採收後苦瓜果實之呼吸型式及乙烯自動催化生成

Respiratory Pattern and Autocatalytic Ethylene Production of Balsam Pear (Momordica charantia L.)

苦瓜品種農友二號的綠熟果實後熱過程中，其乙烯釋放量和呼吸率在果實黃化之前上升。苦瓜在各個不同發育階段採收後，都有乙烯和呼吸率之更年性高峰產生。率熟苦瓜對外加乙烯極為敏感，其呼吸更年上升隨著乙烯濃度之增加而提早，但呼吸率高度並不因乙烯濃度而有差異；外加乙烯處理一旦誘發苦瓜之呼吸更年上升後，停止外加乙烯處理並不影響呼吸速率的上升，即苦瓜對外加乙烯之反應不具有可逆性。外加丙烯處理能促使苦瓜提早後熟與老化，呼吸速率和乙烯產生量大幅地增加；外加丙烯能促使系統乙烯的生成，顯示苦瓜具有自動催化乙烯生成的能力。因此，苦瓜應該是更年性果實。

The respiratory pattern and autocatalytic ethylene production of balsam pear (Momordica charantia L.) fruit was investigated. Ethylene production and respiratory rate increased during ripening of mature fruit. The time of the increase corresponded to that of fruit yellowing. Postharvest rises in respiration rates and ethylene evolution were noted on different stages of ontogeny. The responses of balsam pear fruits to transient or continuous treatment of different concentration of exogenous ethylene or propylene showed the characteristics of climacteric fruits. The above investigations suggested that balsam pear is a climacteric fruit.