Temperatures for optimum anthocyanin accumulation in apple tissue

Skin tissue disks from preclimacteric or climacteric apples were incubated on preset temperature plates and exposed to high intensity white light to find the optimum temperature of anthocyanin accumulation. Pre-climacteric fruit developed more anthocyanin than did tissue from climacteric fruit. Different cultivars showed different temperature optima. Pre-cooling the tissue for 48 h at 2 degrees C before incubation at 25 degrees C increased the amount of pigment that accumulated. The highly colouring Scarlet Spur 'Delicious' sport showed a higher rate of anthocyanin accumulation, but a similar temperature optimum to that of Oregon Spur 'Delicious'.