Organic Acids as Sources of Carbon for Ethylene Production

Abstract

THE carbon sources in the growth media have been shown to affect the ethylene production by Penicillium digitatum. Fergus¹ found mannose, mannitol, or citric acid as carbon sources resulted in good ethylene yields. Phan-Chon-Tôn² found glucose supported high ethylene production. Pyruvate also served as a carbon substrate for cultures capable of producing ethylene. While Spalding and Lieberman³ reported 0.1 M glucose superior to 0.1 M concentrations of pyruvate, malate, or citrate for ethylene synthesis, I reported⁴ 0.119 M L-malic acid and 0.119 M potassium pyruvate superior to other carbon sources tested for ethylene production. In contrast to the previously described short-term experiments, time-course investigations lasting several days were performed. As shown below, commonly metabolized organic acids at 0.119 M were superior to glucose or mannitol, at the same molarity, in ethylene synthesis.