Involvement of Antioxidant Enzymes and Genes in the Resistance Mechanism to Postharvest Superficial Scald Development

Abstract

The objective of this research project was to evaluate the involvement of antioxidant enzymes and genes in the resistance mechanism to postharvest superficial scald development using two primary systems: 1. Resistant and susceptible progenies of an apple cross between a scald resistant crab apple, ‘White Angel’ and a scald susceptible cultivar, ‘Rome Beauty’; 2. Heat-treatment of ‘Granny Smith’, which is known to reduce scald development in this cultivar. In 2002 we asked for, and received (October 14), permission to revise our initial objectives. The US side decided to expand their results to include further work using commercial cultivars. Also, both sides wanted to include an emphasis on the interaction between these antioxidant enzymes and the á-farnesene pathway, with the cooperation of a third party, Dr. Bruce Whitaker, USDA-ARS, Beltsville. Background: Superficial scald is a physiological storage disorder that causes damage to the skin of apple and pear fruit. It is currently controlled by use of an antioxidant, diphenylamine (DPA), applied postharvest by drenching or dips, but concern exists about such chemical usage especially as it also involves application of fungicides. As a result, there has been increased emphasis on understanding of the underlying mechanisms involved in disorder development. Our approach was to focus on the oxidative processes that occur during scald development, and specifically on using the two model systems described above to determine if the levels of specific antioxidants and/or antioxidant enzyme activities correlated with the presence/absence of scald. It was hoped that information about the role of antioxidant-defense mechanisms would lead to identification of candidate genes for future transgenic manipulation. Major conclusions, solutions, achievements: Collectively, our results highlight the complexity of superficial scald developmental processes. Studies involving comparisons of antioxidant enzyme activities in different crab apple selection, commercial cultivars, and in response to postharvest heat and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatments, show no simple direct relationships with antioxidant contents and susceptibility of fruit to scald development. However, a correlative relationship was found between POX activity or isoenzyme number and scald resistance in most of the studies. This relationship, if confirmed, could be exploited in breeding for scald resistance. In addition, our investigations with key genes in the á-farnesenebiosynthetic pathway, together with antioxidant processes, are being followed up by analysis of exposed and shaded sides of fruit of cultivars that show different degrees of scald control by 1-MCP. These data may further reveal productive areas for future research that will lead to long term control of the disorder. However, given the complexity of scald development, the greatest research need is the production of transgenic fruit with down-regulated genes involved in á- farnesene biosynthesis in order to test the currently popular hypothesis for scald development.