Corky calyx end disorder (CCE) often occurs in the pulp cells of mature wax apples near the umbilicus, resulting in poor appearance and taste, which seriously affects the price of the fruit. Professor Kuo-Tan Li and Professor Ming-Te Yeh from Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture discovered that when the fruit begins to change color, the delivery function of the vascular tissue near the umbilicus was lost, thereby resulting in a low calcium concentration and corkinzation. This discovery is not only of academic value, but also an important reference for the cultivation strategy of wax apple. Professor Kuo-Tan Li indicated that the cell wall of cork-like plant tissue shows browning, collapse, and water loss. The physiological causes of cork-like tissue formation may be related to calcium deficiency, but the associated mechanism is still unknown. The Figure shows the physiological effects of corkization caused by calcium deficiency in the umbilical end of mature wax apples.
Figure. Physiological Effects of Corkization Caused by Calcium Deficiency in the Umbilical End of Mature Wax Apples Since calcium is mainly transported in the plant body through the water flow inside the vascular tissues, the research team assumed that the tissue that is prone to calcium deficiency will lose its function due to physical or physiological changes at a specific time during the fruit development process. The calcium concentration of the site decreases, and it becomes prone to calcium deficiency physiological disorders, as verified by experiments. The results indicated that the total calcium content of wax apples continuously increases from the young fruit stage, but the average calcium concentration decreases rapidly once the fruit begins to color. Professor Kuo-Tan Li said that there are many possible explanations for this, and there are still different opinions on it in academic circles.
The research results were published in FRUITS on July 24, 2019. See full article at https://www.pubhort.org/fruits/74/3/3/index.htm |
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