MRI investigation of subcellular water compartmentalization and gas distribution in apples

Water status and distribution at subcellular level in whole apple fruit were evaluated by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) measurement of the multi-exponential transverse (T2) relaxation of water protons. Apparent microporosity, also estimated by MRI, provided mapping of gas distribution in fruit tissues. Measuring for the first time the multi-exponential relaxation of water and apparent tissue microporosity in whole fruit and combining these with histological measurements provided a more reliable interpretation of the origins of variations in the transverse relaxation time (T2) and better characterization of the fruit tissue. Measurements were performed on 54 fruits from 3 different cultivars. Fruits of different sizes were selected for each cultivar to provide tissues with cells of different dimensions. Macrovision measurements were carried out on parenchymal tissue from all fruits to investigate the impact of cell size on T2 value. The results showed that the MRI transverse relaxation signal is well fitted by a tri-exponential decay curve that reflects cell compartmentalization. Variations in cell size partially explained the different T2 observed. This study highlighted the heterogeneity of apple tissues in terms of relaxation parameters, apparent microporosity and cell morphology and in relation to specific variations between fruit of different cultivars.