Effect of ethylene degreening on flavonoid pathway gene expression and phytochemicals in Rio Red grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Macf) Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • © 2017 Phytochemical Society of Europe Degreening early season grapefruits using ethylene helps to accelerate peel color change resulting in uniformly colored, attractive and marketable fruits. In current study, phytochemicals and flavonoid-pathway genes were studied in early season grapefruits degreened using 5 ppm and 10 ppm ethylene and stored for 35 days under market-simulated conditions. Ethylene treatment and concentration had significant influence during initial treatment and storage weeks on expression of genes involved in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway, namely phenylalanine ammonia lyase, chalcone synthase, chalcone isomerase, and 1,2-rhamnosyltransferase. Ethylene treated fruits showed lower expression of flavonoid-pathway genes during three days of degreening treatment. Lycopene, vitamin C, and 6,7-dihydroxybergamottin were higher in non-degreened and 10 ppm treatment at the end of 35 days of storage. On the other hand, flavonoids and β- carotene were higher in 10 ppm degreened fruits. Significant effect of ethylene concentration was observed in flavonoids and furocoumarins at end of storage. At 7 days of storage after the fruits were removed from the ethylene treatment, flavonoids were significantly lower in degreened fruits. In conclusion, significant effect of ethylene degreening and ethylene concentration was observed on phytochemicals and flavonoid pathway genes in Rio Red grapefruit.

published proceedings

  • PHYTOCHEMISTRY LETTERS

author list (cited authors)

  • Chaudhary, P. R., Bang, H., Jayaprakasha, G. K., & Patil, B. S.

citation count

  • 7

complete list of authors

  • Chaudhary, Priyanka R||Bang, Haejeen||Jayaprakasha, GK||Patil, Bhimanagouda S

publication date

  • December 2017