EFFECT OF TIME/TEMPERATURE TREATMENTS ON PHENYLALANINE AMMONIA-LYASE ACTIVITY AND DEVELOPMENT OF RUSSET SPOTTING IN ICEBERG LETTUCE

Abstract

Russet spotting (RS) is an important postharvest disorder in Iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). Previous studies showed that RS is induced by exposure to ∼5 ppm (ul/l) ethylene at ∼5C for 3 days and is characterized by the appearance of 1 to 2 mm diam. oval, brown sunken spots along the midrib. Increases in phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) activity and phenolic content are highly correlated with RS development. Ethylene-induced PAL activity is much less at higher (12C) or lower (0C) temperatures. In this study isolated whole leaves were exposed to a log series of ethylene concentrations from 0.1 to 10 ppm at temperatures from 0.0C to 20C for up to 8 days. Tissue was transferred among these various treatments to investigate the kinetics of PAL induction, activity and deactivation, phenolic accumulation, and RS development. A subjective evaluation was then made of RS development using a 1 to 9 scoring system in which 1 was no RS, and then PAL activity and phenolic content were measured. Preliminary results indicate that ethylene-induced PAL activity was decreased more rapidly upon transfer to temperatures above 10C than to 0.0C. Accumulation of phenolic compounds and development of RS paralleled each other, and were positively related to PAL activity. Practical implications of these results will be discussed.