Effect of glycine betaine on chilling injury in relation to energy metabolism in papaya fruit during cold storage

“Zhongbai” papaya fruit were treated with 15 mmol/L glycine betaine (GB) and then refrigerated at 6°C for 40 days to study the influence of GB on chilling injury (CI) and possible mechanism associated with energy metabolism. The results exhibited that GB treatment remarkably reduced the CI severity as indicated by lower CI index during storage. GB treatment lowered electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde content, which accounted for maintenance of membrane integrity and reduced lipid peroxidation. Moreover, GB treatment improved the energy status as revealed by increased adenosine triphosphate (ATP) level, energy charge, and activities of energy metabolism‐related enzymes including mitochondrial membrane H+‐adenosine triphosphatase (H+‐ATPase) and Ca2+‐adenosine triphosphatase (Ca2+‐ATPase), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), and cytochrome C oxidase (CCO). The results indicate that enhanced chilling tolerance in papaya fruit by GB treatment during cold storage might be ascribed to improved energy status in association with increased activities of energy metabolism‐related enzymes.