Postharvest Biology and Technology最新文献

{"title":"Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase orthologous pair CitCAD7 (CsCAD7/CgCAD6) promotes juice sac lignification during postharvest senescence in citrus fruit","authors":"Weiyan Lu ,&nbsp;Yaci Liu ,&nbsp;Qiulin Yang ,&nbsp;Kaifang Zeng ,&nbsp;Yunjie Zhang ,&nbsp;Chunlian Huang ,&nbsp;Shixiang Yao","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114175","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114175","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Granulation represents a senescence trajectory in citrus fruit, marked by lignification of juice sacs. Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) catalyzes the final reduction step in monolignol biosynthesis, yet the roles of individual CAD paralogues during citrus granulation remain unknown. Here, we performed a systematic analysis of the <em>CAD</em> gene family in sweet orange (<em>Citrus sinensis</em>) and pomelo (<em>Citrus grandis</em>) to probe their roles in juice sac lignification during postharvest senescence. We identified eight <em>CAD</em> genes in the <em>C. sinensis</em> genome and seven in the <em>C. grandis</em>. Across multiple cultivars and growing seasons, only one member—<em>CsCAD7</em> and its pomelo ortholog <em>CgCAD6</em>—showed consistent transcriptional upregulation that correlated with juice sac granulation. The two genes showed near-identical coding sequences and highly similar 2-kb promoter regions (95.10 % identity) with conserved cis-regulatory landscapes, including SNBE motifs recognized by NAC transcription factors; we therefore refer to this ortholog pair as <em>CitCAD7</em> (<em>CsCAD7</em>/<em>CgCAD6</em>). Transient overexpression of <em>CitCAD7</em> (<em>CsCAD7</em> allele) enhanced lignin accumulation across diverse systems, including <em>Nicotiana benthamiana</em> leaves, citrus leaves and pericarp, the juice sacs themselves, and strawberry fruit (<em>Fragaria × ananassa</em>). Moreover, dual-luciferase assays showed that the NAC transcription factor CitNSF1 activates the <em>CitCAD7</em> promoter <em>in vivo</em>. These results suggest <em>CitCAD7</em> as a granulation-responsive regulator linking CitNSF1 activation to the terminal step of monolignol formation. This work fills a key gap in the molecular framework of citrus granulation, reinforcing the “Disorder of cell wall metabolism” hypothesis and highlighting <em>CitCAD7</em> as a strategic genetic target for mitigating postharvest quality loss.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114175"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146026217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhanced antifungal activity of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil through Eudragit® S100–based nanoencapsulation","authors":"Vinícius Bertoncello Molon ,&nbsp;Manuela Pires Onzi ,&nbsp;Fernando Joel Scariot ,&nbsp;Ana Paula Longaray Delamare ,&nbsp;Marli Camassola ,&nbsp;Thiago Barcellos","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114191","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114191","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Postharvest fungal decay remains a major constraint to fruit quality and shelf life, driving the search for effective and sustainable alternatives to synthetic fungicides. This study aimed to develop Eudragit® S100 based nanocapsules containing <em>Origanum vulgare</em> L. essential oil (OVEO) and to evaluate their antifungal efficacy, with an initial <em>in vitro</em> screening against <em>Botrytis cinerea</em>, <em>Colletotrichum fructicola</em>, <em>Colletotrichum gloeosporioides</em>, and <em>Penicillium digitatum</em>, followed by targeted <em>in vivo</em> assessment against <em>C. gloeosporioides</em>, the causal agent of apple anthracnose. Seven essential oils were first screened for inhibition of conidial germination. OVEO exhibited the highest activity, completely inhibiting germination of all four pathogens at concentrations ≥ 0.05 % (v/v), and was therefore selected for nanoencapsulation. OVEO nanocapsules were prepared by interfacial deposition using Eudragit® S100, achieving an encapsulation efficiency of 90.7 % and a loading capacity of 81.2 %, with a mean hydrodynamic diameter of 229 nm. In <em>in vitro</em> assays, nanoencapsulated OVEO (OVEO–NC–5) fully suppressed conidial germination of all tested fungi at 0.025 % (v/v) after 48 h, whereas free OVEO showed reduced efficacy at the same concentration. In <em>in vivo</em> trials on apples inoculated with <em>C. gloeosporioides</em>, OVEO–NC–5 reduced lesion diameter by 62 % at 0.025 % (v/v) after 21 d, while complete inhibition of symptom development was achieved at 0.05 % (v/v). These results demonstrate that Eudragit® S100 nanoencapsulation significantly enhances the stability, efficacy, and practical applicability of <em>O</em>. <em>vulgare</em> L. essential oil, representing a promising strategy for sustainable postharvest disease control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114191"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081094","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Catechol 1, 2-dioxygenase AaCHD is essential for the detoxification of phenolic acids in pear fruit peel by Alternaria alternata","authors":"Rong Li,&nbsp;Wenyi Xu,&nbsp;Yang Bi,&nbsp;Yongcai Li","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114194","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114194","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Previous studies have shown that <em>Alternaria alternata</em> can utilize media supplemented with exogenous phenolic acid monomers at concentrations comparable to those found in pear peel as its sole carbon source, degrading these compounds in a species-specific and concentration-dependent manner. However, the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying the degradation of phenolic acids in pear peel remain incompletely understood. Transcriptome analysis indicated that genes associated with aromatic compound metabolism in <em>A. alternata</em> were significantly up-regulated following exposure to 1 mM exogenous chlorogenic and ferulic acids. Catechol 1,2-dioxygenase (AaCHD), a key enzyme involved in phenolic metabolism, was selected for further investigation using targeted gene knockout techniques. Although no significant differences in growth, spore germination, or pathogenicity were observed between the <em>AaCHD</em> mutants and the WT strain, the deletion of <em>AaCHD1</em> and <em>AaCHD2</em> resulted in increased sensitivity to exogenous phenolic acids and osmotic stress. Moreover, quaternary ultra-fast liquid chromatography analysis revealed that, after 48 h of incubation with exogenous phenolic acids, the Δ<em>AaCHD1</em> mutant still maintained higher levels of chlorogenic acid, while both Δ<em>AaCHD1</em> and Δ<em>AaCHD2</em> mutants exhibited elevated residual p-coumaric acid compared to the WT. These findings suggest that AaCHD enzyme may play a critical role in the degradation of chlorogenic acid and p-coumaric acid in pear peel by <em>A. alternata</em>, even though they are not essential for the fungus's growth and development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114194"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081095","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phytic acid with vacuum-ultrasound cleaning: a novel strategy for eradicating internalized Escherichia coli and preserving postharvest quality of lettuce","authors":"Siyun Xie,&nbsp;Fangyun Dong,&nbsp;Yasmeen Saeed,&nbsp;Ruimin Zhong,&nbsp;Jianhua Zhu,&nbsp;Xia Zhang,&nbsp;Yipei Chen,&nbsp;Yuxin Wu,&nbsp;Caihu Liao","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114192","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114192","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Vacuum precooling process can enhance the chances of pathogenic bacterial penetration in leafy vegetable via stomata which cannot be completely removed by using conventional washing methods, making it a serious food safety concern. To develop an efficient cleaning approach, we employed vacuum-ultrasound cleaning (VC-US) technology combined with a cleaning agent (0.2 % Tween 20) as the basic washing method. The disinfectant sodium hypochlorite (NaClO, 100 mg L ⁻¹) was used as the control, while phytic acid (PA), an alternative disinfectant to sodium hypochlorite, was tested at different concentrations (0 %, 0.33 %, 0.65 %, and 1.3 %) to evaluate its capacity to remove <em>Escherichia coli</em> that had penetrated into the stomata of lettuce. Changes in colony counts, confocal Z-axis fluorescence imaging, stomatal aperture, enzyme activities, and physicochemical indicators including total phenols, chlorophyll, ascorbic acid (AsA), malondialdehyde (MDA), color parameters, chlorogenic acid (CGA), and caffeic acid were analyzed before and after cleaning. The results showed that increasing PA concentration enhanced the removal efficiency of <em>E. coli</em> from both the surface and the interior of lettuce. 1.3 % PA reduced internal bacterial counts from an initial 4.40–1.38 log₁₀ CFU/cm², but no difference was observed compared with 0.65 % PA (1.44 log₁₀ CFU/cm²), and both treatments exhibited higher removal efficiency than 100 mg L ⁻¹ NaClO (1.53 log₁₀ CFU/cm²). Further analysis indicated that higher PA concentrations increased stomatal aperture size, which facilitated the removal of internalized <em>E. coli</em>. During storage, the 0.65 % PA treatment maintained higher activities of SOD and CAT while inhibiting POD and PPO activities, and reduced the accumulation of MDA, chlorogenic acid, and caffeic acid. Moreover, compared with other PA treatments, 0.65 % PA showed no difference with other PA treatment in total phenols, AsA, and chlorophyll, but displayed higher contents than that of NaClO treatment during 3 d storage. In addition, 0.65 % PA achieved better sensory quality than 1.3 % PA while maintaining comparable microbial removal efficiency. Collectively, these results indicate that employing VC-US technology combined with 0.2 % Tween 20 and replacing NaClO with 0.65 % PA provides a safer and more balanced strategy for reducing <em>E. coli</em> residing within vegetable stomata while maintaining postharvest quality.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114192"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"3-decen-2-one loaded zein-hydroxypropyl methylcellulose coating to delay sprouting and greening in potato tubers","authors":"Yuyang Zhang ,&nbsp;Jacqueline Chiu ,&nbsp;Jeannine Bonilla ,&nbsp;Caihua Shi ,&nbsp;Iris J. Joye ,&nbsp;Loong-Tak Lim","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114172","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114172","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Greening and sprouting are the post-harvest issues of potato tubers that decrease their marketability. This study explored the use of zein - hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) edible coatings, derived from aqueous ethanol polymer solutions that were loaded with 3-decen-2-one, to delay the sprouting and greening of potato tubers stored at 22 ℃ and 75% relative humidity (RH). The storage period lasted up to 2 weeks, with 12 h of daily light exposure. The results demonstrated that the zein-HPMC coating containing 3-decen-2-one effectively inhibited greening and sprouting, decreasing the sprouting index from 90% to 27%, and the respiration rate of the coated potato tubers (10.88 mg CO₂/kg/h) was significantly (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05) lower than the control (28.27 mg CO₂/kg/h) at 2 weeks. Additionally, there were no significant differences (<em>p</em> &gt; 0.05) in tuber firmness, weight loss, and Brix value compared with the uncoated potatoes. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that zein particles in the edible coating were evenly distributed on the surface of the potato peels, and UV–visible spectra indicated that the transmittance of the coatings ranged from 20% to 30%. The release of 3-decen-2-one from the zein-HPMC coating was enhanced by increasing RH, as determined with headspace gas chromatography. At 20 °C and 75% RH, the 3-decen-2-one released 0.0048 mg/mg of the coating after 2 h of exposure. When applied to potatoes, the 3-decen-2-one concentration peaked at approximately 3 h. These findings indicate that edible coatings containing 3-decen-2-one may be effective in preventing greening and sprouting while preserving potato quality at retail when exposed to light.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114172"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081089","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Beyond human vision: Highlighting and detecting inconspicuous defects in citrus fruits using UV-fluorescence imaging and YOLO11","authors":"Dayuan Wang ,&nbsp;Min Zhang ,&nbsp;Qibing Zhu ,&nbsp;Bhesh Bhandari ,&nbsp;Luming Rui","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114190","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114190","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Citrus fruits suffer substantial postharvest losses due to fungal infections and mechanical damage. Early decay and minor injury detection of these visually inconspicuous defects on citrus fruits remains challenging in postharvest quality control. This study proposes an innovative non-destructive detection system combining UV-fluorescence imaging and advanced YOLO11 deep learning to detect early or inconspicuous defects, including fungal infections (green mold, blue mold, and sour rot) and mechanical damage (bruising and puncture). Research revealed that when fungal infection or mechanical damage ruptures the oil glands in citrus peel, the essential oils rich in polymethoxyflavones released from defective regions emit bright yellow-green fluorescence under 365 nm UV-light illumination. Among the evaluated YOLO variants, YOLO11n demonstrated superior performance with 0.939 precision, 0.933 recall, and 0.969 [email protected], effectively localizing and classifying both healthy and defective fruits across diverse citrus varieties. Grad-CAM++ visualization confirmed that the model focused on genuine fluorescent defect regions while disregarding non-defective fluorescent features. The high-quality fluorescence imaging data create nearly ideal conditions for detection—uniform dark backgrounds with bright defect signals—enhancing detection capability and enabling deep learning models to achieve superior accuracy. This UV fluorescence-YOLO11 framework provides a low-cost, high-quality, explainable, and readily deployable solution for automated citrus quality inspection, potentially reducing significant postharvest losses in the global citrus supply chain.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114190"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146015536","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Volatile organic compounds from Meyerozyma guilliermondii JY19 trigger apoptosis-like cell death in Botrytis cinerea and control postharvest gray mold of ginseng berries","authors":"Guanzhong Ding ,&nbsp;Fan Zhou ,&nbsp;Peng Mu ,&nbsp;Lidan Zhang ,&nbsp;Yue Zhang ,&nbsp;Yidong Zheng ,&nbsp;Wenwen Jiang ,&nbsp;Ning Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114176","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114176","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Gray mold caused by <em>Botrytis cinerea</em> severely compromises the postharvest value of ginseng berries. We assessed the endophytic yeast <em>Meyerozyma guilliermondii</em> JY19 as a green control and delineated a VOC-mediated mode of action. JY19 inhibited <em>B. cinerea in vitro</em> in diffusible-metabolite, cell-free supernatant, and sealed double-plate VOC assays. Scanning electron microscopy revealed hyphal surface collapse and fissures. VOC exposure induced reactive oxygen species and programmed cell death in conidia based on DCFH-DA staining, Annexin V–FITC/PI imaging, and flow cytometry. HS-SPME–GC–MS profiling identified a characteristic VOC repertoire; 3,5-diethyl-2-methylpyrazine, 4-methyl-2-pentanol, and trans-ocimenol showed dose-dependent inhibition with IC₅₀ values of 9.5, 23.1, and 26.7 μL L⁻¹ , respectively, whereas 1-hydroxy-2-propanone was inactive. RNA-seq showed concerted repression of nutrient-transport systems and xenobiotic detoxification (including multiple cytochrome P450s), together with attenuation of sphingolipid and glycosphingolipid pathways and MAPK signaling; oxidative phosphorylation was upregulated, consistent with metabolic compensation under VOC. <em>In vivo</em>, JY19 VOCs delayed disease onset and reduced lesion area by 79.3 %, 77.3 %, and 39.3 % on days 1, 2, and 3, respectively, thereby limiting decay under high humidity. These multi-level data support a mode-of-action model in which JY19 VOCs compromise membrane integrity and nutrient acquisition, trigger ROS-driven programmed cell death, and constrain fungal growth and virulence. To our knowledge, this is the first integrated <em>in vitro</em>, cytological, transcriptomic, and <em>in vivo</em> evaluation of VOC-based gray mold control on ginseng berries, positioning JY19 and its dominant VOCs as residue-lean biofumigation leads for postharvest management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114176"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081088","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"R2R3-MYB transcription factors in regulating postharvest quality of fruit and vegetables during cold storage: Mechanisms and prospects","authors":"Jihan Wang ,&nbsp;Fujun Li ,&nbsp;Jing Shang,&nbsp;Xiaoan Li,&nbsp;Xinhua Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114196","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114196","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cold storage is widely applied to reduce postharvest losses and preserve the quality of fruit and vegetables; however, inappropriate low-temperature conditions often induce metabolic disorders and chilling injury. Accumulating evidence indicates that R2R3-MYB transcription factors (TFs), the largest MYB subfamily in plants, are emerging as pivotal regulators integrating metabolic adaptation with cold tolerance during postharvest storage. This review systematically summarizes the major regulatory pathways mediated by R2R3-MYB TFs under cold conditions, including the modulation of soluble sugar and organic acid metabolism, flavonoid and anthocyanin biosynthesis, polyamine accumulation, redox homeostasis, cell wall modification, membrane lipid metabolism, and lignin biosynthesis. Furthermore, we integrate current knowledge to outline the regulatory mechanisms by which R2R3-MYB TFs link cold signals with transcriptional reprogramming through direct DNA binding, protein-protein interactions, post-translational modifications, and epigenetic regulation. Finally, we discuss the implications of regulatory networks mediated by R2R3-MYB TFs for improving postharvest quality and enhancing cold tolerance, and highlight future research directions to support the development of effective postharvest preservation strategies and molecular breeding approaches for fruit and vegetables.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114196"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081091","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Discovery of novel natural cinnamic acid derivatives enabled by Ugi reaction and their potential applications","authors":"Hexiang Wang ,&nbsp;Zhijun Qiao ,&nbsp;Ting Ye ,&nbsp;Di Liu ,&nbsp;Junkun Ren ,&nbsp;Jie Deng ,&nbsp;Yanlong Wu ,&nbsp;Longzhu Bao ,&nbsp;Hongqu Wu ,&nbsp;Xiufang Cao ,&nbsp;Fang Liu ,&nbsp;Shaoyong Ke","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114180","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114180","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant fungal diseases pose a serious threat to agricultural production and the quality and safety of postharvest agricultural products. Therefore, developing efficient and environmentally friendly novel fungicides is of great significance. In this study, a series of novel <em>p</em>-hydroxycinnamic acid-diamide derivatives was designed and synthesized by combining naturally sourced <em>p</em>-hydroxycinnamic acid with the highly active diamide structural motif. <em>In vitro</em> antifungal activity screening revealed that several compounds exhibited significant inhibitory effects against various plant pathogenic fungi. Notably, compounds <strong>1–14</strong> and <strong>1–13</strong> showed excellent activity against <em>S. sclerotiorum</em> (EC₅₀ = 15.70 µg/mL) and <em>P. capsici</em> (EC₅₀ = 22.04 µg/mL), respectively. Compound <strong>1–13</strong> also exhibited significant <em>in vivo</em> antifungal activity against <em>P. capsici</em> on both pepper leaves and fruits, and compound <strong>1–14</strong> exhibited a clear concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on both tomato and Vitis vinifera 'Shine Muscat' against <em>B. cinerea</em>. Further investigations, including <em>in vivo</em> activity assays, propidium iodide (PI) staining, proton motive force (PMF) assessment, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity tests, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations, indicated that the target compounds exert their antifungal effects through multiple mechanisms. These include disrupting cell membrane integrity, interfering with energy metabolism, and inhibiting SDH enzyme activity. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations revealed a stable binding mode between the compounds and the SDH active pocket. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further verified their electronic structures and stability. This study provides valuable candidate molecules and a theoretical basis for developing novel plant-derived fungicides. The findings not only offer highly active candidate compounds for controlling postharvest diseases caused by pathogens like <em>S. sclerotiorum</em> and <em>P. capsici</em>, but the elucidated structure-activity relationships and multiple mechanisms of action also provide new insights for the rational design of pesticides based on natural products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114180"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025734","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A natural edible coating with enhanced antioxidant activity based on tara gum/Sa-son seed gum/sea buckthorn fruit oil incorporated with silk fibroin peptide for litchi and cherry preservation","authors":"Qianrun Li ,&nbsp;Yulong Chen ,&nbsp;Yunpeng Wang ,&nbsp;Yufei Zhou ,&nbsp;Chao-an Long","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114185","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114185","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, natural, nontoxic silk fibroin peptide (SFP) was incorporated into blended coatings composed of tara gum (TG), Sa-son seed gum (SSG) and sea buckthorn fruit oil (SBFO), and the TSS-SBFO coating film properties were characterized. The results indicated that incorporating 0.15 % (w/v) SFP significantly increased the film’s elongation at break and UV-blocking properties, while also enhanced the oxygen and carbon dioxide barrier properties of the film. Furthermore, the addition of SFP effectively enhanced the antioxidant activity and affinity for fruit surfaces of the TS-SBFO coating. Subsequently, TS-SBFO and TSS₁₅-SBFO coatings were subsequently applied to litchis and cherries to assess their preservation effects. Results showed that both coating treatments maintained fruit quality during storage comparing to uncoated treatment, while coating with TSS₁₅-SBFO had a more prominent effect in preserving the levels of titratable acid and total soluble solids, and delaying their weight losses and respiratory intensity. In addition, the TSS₁₅-SBFO coating treatment increased the antioxidant capacity of litchis and cherries by inhibiting MDA content and increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Therefore, as a safe and environmentally friendly novel edible coating film, the TSS₁₅-SBFO shows promising potential as an alternative to conventional petroleum-based packaging for extending the shelf-life of fruits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114185"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081100","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}