Effect of respiration on bioelectric potential on the surface of tomato fruit harvested

The bioelectric potentials on the surface (surface potential) of harvested tomato fruits were determined under various conditions. The effects of temperature and respiration rate on the surface potential were also investigated. The surface potential of the fruit slightly and irregularly changed with elapsed time at a constant temperature, however drastically changed with temperature rise except for under anoxia. In addition, the pattern of surface potential at the early stage of climacteric at a constant temperature was similar to that changing with temperature rise. Therefore, it appears that the change in surface potential with temperature depends not on passive diffusion potential but on respiration-dependent electrogenic potential.