Pears and apples “breathe” through air pathways invisible to the naked eye. Microscopically small, their shape is quite different for apples and pears. In apples, they appear as irregular cavities between cells whilst in pears they have the shape of thin interconnected channels. These results explain the everyday experience that pears are more susceptible to decay during storage.

3D visualisation of cells (yellow) and aeration channels (blue) within apples (left) and pears (right) (Image credit: Reprinted with permission from Verboven et al., Plant Phys. 147, 518-527 (2008), copyrighted by the American Society of Plant Biologists).

Further information:

• Scientists see health-determining air paths in fruit

• Ref. P. Verboven et al., Plant Physiol. 147, 518-527 (2008).