The Plastids and Pigments of Fresh and Dried Chinese Gooseberries (Actinidia chinensis)

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Abstract
The pericarp of Chinese gooseberries is green due to the presence of low concentrations of chlorophylls. On a f. wt basis there is about 1.5 times more tetrapyrollic pigments (chlorophylls and related compounds) in the outer pericarp than in the inner pericarp, whereas the carotenoid pigment values only showed 1.25 times more in the outer than in the inner part of the fruit. The drying of Chinese gooseberries at 40 °C for 40 h resulted in the loss of at least half the tetrapyrollic pigments and of carotenoids. Chlorophylls a and b were converted to chlorophyllides, pheophytins and pheophorbides. Chloroplasts in the outer pericarp are clustered closely around the nucleus and have a well-defined grana and inter-granal membrane system. In the inner pericarp the chloroplasts are again clustered around the nucleus and there is a proliferation of inter-granal membranes. In dried tissue the limiting membrane of chloroplasts was completely dispersed whereas some of the internal membranes remained intact.

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