Lignin deposition and effect of postharvest treatment on lignification of green asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L.)

To understand how lignin synthesis is regulated after harvest, detached green asparagus stalks (Asparagus officinalis L.) were treated with 1 mu l l(-1) of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP), 50 mu g l(-1)(GA(3)), 2% (v:v) ethanol or 1 mu l l(-1) ethylene. The results showed that lignin concentration in asparagus stalks stored at room temperature rapidly increased. Three conventional precursors of lignin, 4-hydroxycinnamic acid (coumaric acid), 3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid (caffeic acid) and 4-hydroxy-3-mythoxycinnamic acid (ferulic acid), were found to be the major phenolics in the asparagus stalks. Furthermore, the concentrations of O-2(-.) in asparagus stalks steadily increased during the storage. Deposition of lignin in harvested asparagus was significantly reduced by treating the stalks with GA(3), 1-MCP or ethanol. The concentration of lignin in stalks treated with GA(3), 1-MCP or ethanol was 32, 20 or 27% lower, respectively, than in controls 3 days after treatment. Treating stalks with ethylene enhanced lignin synthesis (p < 0.05). The concentration of total phenol in stalks was also significantly reduced by GA(3), 1-MCP and ethanol, but was enhanced by ethylene treatment. However, the concentration of active oxygen (O-2(-.)) in stalks was significantly reduced by treatment with GA(3), 1-MCP and ethanol, but was enhanced by treatment with ethylene. Our study show that postharvest treatment with 1-MCP, GA(3) or ethanol may be applied to improve the quality of green asparagus.