Effect of Irradiation with Fluorescent Lamp on the Color Enhancement of Strawberry Fruit

Abstract

　We investigated the effect of irradiation with 3 different types of fluorescent lamps (FL20S・BLB, FL20S・W, and FLR20S・FB) on the color enhancement of strawberry fruits. Visible light as well as Ultraviolet (UV) rays enhance the color of strawberry fruits. The effect of UV light on anthocyanin synthesis in the strawberry fruit differs greatly with the degree of ripeness of the irradiated fruit. In the fruit advanced to about half or more of thesurface, coloring was inhibited with UV light. The analysis of the intensities of the UV radiation emitted by the fluorescent lamps revealed that the intensity sufficient for enhancing the color of unripe strawberry fruit was approximately0.14W･m^－2.