INHIBITION OF ACC-DEPENDENT ETHYLENE PRODUCTION IN APPLE FRUIT DISCS BY A CELL-WALL COMPONENT FROM PEACH FRUIT

Substance(s) inhibitory to ACC-dependent ethylene production in the al cohol-insoluble solids (AIS) fraction from peach fruit was assessed in apple fruit discs. The supernatant from AIS digested with pectolyase Y-23 in distilled water inhibited ethylene production in apple fruit d iscs. Separation of the supernatant on a PD-10 column indicated that t he inhibitory substance(s) was associated with the low molecular weigh t fraction. The inhibitory effect of the supernatant was lost upon dia lysis against distilled water. The inhibitory fraction appeared as a s ingle entity (Rf=0.44) when separated by thin layer chromatography. In hibitory substance(s) was also released by macerozyme and cellulase di gestion or by autocatalytic digestion of freshly prepared peach fruit homogenate. These data indicate that peach fruit may release a substan ce(s) which inhibits ethylene production.