Hpj. De Wild et al., Carbon dioxide and 1-MCP inhibit ethylene production and respiration of pear fruit by different mechanisms, J EXP BOT, 50(335), 1999, pp. 837-844
Ethylene production in relation to O-2 partial pressure of whole pear fruit
stored at 2 degrees C could be described by a Michaelis-Menten equation. T
his was indicated by the use of a gas exchange model. The maximum ethylene
production rate was strongly inhibited while the K-mO2 value (1.25 kPa) was
not affected by elevated CO2. Ethylene production was also inhibited by 1-
MCP, an inhibitor of ethylene perception. The reduction in ethylene product
ion by CO2 was similar for 1-MCP treated and untreated pears. Elevated CO2,
therefore, must have had an influence on ethylene production other than th
rough ethylene perception. A possible site of inhibition by CO2 is the conv
ersion of ACC to ethylene. The O-2 uptake rate in relation to O-2 partial p
ressure of whole pear fruit could be described by a Michaelis-Menten equati
on. The O-2 uptake rate was inhibited by elevated CO2 at a level similar to
the inhibition of ethylene production. Again the K-mO2 value (0.68 kPa) wa
s not affected by CO2. Using 1-MCP treatments it was shown that there was n
o direct effect of inhibited ethylene production on O-2 uptake rate.