Effect of some plant growth regulator treatments on apple fruit ripening

Abstract

The activity of IAA oxidase (IAAox), peroxidases (POD), and polyphenoloxidases (PPO), as affected by different pre-harvest growth regulator treatments (ABA, AVG, NAA, PDJ), was determined in on-tree ripening apples (cv. “Golden Delicious”) before and during the ethylene climacteric. The production of ethylene was inhibited by AVG and delayed by NAA, whereas ABA and PDJ treatments caused, in the on-tree remaining fruits, a marked fruit drop and a decrease or a slight increase in ethylene levels respectively. While all treatments reduced POD activity, jasmonate increased IAAox and PPO activity. The inhibitory effect of NAA on all enzyme activity seems related to interference with C2H2 action or to a reduced sensitivity of the fruit abscission zone tissues to the hormone. The observed high fruit drop induced by ABA treatment made it impossible to detect differences in enzyme activity. AVG-treated fruits showed no substantial effects on IAAox and PPO activity in comparison to the control, a finding that seems to be related to a delay in all senescence processes caused by the very low level of the inhibited ethylene production. In control fruits IAAox activity increased during the initial ripening stages and decreased thereafter, POD activity increased throughout ripening and PPO showed little variation.