Abstract:

Saimaiti apricot fruits from Xinjiang, China were treated with 0.01 g/L salicylic acid (SA) and then stored at 0 ℃
to explore the change of cell ultrastructure during different cold storage periods, and distilled water was used as control
treatment. The results showed that the cell ultrastructure of apricot fruits from the salicylic acid treatment and control groups
had no significant difference in neat rows or the integrity of cell wall structure and cell organelles based on cell arrangement.
The ultrastructure of apricot fruits changed obviously after the 28th day, which suggested that cell organelles was deformed or
dissolved. Meanwhile, enlarged intercellular gap junctions, decreased cell contents, and empty cell cavity were observed. Compared
with the control, the improvement of cold resistance in apricot fruits by SA treatment was closely related to the alleviated damage of
cell wall, chloroplast and mitochondria, and the integrality maintenance of cell organelles and membrane system.

Key words: salicylic acid, apricot fruit, cold storage, ultrastructure