A Contrast in Ethylene Production and Respiration between Melting- and Nonmelting-flesh Peaches

Abstract

A connection between ethylene production and the melting trait in peaches has been reported by other authors. In our study, we refute the notion that ethylene production levels in nonmelting-flesh (NMF) peach (Prunus persica L.) fruit are normally lower than those in melting-flesh (MF) fruit. While in fact during ripening NMF fruit (`Oro A' and FL 86-28C) reached lower firmness levels than MF (FL 90-20 and `TropicBeauty') fruit did, NMF fruit produced consistently higher levels of ethylene than MF counterparts. In both MF and NMF genotypes, fruit from later harvests were in a more advanced phase of their ethylene production and respiratory drift than those from earlier harvests. Fruit size did not necessarily influence levels of respiration or ethylene production. However, when fruit from different sizes had different initial ethylene production rates, those differences were maintained later in other phases of the ethylene production pattern.