Pub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114186
Qingqing Liu , Shengtai Lin , Yuxin Wu , Zhongqi Fan , Ruiling Zhuo , Yifen Lin , Boqiang Li , Shiping Tian , Mengshi Lin , Hetong Lin , Yihui Chen
Postharvest diseases severely compromise the quality and market value of longans. Slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) is known for its broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties; however, its efficacy against postharvest diseases in longans remains unclear. This study hypothesizes that SAEW can inhibit disease development in longans by modulating the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. Results showed that SAEW treatment remarkably reduced the disease severity of longans, with the disease index decreasing by 49.0 % and 32.5 % on storage days 5 and 6, respectively. The treatment also increased the activities of defense-related enzymes, including β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase. Additionally, SAEW-treated longans exhibited higher activities of CAD, PAL, CCR, POD, C4H, CHI, 4CL and CHS, as well as higher contents of various flavonoids, total flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignin, and total phenolics. Transcriptomic analysis indicates that DEGs involved in phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis were upregulated in SAEW-treated longans. These findings suggest that SAEW enhances longan's disease resistance by stimulating these critical biosynthetic pathways. SAEW offers a promising and innovative approach to mitigating postharvest diseases in longans by bolstering their natural defense mechanisms through the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathways.
{"title":"Slightly acidic electrolyzed water enhances fruit disease resistance in longans by activating phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathways","authors":"Qingqing Liu , Shengtai Lin , Yuxin Wu , Zhongqi Fan , Ruiling Zhuo , Yifen Lin , Boqiang Li , Shiping Tian , Mengshi Lin , Hetong Lin , Yihui Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114186","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114186","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Postharvest diseases severely compromise the quality and market value of longans. Slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) is known for its broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties; however, its efficacy against postharvest diseases in longans remains unclear. This study hypothesizes that SAEW can inhibit disease development in longans by modulating the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. Results showed that SAEW treatment remarkably reduced the disease severity of longans, with the disease index decreasing by 49.0 % and 32.5 % on storage days 5 and 6, respectively. The treatment also increased the activities of defense-related enzymes, including <em>β</em>-1,3-glucanase and chitinase. Additionally, SAEW-treated longans exhibited higher activities of CAD, PAL, CCR, POD, C4H, CHI, 4CL and CHS, as well as higher contents of various flavonoids, total flavonoids, phenolic acids, lignin, and total phenolics. Transcriptomic analysis indicates that DEGs involved in phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis were upregulated in SAEW-treated longans. These findings suggest that SAEW enhances longan's disease resistance by stimulating these critical biosynthetic pathways. SAEW offers a promising and innovative approach to mitigating postharvest diseases in longans by bolstering their natural defense mechanisms through the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathways.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114186"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081101","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}
Pub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-28DOI: 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114197
Hansika Sati, Sunil Pareek
Chilling injury (CI) severely limits the postharvest quality and shelf life of mango fruit. While the roles of melatonin (MT) and nitric oxide (NO) in stress tolerance are established individually, their combined effects on CI mitigation, antioxidant defense, and gene regulation in mango remain largely unexplored. This study investigates the interplay of MT (100 μM) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 0.01 M) on ‘Langra’ mangoes during cold storage at 4 ± 1 °C and 85–90 % relative humidity for 28 d. Mangoes were assessed for CI index, physiological traits, enzymatic antioxidants, and expression of key stress-responsive and antioxidant genes (MiCBF1, MiSOD, MiCAT, MiAPX, MiASMT, and MiSNAT). MT + SNP markedly alleviated CI, reducing the index by 75 % compared to control, and maintained superior fruit quality, including 75.75 % higher firmness, 26.05 % lower weight loss, 4.87 % reduced respiration, 83.33 % lower ethylene production, 140 % higher TA, and 25.81 % higher ascorbic acid. Antioxidant enzyme activities were significantly enhanced in the peel and pulp, with superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase exhibiting notable increases. Concurrently, MiCBF1 and antioxidant gene expression were substantially upregulated, along with MT biosynthesis genes MiASMT and MiSNAT, indicating coordinated enzymatic and molecular defense mechanisms. These findings demonstrate that the combined application of MT and SNP fortifies physiological and molecular antioxidant systems, preserves cellular integrity, and delays CI, providing an effective postharvest strategy to maintain mango quality. The study offers a foundation for developing integrated MT-NO treatments to enhance cold tolerance and shelf life in other horticultural crops.
{"title":"Melatonin–nitric oxide crosstalk enhances postharvest chilling tolerance in mango: Physiological, biochemical, and transcriptional evidence for activation of antioxidant defense and cold-responsive genes","authors":"Hansika Sati, Sunil Pareek","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114197","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114197","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chilling injury (CI) severely limits the postharvest quality and shelf life of mango fruit. While the roles of melatonin (MT) and nitric oxide (NO) in stress tolerance are established individually, their combined effects on CI mitigation, antioxidant defense, and gene regulation in mango remain largely unexplored. This study investigates the interplay of MT (100 μM) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 0.01 M) on ‘Langra’ mangoes during cold storage at 4 ± 1 °C and 85–90 % relative humidity for 28 d. Mangoes were assessed for CI index, physiological traits, enzymatic antioxidants, and expression of key stress-responsive and antioxidant genes (<em>MiCBF1, MiSOD, MiCAT, MiAPX, MiASMT,</em> and <em>MiSNAT</em>). MT + SNP markedly alleviated CI, reducing the index by 75 % compared to control, and maintained superior fruit quality, including 75.75 % higher firmness, 26.05 % lower weight loss, 4.87 % reduced respiration, 83.33 % lower ethylene production, 140 % higher TA, and 25.81 % higher ascorbic acid. Antioxidant enzyme activities were significantly enhanced in the peel and pulp, with superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase exhibiting notable increases. Concurrently, <em>MiCBF1</em> and antioxidant gene expression were substantially upregulated, along with MT biosynthesis genes <em>MiASMT</em> and <em>MiSNAT</em>, indicating coordinated enzymatic and molecular defense mechanisms. These findings demonstrate that the combined application of MT and SNP fortifies physiological and molecular antioxidant systems, preserves cellular integrity, and delays CI, providing an effective postharvest strategy to maintain mango quality. The study offers a foundation for developing integrated MT-NO treatments to enhance cold tolerance and shelf life in other horticultural crops.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114197"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081093","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}
Pub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-28DOI: 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114198
Cheng Zhou , Wei Chen , Wei Wu , Xuewen Li , Shifeng Cao , Liyu Shi , Zhenfeng Yang
The regulatory mechanism by which exogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) enhances the chilling tolerance in postharvest kiwifruit during cold storage was investigated. Treatment with 0.5 mM IAA significantly decreased the chilling injury index and delayed fruit softening, which was linked to the suppression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and a reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA) production, ultimately alleviating membrane lipid peroxidation. IAA treatment also downregulated the expression of genes encoding phospholipase D (PLD), lipoxygenase (LOX), and other lipid-degrading enzymes, resulting in decreased activities of PLD, LOX, and lipase and the inhibition in the degradation of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol into phosphatidic acid, thus preserving membrane integrity. Concurrently, upregulation of H⁺-ATPase, Ca²⁺-ATPase, succinate dehydrogenase, and cytochrome c oxidase activities and transcript levels, resulting in increased adenosine triphosphate content and energy charge, thus supporting cellular energy homeostasis. These findings offer theoretical insight on the role of IAA in enhancing postharvest chilling tolerance in kiwifruit and offer a potential strategy for extending its shelf life.
研究了外源吲哚-3-乙酸（IAA）对猕猴桃采后冷藏期耐冷性的调控机制。0.5 mM IAA处理显著降低了冷害指数和延迟果实软化，这与抑制活性氧（ROS）积累和减少丙二醛（MDA）产生有关，最终缓解了膜脂过氧化。IAA处理还下调了编码磷脂酶D （PLD）、脂氧合酶（LOX）等脂质降解酶的基因表达，导致PLD、LOX和脂肪酶活性降低，抑制磷脂酰胆碱和磷脂酰肌醇向磷脂酸的降解，从而保持了膜的完整性。同时，上调H + -ATPase、ca2 + -ATPase、琥珀酸脱氢酶和细胞色素c氧化酶活性和转录物水平，导致三磷酸腺苷含量和能量电荷增加，从而支持细胞能量稳态。这些发现为IAA在提高猕猴桃采后抗寒性中的作用提供了理论见解，并为延长猕猴桃的保质期提供了潜在的策略。
{"title":"Indole-3-acetic acid treatment enhances cold tolerance in kiwifruit by modulating cellular energy status and membrane lipid metabolism","authors":"Cheng Zhou , Wei Chen , Wei Wu , Xuewen Li , Shifeng Cao , Liyu Shi , Zhenfeng Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114198","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114198","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The regulatory mechanism by which exogenous indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) enhances the chilling tolerance in postharvest kiwifruit during cold storage was investigated. Treatment with 0.5 mM IAA significantly decreased the chilling injury index and delayed fruit softening, which was linked to the suppression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and a reduction in malondialdehyde (MDA) production, ultimately alleviating membrane lipid peroxidation. IAA treatment also downregulated the expression of genes encoding phospholipase D (PLD), lipoxygenase (LOX), and other lipid-degrading enzymes, resulting in decreased activities of PLD, LOX, and lipase and the inhibition in the degradation of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylinositol into phosphatidic acid, thus preserving membrane integrity. Concurrently, upregulation of H⁺-ATPase, Ca²⁺-ATPase, succinate dehydrogenase, and cytochrome c oxidase activities and transcript levels, resulting in increased adenosine triphosphate content and energy charge, thus supporting cellular energy homeostasis. These findings offer theoretical insight on the role of IAA in enhancing postharvest chilling tolerance in kiwifruit and offer a potential strategy for extending its shelf life.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114198"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081096","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}
Pub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-24DOI: 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114163
Daofeng Liu , Renwei Huang , Qiong Hou , Qing Yang , Jiahui Zhao , Xia Wang , Zheng Li , Mingyang Li , Shunzhao Sui
Chimonanthus praecox is a traditional ornamental tree in China, flowering in winter at low temperature, which may have its unique molecular mechanism of flower opening and senescence. However, there is limited research on the molecular network regulatory mechanisms underlying the C. praecox flower senescence. Research showed that WRKY family is one of the largest transcription factors regulating senescence. In this study, 74 CpWRKY family members were identified in C.praecox var. Concolor genome. Based on the WRKY family gene profile during flower opening and senescence using the transcriptome database, the expression of 31 CpWRKYs was significantly induced during flower senescence. Among them, the expression of CpWRKY54 was significantly affected by flower senescence and specifically induced by low temperature. Additionally, the inducibility of CpWRKY54 promoter activity was consistent with the pattern of gene expression. Moreover, the overexpression of CpWRKY54 in petunia significantly accelerated the flower senescence. The yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation showed the CpWRKY54 interacted with a MADS-box gene, AGAMOUS-LIKE 29 (CpAGL29), while the yeast one-hybrid. dual-luciferase reporter assays and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) showed that CpAGL29 is an upstream regulatory protein of CpWRKY42. Overexpression of CpWRKY42 also accelerated the flower senescence in transgenic petunia. The potential downstream genes, including autophagy- and senescence-associated genes containing W-box elements in their promoters that maybe related to flower senescence, and can be regulated by CpWRKY54 and CpWRKY42, were also identified from the genome. This transcription regulatory network provides new insights into the molecular mechanism underlying C. praecox flower longevity during winter.
{"title":"Identification of WRKY transcription factors in Chimonanthus praecox var. concolor reveals the role of CpWRKY54 in winter flower senescence","authors":"Daofeng Liu , Renwei Huang , Qiong Hou , Qing Yang , Jiahui Zhao , Xia Wang , Zheng Li , Mingyang Li , Shunzhao Sui","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114163","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114163","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Chimonanthus praecox</em> is a traditional ornamental tree in China, flowering in winter at low temperature, which may have its unique molecular mechanism of flower opening and senescence. However, there is limited research on the molecular network regulatory mechanisms underlying the <em>C. praecox</em> flower senescence. Research showed that WRKY family is one of the largest transcription factors regulating senescence. In this study, 74 CpWRKY family members were identified in <em>C.praecox</em> var. <em>Concolor</em> genome. Based on the WRKY family gene profile during flower opening and senescence using the transcriptome database, the expression of 31 <em>CpWRKYs</em> was significantly induced during flower senescence. Among them, the expression of <em>CpWRKY54</em> was significantly affected by flower senescence and specifically induced by low temperature. Additionally, the inducibility of <em>CpWRKY54</em> promoter activity was consistent with the pattern of gene expression. Moreover, the overexpression of <em>CpWRKY54</em> in petunia significantly accelerated the flower senescence. The yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation showed the CpWRKY54 interacted with a MADS-box gene, AGAMOUS-LIKE 29 (<em>CpAGL29</em>), while the yeast one-hybrid. dual-luciferase reporter assays and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) showed that CpAGL29 is an upstream regulatory protein of <em>CpWRKY42</em>. Overexpression of <em>CpWRKY42</em> also accelerated the flower senescence in transgenic petunia. The potential downstream genes, including autophagy- and senescence-associated genes containing W-box elements in their promoters that maybe related to flower senescence, and can be regulated by CpWRKY54 and CpWRKY42, were also identified from the genome. This transcription regulatory network provides new insights into the molecular mechanism underlying <em>C. praecox</em> flower longevity during winter.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114163"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146025735","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}
Sulfur dioxide (SO2) fumigation is well established as an efficient method for maintaining the quality of table grapes postharvest. However, the mechanism by which SO2 influences the metabolism of aroma-contributing volatile compounds remains incompletely understood. This research explored the impact of SO2 treatment on aroma-related metabolic pathways in postharvest ‘Munage’ grapes during storage, focusing on changes in the levels of alcohols, aldehydes, and esters, as well as the activities of related enzymes and the expression of associated genes. The results demonstrated that fumigation with 500 μL L−1 SO2 effectively maintained the contents of linolenic and linoleic acids and enhanced the activities of lipoxygenase (LOX), hydroperoxide lyase (HPL), and alcohol acyltransferase (AAT), while suppressing alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity. Notably, SO2 treatment enhanced the expression levels of genes involved in alcohol, aldehyde and ester biosynthesis, including VvLOX, VvHPL, VvADH, and VvAAT. Moreover, SO2 increased the levels of pyruvate, acetaldehyde, and ethanol by activating pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) and the induction of VvPDC1 expression. Correlation analysis suggested that SO2 was associated with the synthesis of alcohols and esters through the coordination of the LOX and ethanol metabolic pathways. These findings may indicate that SO2 maintains grape aroma by modulating fatty acid and ethanol metabolism, thereby providing new insights into the biochemical mechanisms underlying SO2-mediated aroma preservation in table grapes.
{"title":"Sulfur dioxide maintains postharvest aroma quality of table grapes by modulating the lipoxygenase pathway and ethanol metabolism","authors":"Quanming Tian , Beibei Yin , Qing Shan , Yu Zhang , Jia Wei , Zheng Zhang , Yuyao Yuan , Bin Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114195","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114195","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sulfur dioxide (SO<sub>2</sub>) fumigation is well established as an efficient method for maintaining the quality of table grapes postharvest. However, the mechanism by which SO<sub>2</sub> influences the metabolism of aroma-contributing volatile compounds remains incompletely understood. This research explored the impact of SO<sub>2</sub> treatment on aroma-related metabolic pathways in postharvest ‘Munage’ grapes during storage, focusing on changes in the levels of alcohols, aldehydes, and esters, as well as the activities of related enzymes and the expression of associated genes. The results demonstrated that fumigation with 500 μL L<sup>−1</sup> SO<sub>2</sub> effectively maintained the contents of linolenic and linoleic acids and enhanced the activities of lipoxygenase (LOX), hydroperoxide lyase (HPL), and alcohol acyltransferase (AAT), while suppressing alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) activity. Notably, SO<sub>2</sub> treatment enhanced the expression levels of genes involved in alcohol, aldehyde and ester biosynthesis, including <em>VvLOX</em>, <em>VvHPL</em>, <em>VvADH</em>, and <em>VvAAT</em>. Moreover, SO<sub>2</sub> increased the levels of pyruvate, acetaldehyde, and ethanol by activating pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) and the induction of <em>VvPDC1</em> expression. Correlation analysis suggested that SO<sub>2</sub> was associated with the synthesis of alcohols and esters through the coordination of the LOX and ethanol metabolic pathways. These findings may indicate that SO<sub>2</sub> maintains grape aroma by modulating fatty acid and ethanol metabolism, thereby providing new insights into the biochemical mechanisms underlying SO<sub>2</sub>-mediated aroma preservation in table grapes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114195"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081090","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}
Pub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-27DOI: 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114178
José J. Benítez , Gloria López-Casado , Patricia Segado , Antonio Heredia , Eva Domínguez
The plant cuticle acts as the first protective layer against external biotic and abiotic factors. As such it plays a role during postharvest regulating fruit quality and shelf-life. This study is focused on understanding the changes naturally occurring in the fruit cuticle of two tomato cultivars during postharvest at ambient temperature. A notable decrease in the amount of cuticle and all its components, causing cuticle thinning and a loss of invagination, was observed along storage. This was accompanied by an increase in fruit water loss, cuticle permeability and mechanical weakening, mainly due to a decrease in the elastic modulus and the force needed to break the cuticle. Important differences in the glass transition temperature of the cuticle were observed between both cultivars, with ‘Gardener’s Delight’ exhibiting a temperature around 25–30ºC and ‘Moneymaker’ about 8ºC. These differences have implications in the optimal storage conditions and affect the mechanical and hydrodynamical properties. Thermal properties were not affected by the loss of cuticle material during postharvest. ATR-FTIR analysis of the cuticles allowed the identification of band ratios associated with phenolic enrichment of the cutin matrix and with the proportion of flavonoids present in the phenolic fraction. Comparison between both cultivars suggests that, whereas a cuticle richer in phenolic compounds would contribute to the hydrogen bond network of the cuticle, reduce the esterification index of the cutin matrix, and increase the glass transition temperature, the flavonoid fraction would confer mechanical reinforcement to the cuticle.
{"title":"Cuticle changes during tomato fruit postharvest: Implications of natural variability in biophysical properties","authors":"José J. Benítez , Gloria López-Casado , Patricia Segado , Antonio Heredia , Eva Domínguez","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114178","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114178","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The plant cuticle acts as the first protective layer against external biotic and abiotic factors. As such it plays a role during postharvest regulating fruit quality and shelf-life. This study is focused on understanding the changes naturally occurring in the fruit cuticle of two tomato cultivars during postharvest at ambient temperature. A notable decrease in the amount of cuticle and all its components, causing cuticle thinning and a loss of invagination, was observed along storage. This was accompanied by an increase in fruit water loss, cuticle permeability and mechanical weakening, mainly due to a decrease in the elastic modulus and the force needed to break the cuticle. Important differences in the glass transition temperature of the cuticle were observed between both cultivars, with ‘Gardener’s Delight’ exhibiting a temperature around 25–30ºC and ‘Moneymaker’ about 8ºC. These differences have implications in the optimal storage conditions and affect the mechanical and hydrodynamical properties. Thermal properties were not affected by the loss of cuticle material during postharvest. ATR-FTIR analysis of the cuticles allowed the identification of band ratios associated with phenolic enrichment of the cutin matrix and with the proportion of flavonoids present in the phenolic fraction. Comparison between both cultivars suggests that, whereas a cuticle richer in phenolic compounds would contribute to the hydrogen bond network of the cuticle, reduce the esterification index of the cutin matrix, and increase the glass transition temperature, the flavonoid fraction would confer mechanical reinforcement to the cuticle.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114178"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146081092","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}
Pub Date : 2026-05-01Epub Date: 2026-01-23DOI: 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114189
Xuemei Zhang , Dandan Zhu , Feng Zhang , Xiao Li , Dov Prusky , Yuanyuan Zong , Yang Bi
As a vital part of the Rho GTPase family, Cdc42 is essential for fungal growth and its ability to cause disease, however, its function in Penicillium expansum, a major postharvest pathogen, remains unexplored. In this study, we characterized the biological function of PeCdc42 through gene deletion. Deletion of PeCdc42 disrupted MAPK and cAMP signaling by downregulating core regulatory genes. Pecdc42 deletion reduces colony growth, biomass, and spore formation, and alters the morphology of mycelium and spores. Furthermore, PeCdc42 deletion led to reduced patulin biosynthesis. Pathogenicity assays revealed diminished virulence of the pathogen on apple and pear fruit, with reduced lesion formation and depth, lower expression of genes encoding extracellular enzymes, and lower levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Collectively, our findings demonstrate that PeCdc42 is a central regulator of growth, secondary metabolism, and pathogenicity in P. expansum, offering new perspectives on fungal disease mechanisms and possible targets for controlling postharvest diseases.
{"title":"PeCdc42 orchestrates growth, patulin secretion, and pathogenicity in Penicillium expansum through MAPK and cAMP signaling pathways","authors":"Xuemei Zhang , Dandan Zhu , Feng Zhang , Xiao Li , Dov Prusky , Yuanyuan Zong , Yang Bi","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114189","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2026.114189","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As a vital part of the Rho GTPase family, Cdc42 is essential for fungal growth and its ability to cause disease, however, its function in <em>Penicillium expansum</em>, a major postharvest pathogen, remains unexplored. In this study, we characterized the biological function of PeCdc42 through gene deletion. Deletion of <em>PeCdc42</em> disrupted MAPK and cAMP signaling by downregulating core regulatory genes. <em>Pecdc42</em> deletion reduces colony growth, biomass, and spore formation, and alters the morphology of mycelium and spores. Furthermore, <em>PeCdc42</em> deletion led to reduced patulin biosynthesis. Pathogenicity assays revealed diminished virulence of the pathogen on apple and pear fruit, with reduced lesion formation and depth, lower expression of genes encoding extracellular enzymes, and lower levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Collectively, our findings demonstrate that PeCdc42 is a central regulator of growth, secondary metabolism, and pathogenicity in <em>P. expansum</em>, offering new perspectives on fungal disease mechanisms and possible targets for controlling postharvest diseases.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"235 ","pages":"Article 114189"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146026206","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}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2026-01-06DOI: 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114143
Shidong He , Dongliang Fang , Jinqi Wang , Liangshuai Fu , Junjie Liu , Yanbin Sun , Jinbiao Ma , Miao Zhou , Taotao Wang , Zheng Gao , Shuxin Zhang , Xiang Li
Fusarium solani is the primary pathogenic fungus causing postharvest Garlic Fusarium Rot (GFR), a disease that severely restricts the development of the garlic industry. This study confirmed that GFR not only induces browning and rot of garlic cloves, significantly reducing their commercial quality, but also poses a severe threat to food safety due to the toxic secondary metabolites produced by F. solani—specifically, neopatulin (with an 11.37-fold enrichment) and Monocillin I (with a 10.43-fold enrichment). To address this critical issue, we isolated and characterized a biocontrol strain (designated L271), which was identified as Bacillus velezensis. Both the strain and its cell-free supernatant (CFS) exhibit antifungal activity against a variety of pathogenic fungi, inhibiting the growth of 9 pathogenic fungal species in vitro. Specifically, strain L271 can effectively suppress the spore germination of F. solani and reduce the lesion diameter of GFR by 87.60 % in vivo. Additionally, the CFS of B. velezensis L271 significantly inhibits the growth of this pathogenic fungus. Fluorescence staining results showed that the CFS of B. velezensis L271 severely damages the cell membrane of F. solani and induces an intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst. In-depth analysis of the CFS components of B. velezensis L271 revealed that both its secreted proteins (SPs) and metabolites possess antifungal activity. Through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), gas chromatography × gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOF-MS) metabolomic analysis, and combined with metabolite antagonism experiments, 4-Hydroxybenzonitrile, 2,3-Dihydroxybenzoic acid, and 2-decanol were identified as the main antifungal substances produced by B. velezensis L271. These results suggest that B. velezensis L271 may have the potential to control postharvest garlic diseases. This study indicates that B. velezensis L271 is promising as a new biological agent for controlling F. solani in garlic and may help enhance our understanding of the biocontrol mechanisms of Bacillus strains.
{"title":"Biocontrol efficacy and antagonistic mechanisms of Bacillus velezensis L271 against Garlic Fusarium Rot caused by Fusarium solani","authors":"Shidong He , Dongliang Fang , Jinqi Wang , Liangshuai Fu , Junjie Liu , Yanbin Sun , Jinbiao Ma , Miao Zhou , Taotao Wang , Zheng Gao , Shuxin Zhang , Xiang Li","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114143","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114143","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Fusarium solani</em> is the primary pathogenic fungus causing postharvest Garlic Fusarium Rot (GFR), a disease that severely restricts the development of the garlic industry. This study confirmed that GFR not only induces browning and rot of garlic cloves, significantly reducing their commercial quality, but also poses a severe threat to food safety due to the toxic secondary metabolites produced by <em>F. solani</em>—specifically, neopatulin (with an 11.37-fold enrichment) and Monocillin I (with a 10.43-fold enrichment). To address this critical issue, we isolated and characterized a biocontrol strain (designated L271), which was identified as <em>Bacillus velezensis</em>. Both the strain and its cell-free supernatant (CFS) exhibit antifungal activity against a variety of pathogenic fungi, inhibiting the growth of 9 pathogenic fungal species in <em>vitro</em>. Specifically, strain L271 can effectively suppress the spore germination of <em>F. solani</em> and reduce the lesion diameter of GFR by 87.60 % in <em>vivo</em>. Additionally, the CFS of <em>B. velezensis</em> L271 significantly inhibits the growth of this pathogenic fungus. Fluorescence staining results showed that the CFS of <em>B. velezensis</em> L271 severely damages the cell membrane of <em>F. solani</em> and induces an intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst. In-depth analysis of the CFS components of <em>B. velezensis</em> L271 revealed that both its secreted proteins (SPs) and metabolites possess antifungal activity. Through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), gas chromatography × gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOF-MS) metabolomic analysis, and combined with metabolite antagonism experiments, 4-Hydroxybenzonitrile, 2,3-Dihydroxybenzoic acid, and 2-decanol were identified as the main antifungal substances produced by <em>B. velezensis</em> L271. These results suggest that <em>B. velezensis</em> L271 may have the potential to control postharvest garlic diseases. This study indicates that <em>B. velezensis</em> L271 is promising as a new biological agent for controlling <em>F. solani</em> in garlic and may help enhance our understanding of the biocontrol mechanisms of <em>Bacillus</em> strains.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 114143"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145925218","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}
Pub Date : 2026-04-01Epub Date: 2025-12-20DOI: 10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114138
Huiying Wang , Haiyan Shi , Xiaona Li
Postharvest senescence limits the storability and market value of sand pear, yet the role of aldo-keto reductases (AKRs) in this process remains unclear. Here, we conducted a genome‑wide analysis of the PpAKR superfamily and functionally characterized PpAKR1, previously identified as salicylic acid (SA) responsive in ‘Whangkeumbae’ fruit. A total of 50 PpAKR genes were identified and categorized into four families-AKR2, AKR4, AKR6, and AKR13-based on phylogenetic analysis. The PpAKR1 gene, which belongs to the AKR13 family, exhibited the highest homology with PpAKR40. The PpAKR1 was localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Furthermore, RT-qPCR analysis demonstrated that PpAKR1 is predominantly expressed during the postharvest stage and responds to treatments with SA, auxin, ethylene, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid in ‘Whangkeumbae’ fruit. Silencing of the PpAKR1 gene in pear fruit resulted in a marked reduction in fruit firmness and SA content, accompanied by significant increases in ethylene production, MDA, H2O2, and O2- levels. Concurrently, the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including SOD, POD, and CAT, were substantially decreased. In contrast, the activities of cell wall-degrading enzymes—PG, PME, and CX—were significantly elevated. Notably, exogenous application of SA effectively mitigated the fruit senescence symptoms induced by PpAKR1 silencing. Overexpression of PpAKR1 in sand pear callus resulted in increased SA content, a reduction in the accumulation of MDA, H₂O₂, and O₂⁻, while enhancing the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT, and reducing the activities of PG, PME, and CX, thereby delaying callus senescence. In response to SA, the senescence of PpAKR1-overexpressing callus was further delayed, whereas ethylene accelerated the senescence process. These findings provide valuable insights into the PpAKR gene superfamily and offer preliminary evidence supporting the role of the SA-induced PpAKR1 gene in delaying senescence in sand pear fruit.
{"title":"Genome-wide analysis of the aldo-keto reductase (AKR) gene family and the role of PpAKR1 in salicylic acid-mediated delaying sand pear (Pyrus pyrifolia) fruit senescence","authors":"Huiying Wang , Haiyan Shi , Xiaona Li","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114138","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114138","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Postharvest senescence limits the storability and market value of sand pear, yet the role of aldo-keto reductases (AKRs) in this process remains unclear. Here, we conducted a genome‑wide analysis of the <em>PpAKR</em> superfamily and functionally characterized <em>PpAKR1</em>, previously identified as salicylic acid (SA) responsive in ‘Whangkeumbae’ fruit. A total of 50 <em>PpAKR</em> genes were identified and categorized into four families-AKR2, AKR4, AKR6, and AKR13-based on phylogenetic analysis. The <em>PpAKR1</em> gene, which belongs to the AKR13 family, exhibited the highest homology with <em>PpAKR40</em>. The PpAKR1 was localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Furthermore, RT-qPCR analysis demonstrated that <em>PpAKR1</em> is predominantly expressed during the postharvest stage and responds to treatments with SA, auxin, ethylene, and 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid in ‘Whangkeumbae’ fruit. Silencing of the <em>PpAKR1</em> gene in pear fruit resulted in a marked reduction in fruit firmness and SA content, accompanied by significant increases in ethylene production, MDA, H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub>, and O<sub>2</sub><sup>-</sup> levels. Concurrently, the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including SOD, POD, and CAT, were substantially decreased. In contrast, the activities of cell wall-degrading enzymes—PG, PME, and CX—were significantly elevated. Notably, exogenous application of SA effectively mitigated the fruit senescence symptoms induced by <em>PpAKR1</em> silencing. Overexpression of <em>PpAKR1</em> in sand pear callus resulted in increased SA content, a reduction in the accumulation of MDA, H₂O₂, and O₂⁻, while enhancing the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT, and reducing the activities of PG, PME, and CX, thereby delaying callus senescence. In response to SA, the senescence of <em>PpAKR1</em>-overexpressing callus was further delayed, whereas ethylene accelerated the senescence process. These findings provide valuable insights into the <em>PpAKR</em> gene superfamily and offer preliminary evidence supporting the role of the SA-induced <em>PpAKR1</em> gene in delaying senescence in sand pear fruit.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 114138"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145839984","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}
This study systematically investigates the effects of commercial stacking patterns—paralleled (PSP) and crossed (CSP)—and airflow orientations (CSP-1, CSP-2) on the performance of differential pressure pre-cooling (DPP) for packaged peaches. The cooling process was simulated using an experimentally-validated computational fluid dynamics model (RMSE: 0.29–1.40 °C; MAPE: 2.23–13.57 %), which incorporates a heat and mass transfer model with peach respiration kinetics and turbulent airflow characteristics. The results demonstrate that, compared to standard configurations, the CSP-2 configuration with optimized disturbance–penetration airflow significantly reduces the half-cooling time (HCT) by 11.79–24.36 % and the seven-eighths cooling time (SECT) by 5.24–16.94 %. Concurrently, the produce heat load (PHL) decreases by 4.92–14.20 %, following an exponential decay pattern (R²> 0.92). Energy input by the fans is reduced during HCT by 14.17–26.46 %. At low pressure differentials (∆P ≤ 30 Pa), the PSP configuration yields improved cooling uniformity, achieving an overall heterogeneity index (OHI) reduction of up to 20.46 %. At higher levels of ∆P (> 30 Pa), CSP-2 yields comparable homogeneity (<10 % difference) owing to enhanced air penetration. Such results establish quantitative thresholds to select the cooling strategies: PSP is recommended where the product quality and uniformity take center stage at ΔP ≤ 30 Pa (approximately 1 m·s−1), while CSP-2 is the more energy-efficient, faster-cooling strategy at ΔP > 30 Pa. Consequently, this study establishes a novel decision-making framework for postharvest cooling optimization in small-to-medium scale operations, effectively balancing cooling rate, energy efficiency, and fruit quality preservation.
{"title":"Differential pressure pre-cooling of layered peaches: Airflow distribution and cooling effectiveness in relation to the stacking pattern by using CFD","authors":"Yingmin Chen , Mingzhang Zhao , Boxiang Linghu , Haiyan Song","doi":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114071","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.postharvbio.2025.114071","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study systematically investigates the effects of commercial stacking patterns—paralleled (PSP) and crossed (CSP)—and airflow orientations (CSP-1, CSP-2) on the performance of differential pressure pre-cooling (DPP) for packaged peaches. The cooling process was simulated using an experimentally-validated computational fluid dynamics model (RMSE: 0.29–1.40 °C; MAPE: 2.23–13.57 %), which incorporates a heat and mass transfer model with peach respiration kinetics and turbulent airflow characteristics. The results demonstrate that, compared to standard configurations, the CSP-2 configuration with optimized disturbance–penetration airflow significantly reduces the half-cooling time (<em>HCT</em>) by 11.79–24.36 % and the seven-eighths cooling time (<em>SECT</em>) by 5.24–16.94 %. Concurrently, the produce heat load (PHL) decreases by 4.92–14.20 %, following an exponential decay pattern (R²> 0.92). Energy input by the fans is reduced during <em>HCT</em> by 14.17–26.46 %. At low pressure differentials (∆<em>P</em> ≤ 30 Pa), the PSP configuration yields improved cooling uniformity, achieving an overall heterogeneity index (<em>OHI</em>) reduction of up to 20.46 %. At higher levels of ∆<em>P</em> (> 30 Pa), CSP-2 yields comparable homogeneity (<10 % difference) owing to enhanced air penetration. Such results establish quantitative thresholds to select the cooling strategies: PSP is recommended where the product quality and uniformity take center stage at Δ<em>P</em> ≤ 30 Pa (approximately 1 m·s<sup>−1</sup>), while CSP-2 is the more energy-efficient, faster-cooling strategy at Δ<em>P</em> > 30 Pa. Consequently, this study establishes a novel decision-making framework for postharvest cooling optimization in small-to-medium scale operations, effectively balancing cooling rate, energy efficiency, and fruit quality preservation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20328,"journal":{"name":"Postharvest Biology and Technology","volume":"234 ","pages":"Article 114071"},"PeriodicalIF":6.8,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145578679","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}
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