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Biomechanics and anatomy of Lycopersicon esculentum fruit peels and enzyme-treated samples¹

²Department of Horticulture, Estación Experimental La Mayora (CSIC), Algarrobo-Costa 29750, Malaga, Spain; ³Department of Plant Breeding, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 USA; ⁴Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 USA; ⁵Department of Plant Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 USA

We report the biomechanics and anatomy of fruit wall peels (before and after cellulase/pectinase treatment) from two Lycopersicon esculentum cultivars (i.e., Inbred 10 and Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes). Samples were tested before and after enzyme treatment in uniaxial tension to determine their rate of creep, plastic and instantaneous elastic strains, breaking stress (strength), and work of fracture. The fruit peels of both cultivars exhibited pronounced viscoelastic and strain-hardening behavior, but differed significantly in their rheological behavior and magnitudes of material properties, e.g., Inbred 10 peels crept less rapidly and accumulated more plastic strains (but less rapidly), were stiffer and stronger, and had a larger work of fracture than Sweet 100 peels. The cuticular membrane (CM) also differed; e.g., Sweet 100 CM strain-softened at forces that caused Inbred 10 to strain-harden. The mechanical behavior of peels and their CM correlated with anatomical differences. The Inbred 10 CM develops in subepidermal cell layers, whereas the Sweet 100 CM is poorly developed below the epidermis. Based on these and other observations, we posit that strain-hardening involves the realignment of CM fibrillar elements and that this phenomenon is less pronounced for Sweet 100 because fewer cell walls contribute to its CM compared to Inbred 10.

Key Words: cellulose microfibrils • epidermis • fruit cracking • plant biomechanics • Solanaceae • strain-hardening • tomato fruit

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