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During long-term storage of apples, detection of low O2 stress is used to optimise low O2 storage regimes for dynamic controlled atmosphere (DCA) storage. Monitoring respiratory characteristics, specifically the respiratory quotient (RQ), provides a tool to achieve this. The objectives of this study were to evaluate protocols to monitor response of apple consignments to low O2 using a respiration chamber, the SafePod, designed for use in commercial stores and research laboratories, and to compare the RQ response to changes in chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) yield from the fruit skin as used in DCA-CF. Protocols to identify the lowest oxygen limit (LOL), the O2 concentration below which RQ rises, were tested using ‘Braeburn’ (sensitive to low O2) and ‘Gala’ (less sensitive to low O2). A protocol that allows fruit to acclimatise at each O2 concentration takes several weeks and is therefore not practical for commercial use. A rapid profile without fruit acclimatisation can be completed in 2–3 days. Although this underestimates RQ values, and results in an increase in RQ at a higher O2 concentration than observed for acclimatised fruit, the rapid RQ protocol provides a practical method to compare response of apple consignments between cultivars, orchards and seasons. By the rapid protocol, the LOL of ‘Braeburn’ consignments was near 0.6 kPa and of ‘Gala’ consignments was near 0.2 kPa, consistent with detection of alcoholic taints below the LOL in each case. The RQ response using the SafePod was consistent with increase in CF yield using HarvestWatch™. Fruit respiration rates change through the storage season, including a substantial decrease over the first 2 months after harvest. As RQ response is affected by respiration rate, accurate comparison of consignments depends on profiles being measured at the same stage in the storage season. It is more difficult to determine the LOL by RQ profiling later in the season when respiration rates are lower.

Exogenous ethylene is commonly used as a commercial sprouting inhibitor of potato tubers. The role of ethylene in the control of sprouting of sweetpotato roots, however, is not known. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of ethylene in control of sprouting in sweetpotato roots by observing the effect of an ethylene synthesis inhibitor, aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG), and the ethylene antagonist, 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), in the presence and absence of exogenous ethylene on root sprouting and associated sugar accumulation. Continuous exposure to 10 μl L−1 ethylene, 24 h exposure to 625 nl L−1 1-MCP or dipping in 100 μl L−1 AVG all inhibited sprout growth in sweetpotato roots of two varieties over 4 weeks of storage at 25 °C. The observations that both ethylene on its own and 1-MCP, which inhibits ethylene action, inhibit sprout growth indicate that while continuous exposure to exogenous ethylene leads to sprout growth inhibition, ethylene is also required for sprouting. In potato tubers ethylene is required to break dormancy, while continuous exposure inhibits sprout growth. Monosaccharide concentrations in ethylene, 1-MCP or AVG treated roots were lower than in untreated roots, and for ethylene treated roots this was associated with higher respiration rates. This is consistent with the activation of some additional process by ethylene which uses energy through sugar metabolism. 1-MCP and AVG both inhibited this increase in respiration rate and counteracted the decrease in monosaccharide concentrations. 1-MCP presumably counteracts the ethylene stimulation of this process, while the effect of AVG is attributed to its possible inhibitory effects on protein synthesis.

It has previously been shown that sweetpotato cultivars differ in the efficiency by which their roots can heal wounds at low humidity, although this does not appear to relate to rate of wound-healing at high humidity. It has also been shown previously that there is a negative relationship between cultivar root dry matter (DM) content and efficiency of root wound-healing at low humidity (assessed by a lignification score; LS). Root DM content tends to be negatively related to root sugar levels. The study presented here was undertaken to examine further the role of carbohydrates in root response and ability to heal wounds in the presence of water stress. Data from 17 cultivars confirmed the negative correlation between LS and DM and the positive correlation between LS and root sugar levels. Measurement of sugar levels at the root surface both at the time of wounding and after complete healing (5 days) for 10 cultivars indicated a stronger relationship of LS with final sugar levels than initial DM content. This was confirmed in further experiments using a system of adjacent tissue cuboids cut from the parenchyma which were able to exhibit lignification almost as efficiently as whole roots. With this system it was also possible to demonstrate a relatively rapid accumulation of sugars within 24 h of healing. The data were examined further by the development of linear regression models of LS. Comparison of the levels of variance accounted for by the models indicates that LS is strongly cultivar dependent, and most of the cultivar effect is related to cultivar differences in sugar levels during wound-healing. Differences in sugar levels between roots/cuboids of each cultivar also have an effect. Further, the similarity of the models for the whole roots and cuboids gives us confidence in the validity of using the cuboids to investigate wound-healing of whole roots.

This paper presents a study on the wound healing processes in sweetpotatoes ( Ipomoea batatas Lam.) when exposed to tropical conditions typical for marketing (RH 50–73%, T 25–30 °C). The physiological processes during healing were revisited. At low humidities (65% ± 10) the depth of the lignified layer i.e. the thickness of the desiccated cell layers was affected by both cultivar and humidity. Some cultivars consistently failed to produce a lignified layer and for others the layer was often not continuous. The continuity of the lignified layer was more important for effectiveness of wound healing than the actual thickness. A method for assessing efficiency of wound healing based on assessing the continuity of lignified layers was developed, and called the lignification score. Wound healing efficiency as measured by the lignification score was found to be a major factor for the shelf-life of sweetpotato cultivars. Lignification of wounds correlated with reduced rate of weight loss and reduced susceptibility to microbial infection. A high dry matter content in cultivars correlated with a low lignification score. This relationship was consistent for five trials, including 34 cultivars.

Five sweet potato cultivars (Kemb10, SPK004, KSP20, Yan Shu 1 and Zapallo) were analysed for their sensory characteristics and changes herein during storage under tropical conditions. Nine descriptors for sweet potato were derived after brainstorming and quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA). These were: floury, smooth, soft, chestnutty, sweet, fibrous, grainy, moist and discoloration. Significant differences were observed among the cultivars profiles. A principal component analysis (PCA) revealed two principal components (PC1 and PC2) explaining in total 68% of the variation. PC1 explained 52% and correlated with textural properties, and PC2 explained 16% of the variation and correlated with flavour components. The results suggest that differences between sweet potato cultivars are mainly determined by textural components. Storage had most effect on the sweet and chestnutty characteristics, and did not affect the texture characteristics. Overall the changes during storage were less significant than the differences between the cultivars.

Under marketing conditions in tropical developing countries sweetpotatoes have a shelf-life of only 1 to 2 weeks. Storage trials conducted under simulated tropical marketing conditions showed that root shrivelling due to weight loss and rotting are the two major forms of deterioration. Measurement of respiration rates indicated that under these conditions weight loss is primarily (86%) due to water loss. Under these environmental conditions rotting is promoted by water loss, which is therefore the driving force of deterioration. For the cultivars studied, a large range in rates of weight loss was found, which was consistent between seasons, suggesting that breeding for extended shelf-life is feasible. A range of root quality characteristics were assessed, including dry matter content, sugar content, surface area, initial weight, rough weevil ( Blosyrus spp.) damage, latex production, cortex thickness and hardness of the tissue. Multiple regression models for rates of weight loss indicated that dry matter content and root monosaccharide content were important controlling factors. Cultivars with low dry matter content and with high monosaccharide levels lose less weight. The two characteristics are related, and we do not know which more directly affects rates of weight loss. Other root characteristics were less important, although it was found that root size and pre-harvest rough weevil damage had significant effects.

A comparison has been made between the changes in absorption spectra and chlorophyll fluorescence emission occurring upon the induction of non-photochemical dissipation of excitation energy (qE) in isolated thylakoids and those accompanying the aggregation of detergent-solubilised spinach light-harvesting complex (LHCII). In support of a recent hypothesis for the mechanism of qE (Horton et al. (1991) FEBS Lett. 292, 1–4), it was found that absorbence changes at 530 nm were associated with qE and LHCII aggregation. Antimycin A inhibited these changes and prevented LHCII aggregation, as indicated by the electrophoretic mobility of the complex and its low-temperature fluorescence spectrum. An antimycin-insensitive partial aggregation of LHCII was associated with an absorbance change at 505 nm. Low concentration of detergent caused disaggregation of LHCII and the reversal of qE. These data are discussed in terms of the relationship between structural change in LHCII and the mechanism of non-photochemical quenching of chlorophyll fluorescence in thylakoids.

Exposure of chromatophores of Rhodobacter capsulatus to a high light intensity (10 000 μE m −2 s −1 ) in the presence of oxygen results in non-photochemical quenching of bacteriochlorophyll fluorescence and a decrease in the quantum yield of charge separation at the reaction centre. Several observations support the hypothesis that this is due to the formation of a quencher in the light-harvesting antennae. The relationship between quenching of the maximum fluorescence yield F m and the dark-level fluorescence yield F o fits theoretical predictions for antenna quenching, while the decrease in photochemical quantum yield is proportional to the decrease in F v / F m (where F v = F m — F o ). The number of functional reaction centres appears to be unchanged. No change in redox dependence of charge separation can be detected, suggesting that no damage of the reaction centre occurs. It is suggested that the quencher is formed by the oxidation of some species. Consistent with this, quenching is inhibited by the removal of oxygen. Aerobic quenching can be observed in mutants lacking either the outer light-harvesting complex LHII or both the reaction centre and the inner light-harvesting complex LHI indicative of quenching throughout the light-harvesting apparatus. Under anaerobic conditions there is still some light-dependent inhibition of quantum yield of charge separation by a distinct process that does not effect F v / F m . The mechanism of this process is unknown

Thylakoids isolated from light-treated spinach leaves (‘light’ thylakoids) which contain significant zeaxanthin levels show amplification of high-energy-state chlorophyll fluorescence quenching (qE) with respect to the transthylakoid pH gradient, when compared to thylakoids from dark-adapted leaves (‘dark’ thylakoids) which contain no zeaxanthin. In 77 K fluorescence emission spectra q E in ‘dark’ thylakoids shows maximal quenching with respect to fluorescence yield near 680 nm, whereas in ‘light’ thylakoids additional quenching occurs near 700 nm, which is associated with the appearance of a chlorophyll species absorbing at long wavelengths. It is suggested that this long-wavelength species is associated with an aggregated state of LHC II.

The parameter фp (= rate of photosynthetic O2evolution(incident light × qQ) reflects the efficiency of O2 evolution by PS II reaction centres with respect to incident light, independent of the redox state of the primary electron acceptor QA (Weis, E. and Berry, J.A. (1987) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 894, 198–208). During whole chain electron transfer to methyl viologen in spinach thylakoids decreases in фp of more than 50% were observed in the presence of a transthylakoid pH gradient. Evidence was obtained that there are two components of фp decrease; one is associated with non-photochemical dissipation of chlorophyll excitation, observed as nonphotochemical fluorescence quenching (qNP), while a second component is not associated with fluorescence changes. The evidence for the latter was obtained using thylakoids that were suspended in low magnesium, or in the presence of antimycin A, so that they would develop only low levels of qNP. It is proposed that this component is due to electron cycling around the PS II reaction centre, and that the cycle is closely related to the transthylakoid pH gradient. The cycle can be observed during electron flow through PS II only, to o-phenylene diamine, and therefore does not appear to be controlled by the redox state of components beyond PS II in the electron transfer chain. Reversible фp decreases observed in uncoupled thylakoids at low pH suggest that the cycle may be controlled by the pH of the intrathylakoid space, and not the pH gradient per se. Measurements made during the approach to steady state, in which the development qNP is slower that the formation of the pH gradient, are consistent with the suggestion that the contribution to фp changes by qNP can be determined by the ratio of variable to maximum fluorescence yield (Genty, B., Briantais, J.-M. and Baker, N.R. (1989) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 990, 87–92).