Abstract:

To investigate the effects of 0.01% colchicine treatment on physiological quality, active oxygen and
energy metabolism of postharvest wax apples during cold storage, and further to understand better the role of colchicine on
senescence of the fruits.Methods: Wax apples were dipped with 0, 0.01% colchicine for 15 minutes at room temperature
and then stored at 4 ℃. The physiological quality, active oxygen metabolism and energy metabolism of wax apples were
determined during storage. Results: Colchicine treatment could retard the increase of cottony softening extent and had a
significant effect from the 4th day of storage onwards (P < 0.05), the fruits treated with colchicine had a lower percentage
weight loss during the whole storage (P < 0.05). Colchicine treatment could also postponed the decrease of superoxide
dismutase (SOD) activity during the whole storage, maintained lower catalase (CAT) activity, and significantly increased
peroxidase (POD) activity during the later stage of storage (P < 0.05). At the same time, colchicine treatment could maintain
higher activity of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and cytochrome oxidase (CCO), as compared with the control fruits. The
SDH activity was significantly higher at 4, 8, and 12 day (P < 0.05) while the activity of CCO was significantly higher at
2, 6 and 8 day (P < 0.05). Also colchicine treatment could slow down the decrease of ATP content and energy charge at
later stage. Conclusions: Colchicine at 0.01% could retard the increase of cottony softening extent of wax apples. Cottony
softening extent and energy charge had a significantly negative correlation with each other (r = −0.793, P < 0.05). Energy
deficit could lead to the senescence of the fruits. Energy charge had a significantly negative correlation with H2O2 content
(r = −0.766, P < 0.05), but demonstrated a significantly positive correlation with SOD activity (r = 0.802, P < 0.05). Energy
metabolism could influence active oxygen metabolism. The role of colchicine in delaying wax apple senescence was mainly
related to its effects on energy metabolism.

Key words: colchicine, wax apples, active oxygen metabolism, energy metabolism, storage