[Changes in glycosidases and cellulase activities, and cell wall composition in strawberry fruits during development...

Experiments were carried out with two strawberry (Fragaria x nanassa Duch.) cultivars Fengxiang and Hongfeng, with different softening characteristics during growth, ripening and postharvest storage. The fruits were harvested at different stages of growth and ripening, as assessed by size and the coloration of the surface of the fruits. We selected the following stages: small and green (S1), large and green (S2), white (S3), reddish (S4), and fully red (S5). The main results were as follows. Both alpha- and beta-galactosidase activities were changed with ripening of strawberry fruits (Fig.1A, B). Of the strawberry cultivars tested, no correlation was found between glucosidase activity and fruit ripening (Fig.1C, D). Alpha-mannosidase is an enzyme being ionically bound with cell wall and its activities is correlated with the softening of strawberry fruits (Fig.1E, F). No beta-mannosidase has been detected in strawberry. The activities of cellulase increased as the strawberry fruits developed from stage of small and green to stage of overripe (Fig.2A). The activities of PME increased during the development of strawberry fruits (Fig.2B). Endo-PG was not detected in strawberry, and exo-PG was not related to fruit ripening (Fig.2C). Changes in cell wall component contents were clearly related to the changes in the firmness of strawberry fruits. The increase in soluble pectin, together with reduction of ionically bound pectin content, covalently bound pectin content (Fig.3A, B) and cellulose (Fig.3A, B) resulted in softening of strawberry fruits.