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cover of episode Why are peaches and some other fruits fuzzy?

Why are peaches and some other fruits fuzzy?

2025/1/7
logo of podcast Moment of Um

Moment of Um

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Dario Chavez
M
Molly Bloom
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Dario Chavez: 水果上的绒毛,学名叫做trichomes,实际上是一层保护层。它可以保护水果免受各种环境因素的影响,例如恶劣天气、高湿度、水分、害虫和昆虫的侵害。这就像给水果穿了一件防护衣,使其免受外界伤害。 除了绒毛,水果还有一层表皮(cuticle layer),这层表皮也具有保护作用。有些表皮含有蜡质,可以防止水分进入果实内部;有些表皮则可以抵抗不同的捕食者。因此,绒毛和表皮共同构成了水果的双重保护系统,共同保护果实免受各种威胁。 油桃实际上是桃子的基因突变体,由于基因差异,油桃的果皮上没有绒毛。 生长环境对水果的生长也有很大影响。例如,在潮湿多雨、害虫较多的地区,桃子的产量往往高于油桃,因为桃子的绒毛可以更好地保护果实免受这些不利因素的影响。而在气候干燥的地区,油桃的产量则可能更高。 Molly Bloom: 桃子的绒毛并不会让它变成动物,它的主要作用是保护果实免受潮湿和虫害。猕猴桃和其他带绒毛的水果也是如此。 油桃和桃子的基因几乎相同,只是油桃的基因导致其果皮光滑,没有绒毛。有时候,你甚至可以在同一棵树上发现桃子和油桃同时生长。

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Have you ever picked up a peach in the supermarket and noticed that its skin is covered in soft fuzz? What’s that about? Should we be taking our peaches to barbershops? And what about kiwis? They’re covered in scratchy hairs! Why do some fruits have fuzz while others have smooth skin? We talked to Dario Chavez from the University of Georgia to find out.

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