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Effects of Fruit Maturity on Watermelon Ultrastructure and Intracellular Lycopene Distribution
Author(s) -
Bangalore D.V.,
McGlynn W.G.,
Scott D.D.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1750-3841.2008.00778.x
Subject(s) - chromoplast , ultrastructure , lycopene , electron micrographs , carotenoid , compartmentalization (fire protection) , biology , botany , intracellular , micrograph , cultivar , electron microscope , maturity (psychological) , horticulture , plastid , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , chloroplast , materials science , scanning electron microscope , psychology , developmental psychology , physics , gene , optics , composite material , enzyme
This study employed transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to conduct research on the ultrastructure of watermelon (cultivar: Hazera SW1) mesocarp samples of different maturities. Micrographs from immature fruit showed incompletely formed chromoplasts. A combination of distinct pigment‐bearing chromoplasts and incompletely formed chromoplasts was observed in mature watermelon micrographs. Electron micrographs showed chromoplasts changing from a less organized globular form in immature to a symmetrical form in mature to an asymmetrical form in overmature watermelons. This study furthers our understanding of watermelon physiology and the effect of maturity on compartmentalization of lycopene.