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Abstract
Preclimacteric ‘Bosc’ pears held continuously at 20°C produced ethylene at a very low rate and resisted ripening for 12 days. However, if held at 5 or 10° for the first 7 days, ethylene production at 20° began to increase almost immediately. Rapid and uniform ripening resulted. Storage at 0° was considerably less effective in this regard. Further, the longer pears were held at 5, up to 6 days, the greater was their ethylene production capacity at 23°. Softening lagged behind the onset of autocatalytic ethylene production. Thus, cold stress induces a metabolic change leading to accelerated ethylene production which in turn initiates other ripening reactions in ‘Bosc’ pears.
Abstract
Germination of freshly dehisced or partially dried 1-day-old pollen of lily (Lilium longifolium Thumb cv. Ace) was greatly enhanced by exposure to high humidity prior to inoculation in germination medium. Half the maximum response was obtained with 40% humidity or with 5 min humidifying time at saturation.