Bananas - Crop Post-Harvest: Science and Technology - page 39

1-methylcylcopropane (1-MCP), has opened up exciting
new knowledge and insights. The peel and pulp of banana
have different feedback mechanisms for C 2 H 4 biosynthesis.
Once ripening has begun, in the peel ethylene reduces
the activity of ACC synthase, ACC oxidase and MACC
transferase, reducing subsequent ethylene evolution. In the
pulp, once ripening has begun, ethylene enhances the
activity of ACC synthase and ACC oxidase and ethylene
evolution is promoted until the ACC oxidase runs out of
co-factors. Ethylene evolution from intact fruit during
ripening needs to be interpreted in the light of these differ-
ences between the peel and the pulp. Identification of
the genes that are up- or down-regulated during ripening
is invaluable for supporting physiological knowledge
and opening new questions about ripening in bananas and
plantains.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are grateful to T.D. Colmer, R.L. Swennen, R.A. Romero,
M. Plainsirichai, W. Mekwatanakarn and W. Armstrong
who made many useful comments on this chapter. Prof.
W. Armstrong kindly contributed Equations 1.1 to 1.4.

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