Quantitative Study of Ethylene Production in Relation to Respiration of Pears

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Abstract
The production of ethylene and respiration of Bartlett and Anjou pears during ripening before and after storage at 0[degree] C were studied. Each sample of fruit ripened at 20[degree] C followed the same general trend in ethylene production,[long dash]an initial increase during the climacteric rise in respiration, the attainment of a max. rate, followed by a decline during the senescent period. During the initial period, ethylene production increased 7-80 fold, depending upon the var. and length of time the fruit had been held in storage. Respiratory activity approx. doubled during the climacteric. The max. rate of ethylene production by Bartlett pears was 3.25-4.48 ml. and by Anjou 0.57-0.78 ml. per kg./24 hrs. The max. rate of respiration of Bartlett was approx. double the rate for Anjou pears. O2 tension and changes in temp. affected ethylene production and respiration differently. Under anaerobic conditions the production of ethylene was greatly retarded or inhibited. The maximum rate of ethylene production occurred at 20[degree] C. At higher temps. production decreased and was inhibited at 40[degree] C. The rate of O2 intake and CO2 output more than doubled between 20[degree]-40[degree] C. Ethylene in pears is apparently formed by an oxidative process which is not necessarily directly associated with that phase of respiration responsible for the major portion of the O2 consumed and CO2 produced.

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