New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts

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Short communication 

Changes in non-structural carbohydrate concentration in 1-year-old shoots of ‘Braeburn’ apple (Malus domestica) over two consecutive years

Joanna C. Mcqueen^1,2
Peter E. H. Minchin^2,3
Warwick B. Silvester¹

¹Department of Biology
University of Waikato
Private Bag 3105
Hamilton, New Zealand
email: jmcqueen@waikato.ac.nz

²The Horticultural and Food Research Institute
of New Zealand Limited
Ruakura Research Centre
Private Bag 3123
Hamilton, New Zealand

³ICG-III Phytosphaere
Forschungszentrum Jülich
D 52425 Jülich, Germany

Abstract  This paper presents patterns of change in non-structural carbohydrate concentrations of 1-year-old shoots over a 2-year period for ‘Braeburn’ apple trees (Malus domestica) growing in the Waikato region of New Zealand. Carbohydrates analysed by enzymatic analysis included starch, sorbitol, sucrose, glucose, and fructose. Sorbitol concentrations were found to be higher than starch for most periods of the year and sorbitol comprised the majority of the total carbohydrates. Starch concentrations were never completely depleted, even during periods of rapid growth. These patterns of carbohydrate change were similar to those reported from Northern Hemisphere studies for a variety of deciduous fruit tree species, indicating that carbohydrate changes in New Zealand trees are comparable with trees worldwide, despite the long period of leaf retention after harvest in New Zealand.

Keywords  apple; carbohydrates; season; glucose; sorbitol; starch; sucrose

H03073; Received 11 August 2003; accepted 14 May 2004; Online publication date 9 September 2004
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2004, Vol. 32: 319-323
0014-0671/04/3203-0319 $7.00 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2004

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