LAUSR

Abstract The outer part (myzoderma) of carrot was tested using dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), in air with three different values of humidity (50, 70, and 90%) in temperature scans between 30 and 90 °C. Temperature plots of storage ( SM i.e. elastic) and loss ( LM i.e. inelastic) moduli were obtained. The DMA was combined with Dielectric thermal analysis (DETA). The tissue toughness decreased with increasing temperature; the kinetic analysis of the data led to four characteristic temperatures different for different air humidity; these characteristic temperatures divided temperature scale into temperature ranges A, B1, B2, and B3. The range A, limited for all tested cases with different humidity by 50 °C, is termed low temperature drying. With decreasing air humidity, the characteristic temperatures also decrease. The ranges B1, B2, and B3 represent the different stages of high temperature drying (initial – B1, rapid or main – B2, and final – B3). Part B2 can be understood as the temperature range where drying is most rapid and the role of plasmodesma destruction can play the fundamental role.