Activities of β-galactosidase and α-L-arabinofuranosidase, ethylene biosynthetic enzymes during peach ripening and softening

A study was conducted to determine changes in firmness, ethylene and ethylene biosynthetic enzymes, and the activities of beta-galactosidase (beta-GAL) and alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase (alpha-AF) during peach ripening and softening. The activities of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase, ACC oxidase and polygalacturonase increased in parallel with ethylene production and declined in firmness during peach ripening, and they appeared at maximum simultaneously at maturity IV. beta-GAL activity was high in unripe peach fruit and it experienced an overall decline during peach ripening. While alpha-AF activity changed placidly at the initial stage (maturity I-III), after that it experienced a rapid increasing stage. The preliminary result indicated that beta-GAL and alpha-AF, as well as ethylene biosynthetic enzymes, may be involved in the ripening and softening of peach fruit.