Abstract
Asparagus spears deteriorate quickly after harvest, losing sensory and visual quality. With the rapidity of changes in physiological and gene expression associated with harvest in mind, we have investigated whether the onset of senescence is also characterized by changes in the composition and structure of cell wall polysaccharides. Our data suggest that wall accumulation (particularly pectin) continues to occur during the first 24 h after harvest. Some fluctuation in molecular weights of wall polysaccharides also occurs over this time, primarily of pectin in the tip of the spear and hemicellulose (including xyloglucan) in the main axis of the spear. We suggest that harvest-related changes in asparagus cell walls are initially manifest as a slowing down and eventual cessation of wall accumulation, rather than extensive wall breakdown. This response tends to reflect the immature nature of the asparagus spear at harvest, and suggests that textural deterioration seen after harvest is not, initially at least, linked to wall integrity.
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