Cuticular Pores and Transcuticular Canals in Diverse Fruit Varieties

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Abstract
Dewaxed thin-sectioned and dewaxed isolated mature fruit cuticles revealed the unequivocal presence in situ of visibly discrete, ubiquitous, cuticular pores or orifices concomitant with anticlinally-oriented transcuticular canals in 51 varieties of fruit among 20 plant families. More than 66 per cent of the fruit cuticles have pores and/or canals. No correlation exists between either fruit size or pore size and cuticle thickness. Dewaxed cuticles ranged from 1.25–22.5 μm in thickness. Canal lengths are directly related to cuticle thickness. Cuticular occlusions of the epidermal cells were found in 76 per cent of the fruits examined. Evidence is provided by light microscopy photomicrographs.