Abstract:

【Objective】 The effects of exogenous acetaldehyde treatment on reactive oxygen metabolism in peaches (Prunus persica L.)during storage were investigated. 【Method】 The medium-term maturity of ‘Okuba’ and late maturity of ‘Lühua 9’ peaches were fumigated with 0, 0.25, 0.50 and 1.00 ml?L-1 acetaldehyde (AA) for 12 hours,then stored at room (20±1℃) or low (0±1℃) temperatures. The active oxygen metabolism of the fruits during storage was investigated. 【Result】At the two temperatures 1.00 ml?L-1 AA treatment increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) of peach in various extents, decreased the production rate of superoxide anion radical ( ) and the contents of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at different periods of storage. AA treatment at 0.50 ml?L-1 also decreased the production rate of and the contents of H2O2, increased the activities of SOD and POD but the light influence on activities of CAT at 20℃. 0.50 ml?L-1 treatment showed a light influence on the active oxygen metabolism. AA treatment at 0.25 ml?L-1 had little influence on the active oxygen metabolism. There were no obvious differences in the parameters above among the treatments of fruits during the shelf life. 【Conclusion】 Reactive oxygen metabolism in peaches was held back by exogenous acetaldehyde treatments at suitable concentration at room temperature (20±1)℃and (0±1)℃, respectively.

Key words: peach, acetaldehyde (AA), AOS metabolism, storage