Transcriptomic Profiles of Three Peach (Prunus Persica (L.) Batsch) Cultivars with Different Ripening Periods at the Initial Fruiting Stages

The formation and maturation of stone fruits are complex processes that require the involvement of many genes and gene products. Early research on the peach fruit (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) and the differences in ripening periods of its cultivars mainly focused on the already ripe fruit. However, in the early stages of fruit formation, there may be significant differences between cultivars that have different ripening periods. We identify and analyze differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between flowers, fertilized ovaries, and fruits at the S1 stage in cultivars that have different ripening periods, both between cultivars and from stage to stage. Gene expression in peach cultivars that have different ripening periods differs even in the early stages of fruit formation. The most significantly enriched categories of DEGs in this case are photosynthesis, redox reactions, and processes associated with cell-wall modification; thus, by the time the fruit forms, hormonal reception becomes more important.