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Biochemical and Molecular Approaches to Postharvest Research

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Plant Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 8362

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Prof. Dr. Isabel Lara

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Unitat de Postcollita-XIA, Centre AGROTÈCNIO, Universitat de Lleida, Alcalde Rovira Roure 191, 25198 Lleida, Catalonia, Spain
Interests: biochemistry and physiology of fruit ripening and quality; postharvest biology; technology of fruit produce
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Dear Colleagues,

Postharvest changes in fruit and vegetable quality involve numerous, complex and often interlinked metabolic pathways and physiological events. Because metabolic activity remains high after harvest, the control of these events is challenging. For this reason, fruits and vegetables are highly perishable commodities, and the deterioration of their quality is the cause of important economic losses, particularly when shipped to far-away destination markets.

A main goal of postharvest research is to delay senescence and spoilage during shelf life and storage while preserving and even favouring desirable quality traits. However, fruit and vegetables are also remarkably diverse in their structure, physiology and tolerance to environmental conditions. Furthermore, the use of agrochemicals is becoming ever more restricted by local and international regulations and unacceptable to final consumers. Therefore, postharvest handling and storage procedures need to be tailored to each particular commodity.

In order to achieve these goals, a deeper and more comprehensive knowledge of the physiological, biochemical and molecular basis of fruit and vegetable quality is required, and the application of advanced analysis techniques will be paramount to aid the in-depth understanding of postharvest changes. This Special Issue welcomes original research and review articles that provide insights on all topics related to postharvest biology and technology of fruits and vegetables. The scope of submission includes all aspects of quality (texture, flavour, appearance, pathology, safety, nutritional, health-promoting properties, etc.) at any stage of postharvest handling.

Prof. Dr. Isabel Lara
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

fruits and vegetables
pathology
postharvest
quality
technology
shelf life
storage

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 4037 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Transcriptome Profiling of Cassava Tuberous Roots in Response to Postharvest Physiological Deterioration

by Ruimei Li, Shuai Yuan, Yangjiao Zhou, Shijia Wang, Qin Zhou, Zhongping Ding, Yajie Wang, Yuan Yao, Jiao Liu and Jianchun Guo

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(1), 246; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24010246 - 23 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1860

Abstract

Cassava is one of the most versatile tuberous-root crops on Earth. However, the postharvest storage properties of cassava tuberous root mean that it is perishable through a process known as postharvest physiological deterioration (PPD), which seriously affects its starch quality. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of the transcriptional regulatory activity of cassava against the PPD response is necessary in order to extract key molecular mechanisms related to PPD tolerance. In this study, we found that RYG1 tuberous roots showed delayed PPD compared to those of SC8. In addition, RYG1 roots maintained a more stable cell wall structure after storage than those of SC8. The transcriptome changes in tuberous roots were analyzed for both RYG1 and SC8 after 21 days of storage (SR and SS) compared to fresh (FR and FS) by the RNA-Seq method. The total number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the various comparisons of these four samples ranged from 68 to 3847. Of these, a total of 2008 co-DEGs in SR vs. SS were shared by either SR vs. FR or SS vs. FS. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that upregulated co-DEGs in SR vs. SS were mainly enriched in photosynthesis, protein processing, hormone and cutin, suberine and wax biosynthesis. By contrast, the downregulated co-DEGs were mainly related to cell wall organization, starch and sucrose metabolism, galactose metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, diterpenoid biosynthesis, cysteine and methionine metabolism and flavonoid biosynthesis. The protein–protein interaction (PPI) networks of the co-DEGs showed a complex interaction of genes in different pathways, and 16 hub genes were characterized to have a degree in excess of 15, among which eight genes were associated with photosynthesis. These results provide new information for the study of cassava resistance to PPD and lay a foundation for the further molecular breeding of storage-tolerant cassava varieties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochemical and Molecular Approaches to Postharvest Research)

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20 pages, 1405 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of ABA in the Interaction between Citrus Fruit and Penicillium digitatum

by María T. Lafuente and Luis González-Candelas

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(24), 15796; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232415796 - 13 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1566

Abstract

Abscisic acid (ABA) protects citrus fruit against Penicillium digitatum infection. The global mechanisms involved in the role of ABA in the P. digitatum–citrus fruit interaction are unknown. Here, we determine the transcriptome differences between the Navelate (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) orange and its ABA-deficient mutant Pinalate, which is less resistant to infection. Low ABA levels may affect both the constitutive mechanisms that protect citrus fruit against P. digitatum and early responses to infection. The repression of terpenoid, phenylpropanoid and glutation metabolism; of oxidation–reduction processes; and of processes related to the defense response to fungus and plant hormone signal transduction may be one part of the constitutive defense reduced in the mutant against P. digitatum. Our results also provide potential targets for developing P. digitatum-citrus fruit-resistant varieties. Of those up-regulated by ABA, a thaumatin protein and a bifunctional inhibitor/LTP, which are relevant in plant immunity, were particularly remarkable. It is also worth highlighting chlorophyllase 1 (CLH1), induced by infection in Pinalate, and the OXS3 gene, which was down-regulated by ABA, because the absence of OXS3 activates ABA-responsive genes in plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochemical and Molecular Approaches to Postharvest Research)

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18 pages, 2710 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Short-Term Gaseous Treatments Improve Rachis Browning in Red and White Table Grapes Stored at Low Temperature: Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Its Beneficial Effect

by Irene Romero, Raquel Rosales, M. Isabel Escribano, Carmen Merodio and M. Teresa Sanchez-Ballesta

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(21), 13304; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232113304 - 01 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1563

Abstract

Short-term gaseous treatments improve rachis quality during table grape postharvest, but little is known about the mechanisms involved. In this work, we observed that the application of a 3-day CO₂ treatment at 0 °C improved rachis browning of Superior Seedless and Red Globe bunches, affecting the non-enzymatic antioxidant system by reducing the total phenolic content, the antioxidant activity and the expression of different stilbene synthase genes. Lipid peroxidation levels revealed lower oxidative stress in CO₂-treated rachis of both cultivars linked to the activation of the enzymatic antioxidant system. Furthermore, whereas a positive correlation was denoted between rachis browning and the accumulation of key ABA regulatory genes in Red Globe bunches, this effect was restricted to ACS1, a key synthetic ethylene gene, in Superior Seedless clusters. This work also corroborated the important role of ethylene-responsive factors in the beneficial effect of the gaseous treatment, not only in the berries but also in the rachis. Finally, the application of the gaseous treatment avoided the induction of cell wall-degrading enzyme-related genes in both cultivars, which could favor the maintenance of rachis quality. This work provides new insight into specific responses modulated by the gaseous treatment focused on mitigating rachis browning independently of the cultivar. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochemical and Molecular Approaches to Postharvest Research)

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12 pages, 2444 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Changes in α-Farnesene and Phenolic Metabolism and the Expression of Associated Genes during the Development of Superficial Scald in Two Distinct Pear Cultivars

by Jingang He, Yunxiao Feng, Yudou Cheng, Thirupathi Karuppanapandian, Jinxiao Wang and Junfeng Guan

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(20), 12088; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232012088 - 11 Oct 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1371

Abstract

Superficial scald is a postharvest physiological disorder that occurs in pear during and after cold storage. In this study, the superficial scald index; α-farnesene and its oxidation products, conjugated trienols (CTols); phenolic content; and the expression of its related genes were investigated in two different pear cultivars, ‘Wujiuxiang’ (Pyrus communis L.) and ‘Yali’ (Pyrus bretschneideri R.), following 115 days of cold storage at 0 °C followed by 7 days of shelf life at 20 °C. The results indicated that the superficial scald occurred after 115 days of cold storage and became more severe during the shelf life of the ‘Wujiuxiang’ pear, whereas no scald was observed in ‘Yali’. The α-farnesene levels increased rapidly at first and then decreased, while the CTols contents increased significantly in ‘Wujiuxiang’ as compared to ‘Yali’, and the expression levels of the genes involved in α-farnesene and CTols metabolism (HMGR1, HMGR2, GSTU7, GPX5, and GPX6), as well as the phenolic synthesis (PAL1, PAL2, C4H1, 4CL2, C3H, and ANR) of the peel, were significantly up-regulated at the onset of the superficial scald. In addition, the relative conductivity and contents of catechin and epicatechin were higher, and the expression level of the laccase gene (LAC7) significantly increased with the development of superficial scald, while lower contents of chlorogenic acid, arbutin, and isorhamnetin-3-3-glucoside, as well as the lower expression levels of a phenolic-synthesis-related gene (C4H3) and polyphenol oxidase genes (PPO1 and PPO5), were noticed in ‘Wujiuxiang’ as compared to ‘Yali’. The results indicated that the onset and progression of superficial scald were associated with the accumulation of CTols, cell membrane breakdown, and higher catechin, epicatechin, and rutin contents, as well as the expression of associated genes of the peels of pear fruit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochemical and Molecular Approaches to Postharvest Research)

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11 pages, 1109 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Post-Harvest Ozone Treatment on Some Molecular Stability Markers of Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt. Fruit during Cold Storage

by Natalia Matłok, Tomasz Piechowiak, Miłosz Zardzewiały and Maciej Balawejder

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(19), 11152; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231911152 - 22 Sep 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1135

Abstract

Fruits of Amelanchier alnifolia Nutt. ex M. Roem. (Nutt.) are a good source of bioactive compounds and vitamins. Due to the fact that the berries are a soft fruit, they require special procedures to increase their molecular and mechanical stability during cold storage. The study investigated the effects of ozone treatment applied cyclically (every 24 h) on selected chemical and mechanical parameters of saskatoon berries kept in storage. For this purpose, measurements were performed to assess changes in some molecular markers such as antioxidant potential, content of vitamin C, and total polyphenols, as well as microbial stress and maximum destructive force under uniaxial compression of samples. The effectiveness of the storage process was also assessed in relation to the conditions used by determining the proportion of fruit affected by diseases occurring in storage. The findings show that ozone treatment led to increased content of bioactive compounds at the initial stages of storage and resulted in decreased loss of water and bioactive compounds at the later stages. Ultimately, irrespective of the conditions applied during ozone treatment, it was observed that the growth of micro-organisms on the fruit surface was inhibited, and as a result, storage losses during the relevant period were significantly reduced. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biochemical and Molecular Approaches to Postharvest Research)

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