Effect of water stress on stored pickling cucumbers

Pickling cucumber fruits were stored at 15.5 degrees C and either 62 or 93% relative humidity (rh) for 28 days. Periodically, fruits were removed from both treatments, and weight loss was measured. Mesocarp tissue was analyzed for osmotic potential, relative water content, membrane leakage, concentration of acids, sugars, and free amino acids, and cell wall composition. Fruit stored at 62% rh lost weight more rapidly, had increased decline in relative water content and osmotic potential, and had increased membrane leakage relative to fruits stored at 93% rh. Fruits stored at 62% rh exhibited more senescence characteristics than fruits stored at 93% rh. Both treatments developed pillowy tissue disorder, but for the fruits stored at 62% rh, the disorder was more severe. Arabinose and galactose levels in cell walls decreased during storage. This research has shown that long-term storage of cucumber fruits prior to pickling would probably result in poor quality products