Fruit Age and Gibberellic Acid Effect on Epicuticular Wax Accumulation, Respiration, and Internal Atmosphere of Navel Orange Fruit (original) (raw)

Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science

Relationships among fruit age, epicuticular wax, weight loss, internal atmosphere composition, and respiration were investigated in mature ‘Washington’ navel orange fruit [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck]. Fruit epicuticular wax, internal CO2, and internal C2H4 increased, whereas as the season advanced, weight loss during storage and respiration decreased. Concomitantly, fruit conductance to CO2 was reduced. GA3 (10 ppm) application prior to fruit color break reduced the increase in epicuticular wax and thereby delayed the decrease of CO2 conductance, resulting in less of an increase in internal CO2. GA3-treated fruit were not consistently different for other parameters evaluated. Chemical name used: lα,2β,4aα,4bβ,10β)-2,4a,7-trihydroxy-l-methyl-8-methylenegibb-3-ene-l,10-dicarboxylic acid l,4a-lactone (gibberellic acid).