Effect of UV-C on ripening of tomato fruits in response to wound

• 4.1 kJ/m2 UV-C delayed tomato fruits ripening induced by wound.
• UV-C delayed and lowered climacteric peaks of ethylene production in wounded fruit.
• UV-C retarded PME and PG activities and inhibited protopectin degradation in wounded fruit.
• UV-C delayed lycopene accumulation and chlorophyll degradation in wounded fruit.

Tomato fruits were dropped from 1.5 m to simulate wound, treated with 4.1 kJ/m2 ultraviolet-C (UV-C) radiation, stored at 20 °C for 12 d. During storage, firmness, color, ethylene production, respiration rate, lycopene, chlorophyll, protopectin, water soluble pectin (WSP), pectin methyl esterase (PME) and polygalacturonase (PG) activities of the tomato fruits were analyzed. UV-C delayed the decrease of firmness and hue angle in wounded tomato fruits. Lycopene accumulation and chlorophyll degradation were retarded by UV-C. Wound advanced the climacteric ethylene production and respiration rate peaks, while a delay up to 4 d in UV-C treated fruits was found. UV-C significantly postponed protopectin degradation and WSP accumulation, which were associated with the delay of PME and PG activities and contributed to the firmness maintenance. These results indicated that UV-C could maintain quality and delay wounded tomato fruits ripening.

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