Abstract
Fruit skin reticulation is accompanied by the formation of a wound-periderm tissue made of suberized cells. The regulatory networks overseeing skin reticulation during fruit development were extensively studied, yet how reticulation affects post-harvest traits remains unknown. We addressed this notion using the common Cucumis sativus and the skin-cracked Sikkim (Cucumis sativus var. sikkimensis) cucumbers. Light and electron microscopy in consort with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed that sativus fruit skin is made of the typical cutin polymer, while the skin of sikkimensis fruit comprised of the aromatic suberin polymer. Comparative post-harvest experiments with different storage temperatures revealed that sikkimensis fruit are more resilient to chilling injuries arise during cold storage, exhibiting lower rates of weight losses, ethylene and CO2, electrolyte leakage and lipid peroxidation. We further demonstrate that different storage temperatures affect the contents of skin polymers cutin and suberin in a differential manner.
Original language | American English |
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Article number | 112071 |
Journal | Postharvest Biology and Technology |
Volume | 194 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The authors would like to thank Victor Rodov and Amnon Lers from the Department of Post-harvest Science, Institute of Post-harvest and Food Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), Volcani Center, for guidance and fruitful discussions during the post-harvest experiments.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier B.V.
Keywords
- Cucumber
- Cutin
- Fruit skin reticulation
- Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry
- Post-harvest storage
- Suberin
- Wound periderm