The characteristics of intratissual gas composition of apples and its change in the process of storage

The physiological processes of life activity continue in apples left for storage. It is necessary to create conditions for more economical expenditure of nutrients. Apples coming for storage already have an established type of metabolism. The inventory of organic compounds allows independent vital activity of fruit during the storage. One of the most important processes which occurs during the storage is respiration. The respiration rate largely depends on the storage conditions of the fruit. The temperature factor is a main regulator of life activity and the fruit safety. The objects of study were pomological varieties of apples Jonathan and Reinette Simirenko. The apples are processed: (option 1) by a composition consisting of 2.5 % solution of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) + 2 % calcium chloride (CaCl2) + 0.2 % sorbic acid (SA); (option 2) by proteksan composed of 25 % high frequency paraffin, 5 % wax of two types, and 0.2 % sorbic acid. The intratissual gas composition is determined using a chromatograph Crystallux 4000M. The research results have shown that after treatment with the compositions of II and III variants the carbon dioxide content in tissues of Jonathan and Reinette Simirenko apples ranged from 3.5 to 7.5 % at the beginning of storage. From November to February the content of CO2 increased from 7.7 to 9.2 %, respectively, and when storing apples without processing the contents СО2 increased to 11.9 % in case of apples Jonathan apples and 10.6 % in case of Reinette Simirenko. Simultaneously, the oxygen content decreased from 16.8 % to 8.3% in Jonathan apples and from 15.9 % to 10.4 % in Reinette Simirenko apples.