Effects of Fruit Bagging on Accumulation of Anthocyanin, Flavonoid, and Simple Phenols at Harvest and on Anthocyanin Synthesis Potential During Storage in `Delicious' Apples

Abstract

`Delicious' fruit were covered with paper bags from the early development stage until harvest at the Horticultural Center, Univ. of Massachusetts. Bagging did not affect fruit maturity, but significantly affected phenolic composition in fruit peel. Compared with the control, bagged fruit did not accumulate anthocyanin, but contained low levels of procyanidin and quercetin glycosides and relatively large amounts of simple phenolic acids. When bagged, fruit were re-exposed to light; they started to accumulate anthocyanin quickly and anthocyanin accumulation reached maximum after 3 days of light exposure. The potential of anthocyanin synthesis in bagged fruit remained constant during 5 months of cold storage. Results indicate that accumulation of anthocyanin, procyanidin, quercetin glycosides, and simple phenolic acids has different light requirement and these fruit could be a useful model in the research on anthocyanin synthesis and gene expression in apples.