1967 Volume 36 Issue 3 Pages 268-274
After the treatment with linolenic acid or glyceine at the best time of oleification to hasten the maturity of the fig fruit, the respiratory drift, contents of carbohydrates, concentrations of volatile substances, such as acetaldehyde, ethyl alcohol and ethylene, and activities of plant growth substances on the fruits were determined until the maturity.
1. The application of linolenic acid to the eye of the fruit stimulated strikingly the ripening of the fruit and the fruit matured 5 days after treatment. No effect on hastening the maturity of glycerine was observed.
The respiration rate of the treated fruit with linolenic acid increased rapidly from the next day of the treatment, reached a climacteric maximum in respiration 2 days after treatment, while those of the treated fruit with glycerine reached a climacteric maximum in respiration 14 days after treatment.
2. The content of reducing sugar in the fruit with linolenic acid increased rapidly after treatment, attained a maximum at the maturity. On the other hand, the content of malic acid in the fruit with linolenic acid increased immediately, attained a maximum 1 day after treatment (at the beginning of coloring in the skin) and then decreased abruptly until the maturity.
3. As expressed in mg per 100g flesh matter, acetaldehyde and ethyl alcohol contents in the fruit with linolenic acid increased rapidly, reached a peak at the time of climacteric maximum in respiration (2 days after treatment), followed by the striking depression and again rising at maturity.
4. Ethylene concentration in the fruit with linolenic acid also increased rapidly, reached a maximum at the post-climacteric periods (4 days after treatment), afterwards the concentration decreased.
5. In the treated fruit with linolenic acid, the activities of several endogenous growth substances, such as IAA, IBA, IAN and GA3 like substances were higher than comparable those in the fruit with glycerine. However, the seasonal changes in activities of endogenous growth substances following the ripeness of the fruit with linolenic acid were like those shown for the fruit with glycerine.
6. From the data presented here, it is suggested that the treatment with fatty acid to hasten the maturity is more effective than the glycerine treatment, and its effect may be due to the oxidative products made from fatty acid.
