Natural skin coating of the apple and its influence on scald in storage III.—α‐farnesene

Abstract

Abstract In a study of apple fruits grown under English conditions it was found that at the time of the respiratory climacteric the concentration of α‐farnesene in the waxy skin coating began to increase rapidly from a low level and at 12° reached a peak after about 30 days. in the relative amounts of farnesene produced there was little to distinguish the scald‐resistant from the scald‐sensitive apple variety. Under the various conditions of low‐temperature storage in use, it was found that the farnesene content of the skin was most influenced by the nature of the atmosphere, whether air or 8% CO 2 , white the farnesene content of the waxy skin coating was more responsive to delay at room temperature before storage, diphenylamine treatment or wrapping in oiled wraps. The results are discussed in relation to the theory that farnesene is a chemical factor in the induction of superficial scald.