Sodium carbonate treatment induces scoparone accumulation, structural changes, and alkalinization in the albedo of wounded citrus fruits

Abstract

Following sodium carbonate treatment, accumulation of scoparone (6,7-dimethoxycoumarin) but not scopoletin (6-methoxy-7-hydroxycoumarin) was found in the albedo of wounded fruit from different Citrus sp. and cultivars. Treating wounded mandarin fruit cv. Fairchild with 5% Na(2)CO(3) (SC) lead to a scoparone accumulation in the albedo of 310, 361, and 382 microg g(-1) fresh weight after 7, 10, and 15 days, respectively. Scoparone accumulation was associated with a decrease in decay severity. When oranges cv. Biondo comune wounded and treated with 5% SC were inoculated with Penicillium digitatum or Penicillium italicum conidia 3 days posttreatment, the decay percentage as compared to untreated wounds was reduced by 97.2 and 93.9%, respectively. Observations by scanning electron microscopy of wounded Citrus fruits treated at 20 degrees C with 2, 3, 4, or 5% (w/v) solutions of sodium carbonate showed structural modifications to the albedo as well as damage to 24-48 h old mycelia of P. digitatum, the cause of citrus green mold. Modifications were more evident in orange, lemon, and grapefruit as compared to mandarin fruit. The efficacy of the treatment was strictly related to the SC interaction with the albedo tissue that, in addition to structural changes, significantly increased tissue pH, affecting P. digitatum pathogenicity. The SC remaining as a film on unwounded flavedo had no effect in preventing contact infection by the Penicillia.