Characteristics of Sunburn Browning Fruit and Rootstock-Dependent Damage-Free Yield of Ambrosia™ Apple after Sustained Summer Heat Events
The 2021 summer heat waves experienced in the Pacific Northwest led to considerable fruit damage in many apple production zones. Sunburn browning (SB) was a particularly evident symptom. To understand the mechanism underlying the damage and to facilitate the early assessment of compromised fruit qua...
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/9/1201 |
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| author | Hao Xu Yoichiro Watanabe Danielle Ediger Xiaotang Yang Davis Iritani |
| author_facet | Hao Xu Yoichiro Watanabe Danielle Ediger Xiaotang Yang Davis Iritani |
| author_sort | Hao Xu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The 2021 summer heat waves experienced in the Pacific Northwest led to considerable fruit damage in many apple production zones. Sunburn browning (SB) was a particularly evident symptom. To understand the mechanism underlying the damage and to facilitate the early assessment of compromised fruit quality, we conducted a study on external characteristics and internal quality attributes of SB ‘Ambrosia’ apple (<i>Malus domestica</i> var. Ambrosia) and evaluated the fruit loss on five rootstocks. The cell integrity of the epidermal and hypodermal layers of fruit skins in the SB patch was compromised. Specifically, the number of chloroplasts and anthocyanin decreased in damaged cells, while autofluorescent stress-related compounds accumulated in dead cells. Consequently, the affected sun-exposed skin demonstrated a significant increase in differential absorbance between 670 nm and 720 nm, measured using a handheld apple DA meter, highlighting the potential of using this method as a non-destructive early indicator for sunburn damage. Sunburn browning eventually led to lower fruit weight, an increase in average dry matter content, soluble solids content, acidity, deteriorated weight retention, quicker loss of firmness, and accelerated ethylene emission during ripening. Significant inconsistency was found between the sun-exposed and shaded sides in SB apples regarding dry matter content, firmness, and tissue water potential, which implied preharvest water deficit in damaged tissues and the risk of quicker decline of postharvest quality. Geneva 935 (G.935), a large-dwarfing rootstock with more vigor and higher water transport capacity, led to a lower ratio of heat-damaged fruits and a higher yield of disorder-free fruits, suggesting rootstock selection as a long-term horticultural measure to mitigate summer heat stress. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:47:47Z |
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| id | doaj.art-5243c26fb15f470f9113d359b5f5b7b1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:47:47Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-5243c26fb15f470f9113d359b5f5b7b12023-11-23T09:02:57ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472022-04-01119120110.3390/plants11091201Characteristics of Sunburn Browning Fruit and Rootstock-Dependent Damage-Free Yield of Ambrosia™ Apple after Sustained Summer Heat EventsHao Xu0Yoichiro Watanabe1Danielle Ediger2Xiaotang Yang3Davis Iritani4Summerland Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, BC V0H 1Z0, CanadaSummerland Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, BC V0H 1Z0, CanadaSummerland Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, BC V0H 1Z0, CanadaSummerland Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, BC V0H 1Z0, CanadaSummerland Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Summerland, BC V0H 1Z0, CanadaThe 2021 summer heat waves experienced in the Pacific Northwest led to considerable fruit damage in many apple production zones. Sunburn browning (SB) was a particularly evident symptom. To understand the mechanism underlying the damage and to facilitate the early assessment of compromised fruit quality, we conducted a study on external characteristics and internal quality attributes of SB ‘Ambrosia’ apple (<i>Malus domestica</i> var. Ambrosia) and evaluated the fruit loss on five rootstocks. The cell integrity of the epidermal and hypodermal layers of fruit skins in the SB patch was compromised. Specifically, the number of chloroplasts and anthocyanin decreased in damaged cells, while autofluorescent stress-related compounds accumulated in dead cells. Consequently, the affected sun-exposed skin demonstrated a significant increase in differential absorbance between 670 nm and 720 nm, measured using a handheld apple DA meter, highlighting the potential of using this method as a non-destructive early indicator for sunburn damage. Sunburn browning eventually led to lower fruit weight, an increase in average dry matter content, soluble solids content, acidity, deteriorated weight retention, quicker loss of firmness, and accelerated ethylene emission during ripening. Significant inconsistency was found between the sun-exposed and shaded sides in SB apples regarding dry matter content, firmness, and tissue water potential, which implied preharvest water deficit in damaged tissues and the risk of quicker decline of postharvest quality. Geneva 935 (G.935), a large-dwarfing rootstock with more vigor and higher water transport capacity, led to a lower ratio of heat-damaged fruits and a higher yield of disorder-free fruits, suggesting rootstock selection as a long-term horticultural measure to mitigate summer heat stress.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/9/1201delta absorbance <i>I</i><sub>AD</sub>epidermal cell integrityfirmness retentionfruit dry matterfruit qualityheat stress |
| spellingShingle | Hao Xu Yoichiro Watanabe Danielle Ediger Xiaotang Yang Davis Iritani Characteristics of Sunburn Browning Fruit and Rootstock-Dependent Damage-Free Yield of Ambrosia™ Apple after Sustained Summer Heat Events Plants delta absorbance <i>I</i><sub>AD</sub> epidermal cell integrity firmness retention fruit dry matter fruit quality heat stress |
| title | Characteristics of Sunburn Browning Fruit and Rootstock-Dependent Damage-Free Yield of Ambrosia™ Apple after Sustained Summer Heat Events |
| title_full | Characteristics of Sunburn Browning Fruit and Rootstock-Dependent Damage-Free Yield of Ambrosia™ Apple after Sustained Summer Heat Events |
| title_fullStr | Characteristics of Sunburn Browning Fruit and Rootstock-Dependent Damage-Free Yield of Ambrosia™ Apple after Sustained Summer Heat Events |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characteristics of Sunburn Browning Fruit and Rootstock-Dependent Damage-Free Yield of Ambrosia™ Apple after Sustained Summer Heat Events |
| title_short | Characteristics of Sunburn Browning Fruit and Rootstock-Dependent Damage-Free Yield of Ambrosia™ Apple after Sustained Summer Heat Events |
| title_sort | characteristics of sunburn browning fruit and rootstock dependent damage free yield of ambrosia™ apple after sustained summer heat events |
| topic | delta absorbance <i>I</i><sub>AD</sub> epidermal cell integrity firmness retention fruit dry matter fruit quality heat stress |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/11/9/1201 |
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