Approach to the mechanism of water core development in apple fruit associated with mobility of water

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K14845
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Horticultural science
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University
• Principal Investigator: SUZUKI TAKASHI 北海道大学, 農学研究院, 准教授 (30196836)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 実山 豊 北海道大学, 農学研究院, 講師 (90322841) ; 志村 華子 北海道大学, 農学研究院, 講師 (20507230)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: Malus domestica / 果実 / みつ症 / プレッシャーチャンバー / 可溶性糖 / 含水率 / MALDI-TOF imaging MS

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The authors hypothesized that the water core tissue could be formed by overflowed sorbitol-rich sap into the intercellular space which was translocated via peduncle just before maturing of the fruits according to the previous observations using Cryo-SEM. Pseudo water core tissue was formed artificially in maturing apple fruits by injecting red-dye solution via peduncle using pressure-chamber apparatus. After a treatment with 200 kPa for 24 h the center, vascular bundles in receptacle and inside of epidermis on horizontal section of the fruits were red-stained, but the original water core tissue was not. Thus, water core development would not be related to overflow of sap. Distribution of sorbitol and sucrose in apple fruit flesh was visualized utilizing MALDI-TOF imaging MS. Sorbitol accumulated around center of the fruit, but sucrose content became gradually higher in cortex side. Sorbitol distribution in a water core fruit did not entirely coincide with the water core tissue regions.

Free Research Field

園芸学