Advances in Fruit Quality Formation and Regulation

Editors

School of Horticulture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Interests: fruit development and quality; fruit postharvest biology and technology; fruit tree and environmental responses; plant hormones and their interactions; molecular biology
College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Interests: fruit postharvest biology and technology; plant hormones and their interactions
School of Horticulture, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Interests: fruit development and quality; fruit postharvest biology and technology; genomics; small RNA; long-non coding RNA

Topical Collection Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fruit quality is determined by both genetic (species/cultivars) and environmental factors. From both applied and basic research, the quality traits, for a specific cultivar, could be significantly altered by preharvest (developmental) and post-harvest treatments/technologies. Thus, in addition to the genetic differences, the pre-/post-harvest regulations on fruit quality have been guiding most of the related research, which should eventually benefit quality improvement. In the past decade, mechanisms of fruit quality formation and regulation have gained rapid advances, from physiology to molecular aspects. Furthermore, many key genes/transcription factors related to quality changes have been identified and their functions, likewise, revealed. However, there are still many basic theoretical problems that need to be solved urgently—the post-harvest fruit quality maintenance mechanism and the mature and senescence regulation network are still incomplete, the interaction mechanism between environmental conditions and endogenous factors is not clear, and the similarities, differences, and laws of different types of fruit quality maintenance regulation methods are still unclear. In addition, it is notable that the unbalances among the various quality traits (i.e., anthocyanin metabolism has gained the most focus) and fruit species, and, apart from transcriptional regulatory, other mechanisms such as translation regulation, translation modification and microRNA, should receive more attention. The purpose of this Topical Collection is to present the recent advances in fruit quality formation and regulation. This Topical Collection will mainly focus on pre-/post-harvest regulations on fruit quality and aims to cover various quality traits, including (but not limited to) flavor, aroma, texture and color.

Prof. Dr. Xueren Yin
Prof. Dr. Qinggang Zhu
Dr. Wenqiu Wang
Collection Editors

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Keywords

  • Fruit quality
  • Fruit color
  • Fruit aroma
  • Fruit texture
  • Transcriptomic and metabolomics
  • Developmental regulation on fruit quality
  • Post-harvest regulation on fruit quality.

Published Papers (15 papers)

2024

Jump to: 2023, 2022, 2021

15 pages, 2422 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Mixed Foliar Nutrients of Calcium and Magnesium on the Major Bypass Respiratory Pathways in the Pulp of ‘Feizixiao’ Litchi
by Shaopu Shi, Jingjia Du, Junjie Peng, Kaibing Zhou and Wuqiang Ma
Horticulturae 2024, 10(3), 248; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10030248 - 04 Mar 2024
Viewed by 589
Abstract
During the period of ‘Feizixiao’ litchi fruit pericarp’s full coloring, there is a phenomenon of “sugar withdrawal” in the pulp, and the mixed foliar nutrients of calcium and magnesium (Ca+Mg) can effectively overcome this phenomenon. One of the reasons for this may be [...] Read more.
During the period of ‘Feizixiao’ litchi fruit pericarp’s full coloring, there is a phenomenon of “sugar withdrawal” in the pulp, and the mixed foliar nutrients of calcium and magnesium (Ca+Mg) can effectively overcome this phenomenon. One of the reasons for this may be that it is related to the influence of the mixed nutrients of Ca+Mg on the bypass respiratory pathways of the pulp. The major fruit quality indicators, the rates of cytochrome and cyanide-resistant respiratory pathways (CP and AP) in the pulp and the activities of their key enzymes, were observed continuously in 2021 and 2022, and the deferentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to the two bypass respiratory pathways in the pulp were screened by RNA-seq analysis, with a qPCR of the random genes performed to verify the results. Ca+Mg treatment kept the content of the total soluble sugar in the pulp stable and higher than that the control in the ripening stage; Ca+Mg treatment increased the activities of electron-transferring enzymes in the electron transport chain, such as NADH dehydrogenase (ND), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), cytochrome bc1 complex, and cytochrome c (Cyt c) through up-regulating their gene expression. In terms of the rate-limiting enzymes in the pulp, Ca+Mg treatment increased the activity of cytochrome oxidase (COX) in the CP pathway by up-regulating the expression of COX genes, then increased the CP respiratory rate and inhibited the CP respiratory rate decrease; meanwhile, it also inhibited the activity of AOX (alternate oxidase) in the pulp in the AP pathway by down-regulating the expression of AOX genes, then inhibited the increase in the AP respiration rate. The qPCR validation of randomly selected DEGs showed a significant unitary linear correlation between their expression levels and the results of the RNA-seq analysis. Therefore, one of the physiological mechanisms on the mixed foliar nutrients of Ca and Mg overcoming the phenomenon of “sugar withdrawal” in the ‘Feizixiao’ litchi pulp could be to promote CP and to inhibit AP, and then to delay the ripening and senescence of the pulp. Full article
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16 pages, 3778 KiB  
Article
Effects of Different Foliar Fertilizer Treatments on Fruit Quality of the Korla Fragrant Pear
by Yuan Zhuang, Xiaoya Wang, Xin Gong and Jianping Bao
Horticulturae 2024, 10(1), 51; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10010051 - 04 Jan 2024
Viewed by 827
Abstract
Persistent calyx affects the fruit quality of the Korla fragrant pear including increasing fruit hardness. In order to reduce fruit hardness and improve fruit quality, in this study, we used the Korla fragrant pear which has persistent calyx. Korla fragrant pear fruit at [...] Read more.
Persistent calyx affects the fruit quality of the Korla fragrant pear including increasing fruit hardness. In order to reduce fruit hardness and improve fruit quality, in this study, we used the Korla fragrant pear which has persistent calyx. Korla fragrant pear fruit at different development stages were treated with foliar fertilizers of 101 and calcium–magnesium (Ca–Mg) solutions, and the hardness and pectase, cellulose, lipoxygenase, and amylase activities of persistent calyx fruit were determined and analyzed. We found that the fruit hardness of two foliar fertilizers increased compared with the control after treatment. The fruit hardness of calcium–magnesium foliar fertilizer and 101 foliar fertilizer treatments were increased by 11.7% and 6.8% compared with the control, respectively. Furthermore, the activities of cellulase, pectinase, and lipoxygenase were increased by 30%, 12.7%, and 42% after treatment with calcium–magnesium foliar fertilizer, respectively. The 101 foliar fertilizer inhibited the contents of cellulose and starch. In summary, the internal quality of Korla fragrant pear fruit treated with calcium–magnesium foliar fertilizer was better than 101 foliar fertilizer. It was confirmed that calcium and magnesium foliar fertilizer had a good control effect on the hardness of Korla fragrant pear persistent calyx fruit, and its fruit quality was also improved. This study has great application value in production practice. Full article
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2023

Jump to: 2024, 2022, 2021

22 pages, 6522 KiB  
Article
Anthocyanin Accumulation and Its Corresponding Gene Expression, Total Phenol, Antioxidant Capacity, and Fruit Quality of ‘Crimson Seedless’ Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) in Response to Grafting and Pre-Harvest Applications
by Abdel-Moety Salama, Mohamed A. Abdelsalam, Medhat Rehan, Mohamed Elansary and Ali El-Shereif
Horticulturae 2023, 9(9), 1001; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9091001 - 04 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1131
Abstract
The color of grapevine berries is one of the most important quality parameters that define the appearance, attracts the consumer, and determines the price, especially in red grape cultivars. Some grape varieties show less color development due to many factors such as temperature, [...] Read more.
The color of grapevine berries is one of the most important quality parameters that define the appearance, attracts the consumer, and determines the price, especially in red grape cultivars. Some grape varieties show less color development due to many factors such as temperature, light intensity, and agricultural management. The present study aimed to evaluate diverse phytohormones coupled with grafting on quality and fruit coloration of ’Crimson Seedless‘ grapes. Pre-harvest foliar treatments of abscisic acid (ABA) at 400 mg L−1, methyl jasmonate (MeJ) at 1 mM L−1, ethephon (Eth) at 480 mg L−1, and melatonin (Mel) at 100 μmol were applied after 7 days and repeated after 21 days of ‘Veraison’ (beginning of the coloring phase). The results exposed that the ABA application provided the best anthocyanin accumulation with grafted grapevines whereas Eth displayed the maximum anthocyanin accumulation with ungrafted grapevines. Moreover, the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes (chalcone synthase (CHS), flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H), and flavanol 3-O-glucosyl transferase (UFGT)) was consistent with the anthocyanin concentration in berry peel. Moreover, Eth treatment revealed the highest total phenols and antioxidant capacity for both grafted and ungrafted grapevines. MeJ phytohormone exhibited the largest total yield, whereas the treatment of Eth increased the weight of 50 berries and the bunch. Furthermore, ABA induced the uppermost firmness and removal force. Regarding the chemical attributes, the Mel treatment revealed the minimum value of titratable acidity (TA) and the highest polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity, while the MeJ treatment recorded the superior soluble solids content (SSC), in addition to phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and catalase (CAT) enzymes activities. Eth treatment produced the highest activity of the peroxidase (POD) enzyme. Finally, the grafting treatment improved most of the studied fruit attributes. Full article
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16 pages, 4872 KiB  
Article
Genomic Colinearity and Transcriptional Regulatory Networks of BES1 Gene Family in Horticultural Plants Particularly Kiwifruit and Peach
by Haiying Yue, Yaming Yang, Guili Cha, Shichang Ren, Jiyan Wang, Xiaoyan Shi, Qinggang Zhu, Qianjin Li, Xiaolin Ren, Jianwen Tian and Yuduan Ding
Horticulturae 2023, 9(9), 971; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9090971 - 28 Aug 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 791
Abstract
The BES1 transcription factor family was unique and critical in plants. The BES1s played roles in the Brassinosteroid (BR) signaling pathway and participated in the plant’s development, maturation, and stress response process. This study investigated the function of the BES1 gene family of [...] Read more.
The BES1 transcription factor family was unique and critical in plants. The BES1s played roles in the Brassinosteroid (BR) signaling pathway and participated in the plant’s development, maturation, and stress response process. This study investigated the function of the BES1 gene family of 48 horticultural crops by phylogenetic and genomic colinearity network analysis. In addition, the transcriptional regulatory networks had analyzed the process during biotic stress, abiotic stress, fruit development, and postharvest of kiwifruit and peach. The study illustrated a comprehensive understanding of the phylogenetic relationships of the BES1 family in plant genomes and the prediction of growth and development of kiwifruit and peach fruits and maturation-related BES1 members, laying the foundation for further functional studies of BES1 genes in the future. Full article
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16 pages, 3362 KiB  
Article
Changes in Cell Wall Sugar Neutral Composition Contribute to Apple Texture Loss during Storage among Cultivars
by Hui Liu, Shiyu Lin, Mengyuan Zhang, Yanrong Lv, Yanping Ma, Jingping Rao and Qinggang Zhu
Horticulturae 2023, 9(3), 292; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9030292 - 21 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1264
Abstract
Fruit texture affects apples’ quality, consumer preference, and shelf life. The cell wall neutral sugar composition was reported to contribute to apples’ mechanical properties at harvest. However, the contributions of cell wall neutral sugar composition to apple texture loss during storage among different [...] Read more.
Fruit texture affects apples’ quality, consumer preference, and shelf life. The cell wall neutral sugar composition was reported to contribute to apples’ mechanical properties at harvest. However, the contributions of cell wall neutral sugar composition to apple texture loss during storage among different cultivars are still unclear. In this study, six cultivars of the apple fruit were stored at 25 °C for 60 days (i.e., rapid loss of texture: ‘Jiguan’, ‘Yindu’, and ‘Qinguan’; slow loss of texture: ‘Fuji’, ‘Huaguan’, and ‘Cripps pink’). The texture properties, physiological indicators, and expression of cell wall-related genes were investigated every 20 d. The results showed that apple cultivars with rapid texture loss showed a faster loss in flesh hardness and crispness, and a higher level of flesh tightness and pericarp break distance, than the cultivars with slow texture loss. Galactose content showed the closest association with the texture properties among the cell wall neutral sugar compositions. The rapid loss of galacturonic acid content and the expression of MdPG1 were higher in the cultivars with rapid texture loss than in those with slow texture loss. These results indicated that changes in cell wall neutral sugar composition contribute to apple texture loss during storage among cultivars. Full article
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11 pages, 5304 KiB  
Article
Transcriptome Analysis Identifies Genes Associated with Chlorogenic Acid Biosynthesis during Apple Fruit Development
by Hao Wang, Xianbo Zheng, Yao Wu, Wenduo Zhan, Yanfei Guo, Ming Chen, Tuanhui Bai, Jian Jiao, Chunhui Song, Shangwei Song and Miaomiao Wang
Horticulturae 2023, 9(2), 217; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9020217 - 06 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1304
Abstract
As a predominant phenolic compound in apple fruits, chlorogenic acid (CGA) benefits human health due to its various antioxidant properties. However, little has been known regarding the molecular mechanism underlying the CGA accumulation in apple fruits. In this study, we measured the CGA [...] Read more.
As a predominant phenolic compound in apple fruits, chlorogenic acid (CGA) benefits human health due to its various antioxidant properties. However, little has been known regarding the molecular mechanism underlying the CGA accumulation in apple fruits. In this study, we measured the CGA content and relative enzymes’ activities during fruit development in two different flesh-colored cultivars ‘Huashuo’ and ‘Red Love’. The CGA content in both cultivars decreased sharply from 30 days after full bloom (DAFB) to 60 DAFB. Notably, the CGA content in fruit flesh was relatively higher than that in the peel. Further, the activities of C3H and HCT enzymes downstream of the CGA biosynthesis showed the similar changing trend as CGA content. Based on the transcriptome data of ‘Huashuo’ fruit at 30 DAFB and 60 DAFB, 23 differentially expressed CGA synthesis-related genes were screened. Gene expression analyses further showed that MdHCT1/2/4/5/6 and MdC3H1/2/3 were positively correlated to the variation of CGA content in two cultivars. These findings establish a theoretical foundation for further mechanism study on CGA biosynthesis and provide guidance for nutrient improvement in apple breeding programs. Full article
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2022

Jump to: 2024, 2023, 2021

11 pages, 3574 KiB  
Article
Dof Transcription Factors Are Involved in High CO2 Induced Persimmon Fruit Deastringency
by Rong Jin, Wei Wu, Xiaofen Liu, Kunsong Chen and Xueren Yin
Horticulturae 2022, 8(7), 643; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8070643 - 15 Jul 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1448
Abstract
High CO2 treatment is a widely used deastringency technology that causes the accumulation of acetaldehyde which precipitates the astringent soluble tannins from persimmon fruit, making them more attractive to consumers. The identification of DkADH1 and DkPDC2 (the key genes for acetaldehyde accumulation) [...] Read more.
High CO2 treatment is a widely used deastringency technology that causes the accumulation of acetaldehyde which precipitates the astringent soluble tannins from persimmon fruit, making them more attractive to consumers. The identification of DkADH1 and DkPDC2 (the key genes for acetaldehyde accumulation) and their regulators (e.g., ERFs), has significantly advanced our understanding of the fruit deastringency mechanism, but other TFs are also involved in the high CO2 response. Here, 32 DkDofs genes were identified from ‘Gongcheng-shuishi’ persimmon, with nine of them shown to differentially respond to high CO2 treatment. Dual luciferase assay indicated that DkDof3 and DkDof6 could repress the promoters of DkADH1 and DkPDC2, respectively. EMSA assay showed that DkDof3 and DkDof6 physically interacted with probes containing T/AAAAG elements from the DkADH1 promoter, whereas they failed to recognize similar elements from the DkPDC2 promoter. The expression of DkDof3 and DkDof6 was also found to be repressed in different persimmon cultivars in response to high CO2 treatment. It is proposed that DkDof3 and DkDof6 were involved in fruit deastringency by regulating the expression of DkADH1 and DkPDC2 in different persimmon cultivars. Full article
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9 pages, 643 KiB  
Article
Effect of Fruit Weight and Fruit Locule Number in Bell Pepper on Industrial Waste and Quality of Roasted Pepper
by Marcos Guerra, Rosa María Gómez, Miguel Ángel Sanz, Álvaro Rodríguez-González and Pedro Antonio Casquero
Horticulturae 2022, 8(5), 455; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8050455 - 19 May 2022
Viewed by 2129
Abstract
Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), one of the most consumed vegetables worldwide, shows great differences between its diverse varieties. These differences affect the fruit type, size and shape. Food preservation techniques prolong the availability of sweet pepper. Roasted pepper is a product [...] Read more.
Bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), one of the most consumed vegetables worldwide, shows great differences between its diverse varieties. These differences affect the fruit type, size and shape. Food preservation techniques prolong the availability of sweet pepper. Roasted pepper is a product marketed with the European recognition of Protected Geographical Indication ‘Pimiento Asado del Bierzo’. The objective of this work was to analyse the effect of the fruit weight and fruit locule number of the industrial fresh pepper on quality and roasted pepper yield. Large trilocular fruits and large tetralocular fruits reached higher roast yield and uniformity than small trilocular fruits. Regardless of fruit locule number and fruit weight, the overall quality of all the samples of roasted pepper was categorised as very good. Large tetralocular and large trilocular fruits are the most appropriate peppers for industrial purposes, whereas small trilocular fruits should be intended for the fresh product market. This easy method of sorting bell pepper fruit attending to fruit weight will decrease the amount of pepper waste in the industrial roasting process (around 18%), while maintaining the high overall quality of the final product. Moreover, the faster peeling of large peppers will also contribute to increasing the productivity of the industrial processing of roasted pepper. Full article
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16 pages, 3240 KiB  
Article
Effects of Girdling and Foliar Fertilization with K on Physicochemical Parameters, Phenolic and Volatile Composition in ‘Hanxiangmi’ Table Grape
by Tianchi Chen, Tao Xu, Leyi Shen, Tianye Zhang, Liru Wang, Zhihui Chen, Yueyan Wu and Jian Yang
Horticulturae 2022, 8(5), 388; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8050388 - 28 Apr 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1845
Abstract
Aroma is one of the most important indicators of grape quality. Girdling and foliar fertilization with K (K2O) are common agronomic practices applied to improve berry quality in grape production. However, little is known about its effect on the accumulation and [...] Read more.
Aroma is one of the most important indicators of grape quality. Girdling and foliar fertilization with K (K2O) are common agronomic practices applied to improve berry quality in grape production. However, little is known about its effect on the accumulation and biosynthesis of the entire aromatic profile. Our study was aimed to explore the influences of girdling and foliar fertilization with K (alone or in combination) on the general properties, phenolic composition, volatile free aroma compounds, spatial and temporal expression of terpene-related genes and sensory properties in ‘Hanxiangmi’ table grape. In this study, we found that girdling and foliar fertilization with K (alone or in combination) facilitated fruit enlargement and increased the accumulation of phenolic compounds in skin. The combination treatment of girdling and foliar fertilization with K significantly promoted the concentrations of total soluble solids (TSS) in the pulp and proanthocyanidins in the berry skin, and had a lower titratable acidity (TA) compared to those of the control. In contrast, girdling treatment alone increased the concentrations of titratable acidity. Volatile free aroma composition analysis revealed that the combination treatment increased the volatile compounds and concentrations significantly, most notably in terpenes, such as nerol, citronellol and linalool. Spatial and temporal expression analysis showed that the expression level of VvDXS was significantly correlated with linalool and total terpenes concentrations, as a result of which, we speculated that VvDXS is the candidate gene for the regulation of important grape terpenes. We hope that our results can direct farmers to better apply girdling and foliar fertilization with K in grape production. Full article
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16 pages, 3944 KiB  
Article
Metabolic Profiling of Organic Acids Reveals the Involvement of HuIPMS2 in Citramalic Acid Synthesis in Pitaya
by Jiaxuan Chen, Yuanju Yuan, Fangfang Xie, Zhike Zhang, Jianye Chen, Rong Zhang, Jietang Zhao, Guibing Hu and Yonghua Qin
Horticulturae 2022, 8(2), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8020167 - 16 Feb 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2107
Abstract
Pitayas are rich in organic acids, especially citramalic acid, which is significantly higher than the plants. However, the mechanism of citramalic acid biosynthesis remains to be fully elucidated. In this study, organic acid compositions and contents, as well as expression patterns of key [...] Read more.
Pitayas are rich in organic acids, especially citramalic acid, which is significantly higher than the plants. However, the mechanism of citramalic acid biosynthesis remains to be fully elucidated. In this study, organic acid compositions and contents, as well as expression patterns of key genes related to organic acid metabolism were analyzed during fruit maturation of four different pitaya cultivars i.e., ‘Guanhuabai’ (GHB), ‘Guanhuahong’ (GHH), ‘Wucihuanglong’ (WCHL), and ‘Youcihuanglong’ (YCHL). The total organic acid contents increased first and then declined during fruit maturation. The main organic acids were citramalic acid during the early stages of GHB, GHH, and WCHL pitayas, and dominated by malic acid as fruit maturation. In comparison, citric acid and malic acid were main organic acid for ‘YCHL’ pitaya. Citramalate synthase (IPMS) was involved in the synthesis of citramalic acid, and three types of HuIPMS i.e., HuIPMS1, HuIPMS2, and HuIPMS3, were obtained in our study. Highest expression levels of HuIPMS1 were detected in sepals, while HuIPMS2 and HuIPMS3 exhibited preferential expression in tender stems and ovaries. The expression levels of HuIPMS2 and HuIPMS3 were positively correlated with the content of citramalic acid in the four pitaya cultivars. HuIPMS2 was a chloroplast-localized protein, while HuIPMS3 presented a cytoplasmic-like and nuclear subcellular localization. These findings provide an important basis for further understanding of the molecular mechanism that leads to citramalic acid metabolism during pitaya fruit maturation. Full article
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11 pages, 1110 KiB  
Article
Degreening, Softening and Chilling Sensitivity of Early Harvested ‘Zesy002’ Kiwifruit under Elevated Temperature Conditioning in a Controlled Atmosphere
by Jeremy Burdon, Christina Fullerton and David Billing
Horticulturae 2022, 8(2), 125; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8020125 - 30 Jan 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2112
Abstract
Commercially produced volumes of Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis ‘Zesy002’ (Zespri® SunGold Kiwifruit, Tauranga, New Zealand) are increasing rapidly. One approach to managing the harvest logistics is to start the harvest season earlier by harvesting fruit before they have fully degreened on the [...] Read more.
Commercially produced volumes of Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis ‘Zesy002’ (Zespri® SunGold Kiwifruit, Tauranga, New Zealand) are increasing rapidly. One approach to managing the harvest logistics is to start the harvest season earlier by harvesting fruit before they have fully degreened on the vine. However, there are risks: the fruit are chilling-sensitive and they may soften excessively while degreening at elevated temperatures off the vine. Degreening and softening were investigated for ‘Zesy002’ kiwifruit harvested before fully degreened, and then allowed to degreen for 2 or 4 weeks at 10 °C in air or in a controlled atmosphere (CA; 2% oxygen/2% carbon dioxide). Fruit were then stored in air or CA at 1 °C up to 16 weeks from harvest, after which they were assessed for chilling injury. The main findings were that holding fruit in CA rather than air at 10 °C caused slower degreening, delayed the change to rapid softening, and also delayed the loss of chilling sensitivity. It is concluded that if ‘Zesy002’ fruit are to be degreened in CA, then either a longer conditioning period in CA, or more advanced fruit, should be used. Full article
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2021

Jump to: 2024, 2023, 2022

9 pages, 256 KiB  
Communication
Metalaxyl Resistance of Phytophthora palmivora Causing Durian Diseases in Thailand
by Pornprapa Kongtragoul, Koichiro Ishikawa and Hideo Ishii
Horticulturae 2021, 7(10), 375; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7100375 - 08 Oct 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 9889
Abstract
Thailand is the leading producer and exporter of durians worldwide. Serious diseases in durians include root rot, stem rot, and fruit rot, which are caused by Phytophthora palmivora, P. nicotianae, and Pythium cucurbitacearum, respectively. Thai farmers have applied fungicides for [...] Read more.
Thailand is the leading producer and exporter of durians worldwide. Serious diseases in durians include root rot, stem rot, and fruit rot, which are caused by Phytophthora palmivora, P. nicotianae, and Pythium cucurbitacearum, respectively. Thai farmers have applied fungicides for more than 20 years to control rot, but it remains difficult to control. Thus, the monitoring of fungicide-resistance development in pathogens is important for disease management. Pathogens were isolated from naturally infected durians between 2016 and 2017 in southern Thailand. The sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and 5.8S regions of rDNA were used for the identification of their species. Seventeen out of twenty isolates were confirmed to be P. palmivora. All the isolates were tested for mycelium-growth sensitivity to metalaxyl, azoxystrobin, and dimethomorph. The results showed that nine isolates were resistant to metalaxyl with the 50% effective concentration (EC50) higher than 100 mg L−1. By contrast, all the isolates were sensitive to both azoxystrobin and dimethomorph, with EC50 < 1 mg L−1. Metalaxyl-resistant isolates were not controlled (−25.6% to 22.2%) by the treatment of the detached leaves of ‘Monthong’ durian with 100 mg L−1 metalaxyl prior to inoculation, but all the metalaxyl-sensitive and moderately metalaxyl-resistant isolates were better controlled (33.0% to 62.6%). These results clearly indicate that metalaxyl-resistant strains are present in the populations of P. palmivora in Thailand. Full article
15 pages, 4148 KiB  
Article
Effects of Fruit Load on Sugar/Acid Quality and Puffiness of Delayed-Harvest Citrus
by Fangjie Xu, Haishan An, Jiaying Zhang, Zhihong Xu and Fei Jiang
Horticulturae 2021, 7(7), 189; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7070189 - 10 Jul 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2496
Abstract
Delayed harvesting technology is believed to improve the citrus fruit flavor, but improper tree fruit load under delayed harvest might cause puffiness and reduce fruit quality. In order to find out an optimum tree fruit load level to obtain better flavor quality as [...] Read more.
Delayed harvesting technology is believed to improve the citrus fruit flavor, but improper tree fruit load under delayed harvest might cause puffiness and reduce fruit quality. In order to find out an optimum tree fruit load level to obtain better flavor quality as well as reduce puffiness in delayed-harvest citrus under protected cultivation, experiments were conducted in the present study between 2019 and 2020 to determine the effect of different fruit loads and fruit-bearing per single branch on the soluble sugars and organic acids metabolism in the peel and flesh, the anatomical structure of the matured fruit peel, and fruit texture-related indexes. The results suggested significant negative correlations between leaf N level and flesh sucrose and glucose contents, and between branch P level and flesh citric acid contents; no significant correlation between NPK levels and flesh texture; relatively lower leaf N and branch P under relatively higher load can increase flesh sucrose and glucose accumulation and slow down citric acid degradation to the greater extent, thus optimizing the sugar/acid ratio of fruits during delayed harvest. The lignification of parenchyma cells closely around peel secretory cavities due to ascorbic acid deficiency might be the primary cause for puffiness under low-load treatments. Full article
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15 pages, 2827 KiB  
Article
Transcriptome Co-Expression Network Analysis Identifies Key Genes and Regulators of Sweet Cherry Anthocyanin Biosynthesis
by Haiying Yang, Changping Tian, Xiwen Li, Hansheng Gong and Aidi Zhang
Horticulturae 2021, 7(6), 123; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7060123 - 24 May 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2566
Abstract
Anthocyanin is the key factor that results in the attractive color of sweet cherry fruits. However, information regarding sweet cherry coloration and the potential mechanisms underlying anthocyanin biosynthesis is limited. In this study, we found that the anthocyanin accumulation varied in sweet cherry [...] Read more.
Anthocyanin is the key factor that results in the attractive color of sweet cherry fruits. However, information regarding sweet cherry coloration and the potential mechanisms underlying anthocyanin biosynthesis is limited. In this study, we found that the anthocyanin accumulation varied in sweet cherry flesh and peel, while the anthocyanin content increased sharply in the dark red (DR) stage. Correlations between anthocyanin concentrations and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), constructed with Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), indicated that two structural genes (Pac4CL2, PacANS) and 11 transcription factors (PacbHLH13/74, PacDIV, PacERF109/115, PacGATA8, PacGT2, PacGTE10, PacMYB308, PacPosF21, and PacWRKY7) had similar expression patterns with the changes in anthocyanin content. Additionally, real-time PCR verified all of these gene expression patterns and revealed that PacANS exhibited the highest transcription level. In order to search for potential regulators for anthocyanin biosynthesis, a dual-luciferase assay was performed to investigate the regulatory activities of 11 transcription factors on the PacANS promoter. The results revealed that two novelty bHLHs, PacbHLH13 and PacbHLH74, can trans-activate the PacANS promoter and they might be the candidate genes for regulating anthocyanin synthesis in sweet cherry fruits. The present findings provide a novel viewpoint with regard to anthocyanin biosynthesis mechanisms and the regulatory transcriptional network of fruit coloration in sweet cherries. Full article
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12 pages, 14992 KiB  
Article
Cultivation Conditions Change Aroma Volatiles of Strawberry Fruit
by Yunduan Li, Yuanyuan Zhang, Xincheng Liu, Yuwei Xiao, Zuying Zhang, Yanna Shi, Wenbing Kong, Xiaofang Yang, Guihua Jiang, Bo Zhang and Kunsong Chen
Horticulturae 2021, 7(4), 81; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae7040081 - 14 Apr 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2850
Abstract
Volatile compounds principally contribute to flavor of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) fruit. Besides to genetics, cultivation conditions play an important role in fruit volatile formation. Compared to soil culture as control, effects of substrate culture on volatile compounds of two strawberry [...] Read more.
Volatile compounds principally contribute to flavor of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) fruit. Besides to genetics, cultivation conditions play an important role in fruit volatile formation. Compared to soil culture as control, effects of substrate culture on volatile compounds of two strawberry cultivars (‘Amaou’ and ‘Yuexin’) were investigated. GC-MS analysis revealed significant difference in volatile contents of ‘Amaou’ strawberry caused by substrate culture. No significant effect was observed for cultivar ‘Yuexin’. For ‘Amaou’ strawberry from soil culture produced higher volatile contents compared with substrate culture. This difference is contributed by high contents of esters, lactones, ketones, aldehydes, terpenes, hydrocarbons, acids, furans and phenols in ‘Amaou’ strawberry fruit from soil culture. Furanones, beta-linalool, trans-Nerolidol and esters are major contributor to strawberry aroma, whose contents are higher in soil culture planted fruit when compared to substrate culture. Moreover, strawberry fruit from soil culture had higher transcripts related to volatile biosynthesis were observed, including FaQR, FaOMT, FaNES1, FaSAAT and FaAAT2. Full article
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