ARS | Publication request: RESPIRATION RATE OF POSTHARVEST SUGARBEET ROOT IS UNRELATED TO RESPIRATORY CAPACITY OR ADENYLATES.

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract
Publication Acceptance Date: January 5, 2004
Publication Date: June 1, 2004
Citation: Klotz, K.L., Finger, F.L. 2004. Respiration rate of postharvest sugarbeet root is unrelated to respiratory capacity or adenylates. [abstract] 5TH International Postharvest Symposium. Abstract No. S9-43, 92.

Technical Abstract: Respiration is the primary cause of sucrose loss during postharvest storage of sugarbeet (Beta vulgaris L). The factors that regulate respiration in sugarbeet root, however, are largely unknown, although substrate availability, respiratory capacity and adenylate levels have been shown to control respiratory flux in other plant species. The relationship of respiration rate to respiratory capacity and adenylates was investigated in harvested sugarbeet roots stored at 1o and 10o C with or without wounding. Respiration increased in wounded roots stored at 10o C and in wounded and unwounded roots after prolonged storage at 1o C. Differences in total respiratory capacity, cytochrome c oxidase capacity, alternative oxidase capacity, ATP concentration, ADP concentration, ATP:ADP ratio, and phosphorylation potential were also observed between treatments, although changes in these parameters were unrelated to root respiration rate. Additionally, uncoupling respiration from oxidative phosphorylation by treating tissue sections with carbonyl cyanide-m-chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP) resulted in no increase in respiration rate. These results indicate that postharvest sugarbeet root respiration is not significantly regulated by respiratory capacity or adenylate levels.