a continuum model for metabolic gas exchange in pear fruit代谢气体交换的连续体模型在梨果实.pdfVIP

A Continuum Model for Metabolic Gas Exchange in Pear Fruit 1 1 1 1 2 Q. Tri Ho , Pieter Verboven , Bert E. Verlinden , Jeroen Lammertyn , Stefan Vandewalle , ¨ 1* Bart M. Nicolaı 1 BIOSYST-MeBioS, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, 2 Scientific Computing Research Group, Computer Science Department, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium Abstract Exchange of O2 and CO2 of plants with their environment is essential for metabolic processes such as photosynthesis and respiration. In some fruits such as pears, which are typically stored under a controlled atmosphere with reduced O2 and increased CO2 levels to extend their commercial storage life, anoxia may occur, eventually leading to physiological disorders. In this manuscript we have developed a mathematical model to predict the internal gas concentrations, including permeation, diffusion, and respiration and fermentation kinetics. Pear fruit has been selected as a case study. The model has been used to perform in silico experiments to evaluate the effect of, for example, fruit size or ambient gas concentration on internal O2 and CO2 levels. The model incorporates the actual shape of the fruit and was solved using fluid dynamics software. Environmental conditions such as temperature and gas composition have a large effect on the internal distribution of oxygen and carbon dioxide in fruit. Also, the fruit size has a considerable effect on local metabolic gas concentrations; hence, depending on the size, local anaerobic conditions may result, which eventually ma