Abstract
The mechanism of softening was studied in a rapidly softening peach cultivar `Belle of Georgia' by assessing changes in pectins and hemicellulose from enzymically inactive cell walls. Cell wall preparations were sequentially extracted with imidazole and sodium carbonate (pectin extracts), and potassium hydroxide (hemicellulose extracts). The pectin extracts were particularly enriched in galacturonic acid, arabiiose and rhamnose, and contained only small amounts of hemicellulose associated sugars. Hemicellulose extracts were enriched in xylose, glucose, mannose, and fucose. More tightly bound hemicellulose fractions contained considerable amounts of pectin associated sugars. The proportion of pectin associated sugars in hemicellulose extracts was greater for cell wall extracts of softened fruit. Some possible relationships between pectin/hemicellulose solubility and fruit softening will be presented. Work was supported by USDA grant 90-34150-5022 and the Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station.
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