Journal of the Japanese Society for Horticultural Science
Online ISSN : 1880-358X
Print ISSN : 0013-7626
ISSN-L : 0013-7626
Cultivar Differences in Exocarp Cell Growth Pattern at Apex, Equator, Stalk Cavity and Suture during Fruit Development in Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium L.)
Masami YamaguchiIsao SatoAkira WatanabeMakoto Ishiguro
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2003 Volume 72 Issue 6 Pages 465-472

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Abstract

Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivars; 'Valera', 'Schwartze Venus' and 'Mazzard' with low cracking susceptiblity, and 'Satonishiki', 'Napoleon' and 'Van' with high cracking susceptibility were examined for changes in exocarp cell length during the fruit enlargement at the apex, equator, stalk cavity and suture. Although fruit weight and fruit thickness varied among cultivars, growth curves based on these parameters exhibited a typical double sigmoidal pattern; however, differences existed in the lengths of each growth stage. Exocarp cell lengths also differed with equatorial lateral length, apical vertical and lateral lengths, and suture vertical length being particularly long. Large cultivar differences were noted in stalk cavity, apical lateral and vertical lengths, and equatorial vertical length. With ripe fruit, the exocarp cell lengths in the above parts are smaller in the 'Valera', 'Schwartze Venus' and 'Mazzard' than those in 'Satonishiki', 'Napoleon' and 'Van'. With some exceptions, significant positive correlations exist between exocarp cell length of each part versus fruit weight, fruit thickness and radial cell length of the mesocarp. We hypothesize that exocarp cell division occurs simultaneously with that in the mesocarp, but unlike the other three parts, it continues at the apex even after the cessation of mesocarp cell division. The duration of the cell division period also differs among cultivars, with 'Schwartze Venus', 'Valera' and 'Mazzard' having the longest cell division period as well as having small exocarp cell lengths compared with the other cultivars, from the immature to the ripe fruit stages. Lighter and smaller fruit with a late cessation of cell division of the apical exocarp cells resulted in the smaller length of apical exocarp cells and lower susceptibility of cultivars to cracking.

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