PECTIC ENZYMES OF ASPERGILLUS ACULEATUS ASSOCIATED WITH POST-HARVEST DETERIORATION OF CITRUS SINENSIS FRUIT

The host-mold relationship between the fruit of orange and Aspergillus aculeatus was investigated. The mold was also grown on wheat offal, sodium polypectate and apple pectin cultures. The cells of orange fruit tissue infected with A. aculeatus showed a more rapid cell separation and maceration than filtrates obtained from mold infected fruits and inoculated wheat offal cultures. Higher activities of pectin methyl-transeliminase and polymethylgalacturonase were recorded in rotted fruit filtrates than in culture filtrates. The detection of an exopolygalacturonase in culture filtrate was also found. Cellulolytic enzymes were found to be higher in infected fruit tissues than in culture filtrate.