Effect of ethrel treatment on the postharvest changes in the turnover of ascorbic acid and reducing sugar in Achras sapota fruits.

There was a definite relationship between growth and ascorbic acid content in Achras sapota. Increase in ethrel concentration from 250 ppm to 500 ppm hastened early ripening and increased the amount of reducing sugars but depleted the ascorbic acid content. Other aspects of ascorbic acid turnover viz. ascorbigen, bound form of ascorbic acid, ascorbic acid utilization, net ascorbic acid bound and ascorbic acid oxidase were also studied.