HIGH-CARBON DIOXIDE DELAYS POSTHARVEST CHANGES IN RNBPCASE AND POLYGALACTURONASE-RELATED PROTEIN IN CHERIMOYA PEEL

The peel of 'Fino de Jete' cherimoya (Annona cherimola Mill.) stored a t 20 degrees C in air and in an atmosphere with high levels of CO2 was analyzed for changes in protein levels, color, chlorophyll content, a nd firmness. The accumulation of immunoreactive proteins was studied u sing Rubisco and polygalacturonase antibodies. During storage in air, cherimoya peel tissues exhibited a decrease in chlorophyll content and an immunodetected drop in the abundance of the large subunit of ribul ose 1,5-biphosphate carboxylase (LSR). An immunodetected rise in polyg alacturonase (PG)-related protein was quantified, High CO2 levels dela yed the softening of cherimoya fruit, retarded the maximum accumulatio n of PG-related protein, and maintained LSR levels, greenness, and chl orophyll content of peel tissues.