Endogenous free polyamines of mangos in relation to development and ripening

Changes in endogenous free polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, spermine) were monitored from fruit set (fruit diameter 4.6 +/- 0.5 mm, wt 0.09 +/- 0.05 g) until 1 week before the expected harvest time in 'Kensington Pride' and 'Glen' to examine their role during mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruit development. Polyamines (PAS) in the pericarp tissues (exocarp and mesocarp) were estimated throughout the fruit development period, while estimations from growing ovules were started from 41 days after fruit set (DAFS). During fruit ripening, ethylene production and endogenous free PAs in skin and pulp of 'Kensington Pride' mango were also monitored. PA contents of pericarp declined between fruit set and maturity from 788 to 101 nmol.g(-1) fresh weight (FW) in 'Kensington Pride' and from 736.6 to 89.6 nmol.g(-1) FW in 'Glen' during fruit development. Spermidine (SPD) and spermine (SPM) were higher than putrescine (PUT) during the initial phase of fruit growth. The highest levels of free PAS, especially SPD and SPM, at the initial stages of fruit growth suggest a potential role during the cell division phase and not in subsequent fruit development. Ovule seems to be a rich source of PAS as evident from 2.3- and 2.7-fold higher total PAS than pericarp tissues in 'Kensington Pride' and 'Glen', respectively. During fruit ripening of 'Kensington Pride', total PAs increased in skin and pulp tissues along with the climacteric rise of ethylene, and reached maximum levels (skin 796, pulp 314 nmol.g(-1) FW) on day 4 of ripening. Skin exhibited 55.8% higher mean free PAS than the pulp. PUT dominated both in skin and pulp tissues. The simultaneous increase of ethylene and free PAs during fruit ripening suggests that their biosynthesis may not be competitive, and free PAs may have evolved as a response to increased biosynthesis of ethylene.