Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of nitric oxide (NO) on the production of basal and wound-associated stress ethylene (C2H4) emissions from intact and fresh-cut tomato fruit, respectively. For this purpose, a non-invasive, on-line sampling technique based on laser photo-acoustic spectroscopy (LPAS) was employed. Pre-treatment of intact mature green (MG) tomato fruit with a low concentration (0.2 mu l l(-1)) of NO resulted in a significant and steady average reduction of 33% in the basal level of C2H4 production, to 6.0 +/- 0.44 pmol h(-1) g(-1) FW compared to 9.0 +/- 0.18 pmol h(-1) g(-1) FW in non-treated MG control fruit. Moreover, fumigation of fresh-cut MG tomato fruit slices with NO caused a 60% reduction in the peak of wound-induced C2H4 emissions compared to untreated, fresh-cut MG control fruit. These results clearly indicate that pre-treatment with NO has negative a impact on basal and wound-associated stress levels of C2H4 emissions in intact and fresh-cut tomato fruit, respectively. These results are discussed in the context of possible mechanisms for interference by NO in the biosynthesis of C2H4. Moreover, the potential use and utility of NO to control undesirable stress-induced, biochemical changes, which are known to occur in fresh-cut fruit, are highlighted.