Hypoxia in grape berries: the role of seed respiration and lenticels on the berry pedicel and the possible link to cell death.

ABSTRACT: Mesocarp cell death (CD) during ripening is common in berries of seeded Vitis vinifera L. wine cultivars. We examined if hypoxia within berries is linked to CD. The internal oxygen concentration ([O2]) across the mesocarp was measured in berries from Chardonnay and Shiraz, both seeded, and Ruby Seedless, using an oxygen micro-sensor. Steep [O2] gradients were observed across the skin and [O2] decreased toward the middle of the mesocarp. As ripening progressed, the minimum [O2] approached zero in the seeded cultivars and correlated to the profile of CD across the mesocarp. Seed respiration declined during ripening, from a large proportion of total berry respiration early to negligible at later stages. [O2] increased towards the central axis corresponding to the presence of air spaces visual

SUBMITTER: Xiao Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6018838 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature