Peel Enzymatic Activity and Colour Changes in Ripening Mango Fruit

Abstract

Summary Mango cultivars that have yellow (cv. Nam Dokmai) and green (cv. Tongdum) peels when ripe were compared. Pigment content, the activities of chlorophyllase and peroxidase, and ethylene production were monitored in yellow and green ripening mango fruit. Ripe green mango fruit had three times more chlorophyll and slightly more β-carotene in the peel, and had higher rates of ethylene production than that of the ripe yellow fruit. The activities of chlorophyllase and peroxidase in the peel of the ripe green fruit were about half of the ripe yellow fruit. These results suggest that the changes in the peel of ripe green fruit were due to either or both a lower activity of chlorophyllase or peroxidase activity rather than low ethylene production.