Enhancing fruit quality through unraveling the molecular and physiological basis and preventing cracking in jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.)

Abstract

Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.), a ‘woody grain’ tree with medicinal and dietary uses, contains various vitamins, cyclic adenosine monophosphate, and essential trace elements. This study found that precipitation and temperature significantly contributed to jujube fruit cracking, with high temperatures and rainfall damaging the fruit epidermis and leading to swelling and cracking. The fruit bottom and surface areas were most prone to cracking. Differentially expressed gene analysis revealed 1957 DEGs between cracking-resistant and susceptible jujube cultivars, linked to cell wall structure, growth processes, and auxin transport. This suggests resistance may be due to modified cell wall properties, controlled cell growth, and regulated auxin transport. Applying amino acid solution at a concentration of 143 mg/L increased epidermal thickness and reduced the cracking rate by 37.5 %, showing significant anti-cracking effects.