Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
4518160 Postharvest Biology and Technology 2014 9 Pages PDF
Abstract

•35 °C hot water treatment of kiwifruit alleviated chilling injury.•45 °C hot water treatment was the most effective at enhancing chilling tolerance.•55 °C hot water treatment increased chilling injury.•A new CBF gene was identified and characterized from kiwifruit.•The expression of CBF increased rapidly and reached a maximum value at 20 d.

Kiwifruit is cold-sensitive and very susceptible to chilling injury (CI) during low temperature storage. In this study, kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis cv. Hongyang) were pre-treated by water dip for 10 min at 20 (control) or 35, 45, or 55 °C (heat pretreatments) and then stored at 0 °C for 90 days to investigate the effect of hot water treatments (HWT) on chilling injury tolerance. Results showed that 35 °C and 45 °C HWT alleviated but did not completely prevent chilling injury development. By contrast, 55 °C HWT increased symptoms of chilling injury. The 45 °C HWT was the most effective at reducing chilling injury index and incidence. Compared with the other HWT, fruit treated at 45 °C exhibited higher firmness and soluble solids content (SSC), and lower malondialdehyde (MDA) content, lipoxygenase (LOX) activity and ethylene production rate. C-repeat/dehydration-responsive element binding factors (CBFs) are key regulators in cold response. To investigate the molecular regulation of HWT on chilling tolerance of kiwifruit, a 637 bp CBF gene was identified and the relative expression of AcCBF was measured by RT-qPCR. In accordance with the effects of HWT on physiological parameters of chilling injury, AcCBF expression level was highest in the 45 °C HWT. These results indicate that HWT at 45 °C for 10 min prior to low temperature storage is effective for alleviating symptoms of chilling injury in ‘Hongyang’ kiwifruit.

Related Topics
Life Sciences Agricultural and Biological Sciences Agronomy and Crop Science
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