STRUCTURAL ASPECTS OF RAMBUTAN (NEPHELIUM-LAPPACEUM) FRUITS AND THEIRRELATION TO POSTHARVEST BROWNING

Rambutans rapidly lose their attractive appearance after harvest becau se of a superficial browning of the pericarp. The structure of the per icarp of rambutan fruit was studied with specific emphasis on the spin terns before and during the browning process. The spinterns contained many vascular bundles (15-20) with both phloem and xylem vessels. Plas molysis of the cells was apparent before the occurrence of browning. I n brown tissue shrinkage of the cells was severe and cells containing black contents were shown to be dead. There were many stomata on the s pintern and these appeared to be always open. These observations suppo rt the view that the superficial browning of rambutan pericarp is rela ted to water loss. The structure of the rambutan facilitates this loss of water.