The effect of temperature on the quality of Japanese bunching onion (allium fistulosum L. 'Kujyo')
Conference proceedings article
Authors/Editors
Strategic Research Themes
No matching items found.
Publication Details
Author list: Srilaong V., Soontornwat A., Iamla-Or S., Yamauchi N.
Publisher: International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS)
Publication year: 2013
Volume number: 1011
Start page: 119
End page: 124
Number of pages: 6
ISSN: 0567-7572
eISSN: 2406-6168
Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)
Abstract
The Japanese bunching onion (Allium fistulosum L. 'Kujyo') is a highly perishable crop. Japanese bunching onions have a relatively short shelf life in terms of external appearance. After harvesting, Japanese bunching onion leaf tips become yellow, rendering them unacceptable for consumption. This study evaluated the effect of temperature (4 and 25ฐC) on physiological changes in the Japanese bunching onion. Hue angle value of bunching onions stored at 25ฐC rapidly declined while it remained unchanged in onions at 4ฐC. The L value of leaves stored at 25ฐC was higher than those stored at 4ฐC. As expected, postharvest color change of bunching onions was correlated with chlorophyll degradation. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll contents of Japanese bunching onions sharply decreased in leaves stored at 25ฐC compared with 4ฐC. These results indicated that low temperatures delayed yellowing of bunching onion leaves as a consequence of delay in chlorophyll breakdown during storage. Interestingly, we observed chlorophyll and its derivatives in vacuoles of bunching onions. This suggested that degradation of chlorophyll in bunching onions occurred in both chloroplasts and vacuoles.
Keywords
Bunching onion
Contact Information