growing season, but not by the maturity stage at harvest.
The two cultivars exhibited a differing response to hypoxic conditions: whereas the anaerobic pathway of carbon dioxide production was pronounced in Red Delicious, the activation of this pathway was limited in Granny Smith.
Authors
F. Gasser, S. Stürz, A. Zanella
Keywords
ACP, Fα, hypoxia, RQ, apple
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