Changes in Ethylene Production and Flesh Firmness of Melting, Nonmelting and Stony Hard Peaches after Harvest

Abstract

We examined changes in ethylene production and flesh firmness after the harvest of three peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] cultivars : a melting cultivar 'Hakuho', a nonmelting cultivar 'Early Gold' and a stony hard cultivar 'Yumyeong'. The melting and nonmelting cultivars showed increases in ethylene production and drops in flesh firmness, although their degrees differed, whereas the stony hard cultivar produced little or no ethylene and remained firm during storage. Hence, the latter apparently has different ripening characteristics from the former two cultivars. Stony hard is a mutant in ethylene production and, thus, may be used as a genetic source for improving keeping quality of dessert peaches.