Lignin Deposition and Effect of Postharvest Treatment on Lignification of Green Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.)

ISSN： 0167-6903

Source： Plant Growth Regulation, Vol.48, Iss.2, 2006-02, pp. : 187-193

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Abstract

To understand how lignin synthesis is regulated after harvest, detached green asparagus stalks (Asparagus officinalis L.) were treated with 1 μl l⁻¹ of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), 50 μg l⁻¹ gibberellic acid (GA₃), 2% (v:v) ethanol or 1 μl l⁻¹ ethylene. The results showed that lignin concentration in asparagus stalks stored at room temperature rapidly increased. Three conventional precursors of lignin, 4-hydroxycinnamic acid (coumaric acid), 3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid (caffeic acid) and 4-hydroxy-3-mythoxycinnamic acid (ferulic acid), were found to be the major phenolics in the asparagus stalks. Furthermore, the concentrations of O₂⁻ in asparagus stalks steadily increased during the storage. Deposition of lignin in harvested asparagus was significantly reduced by treating the stalks with GA₃, 1-MCP or ethanol. The concentration of lignin in stalks treated with GA₃, 1-MCP or ethanol was 32, 20 or 27% lower, respectively, than in controls 3 days after treatment. Treating stalks with ethylene enhanced lignin synthesis (p<0.05). The concentration of total phenol in stalks was also significantly reduced by GA₃, 1-MCP and ethanol, but was enhanced by ethylene treatment. However, the concentration of active oxygen (O₂^−⋅) in stalks was significantly reduced by treatment with GA₃, 1-MCP and ethanol, but was enhanced by treatment with ethylene. Our study show that postharvest treatment with 1-MCP, GA₃ or ethanol may be applied to improve the quality of green asparagus.