Ethylene-Promoted Conversion of 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylic Acid to Ethylene in Peel of Apple at Various Stages of Fruit Development

Internal ethylene concentration, ability to convert 1-amino-cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) to ethylene (ethylene-forming enzyme [EFE] activity) and ACC content in the peel of apples (Malus domestica Borkh., cv Golden Delicious) increased only slightly during fruit maturation on the tree. Treatment of immature apples with 100 microliters ethylene per liter for 24 hours increased EFE activity in the peel tissue, but did not induce an increase in ethylene production. This ability of apple peel tissue to respond to ethylene with elevated EFE activity increased exponentially during maturation on the tree. After harvest of mature preclimacteric apples previously treated with aminoethoxyvinyl-glycine, 0.05 microliter per liter ethylene did not immediately cause a rapid increase of development in EFE activity in peel tissue. However, 0.5 microliter per liter ethylene and higher concentrations did. The ethylene concentration for half-maximal promotion of EFE development was estimated to be approximately 0.9 microliter per liter. CO(2) partially inhibited the rapid increase of ethylene-promoted development of EFE activity. It is suggested that ethylene-promoted CO(2) production is involved in the regulation of autocatalytic ethylene production in apples.