RT Journal Article
T1 Melatonin stimulates postharvest ripening of apples by up-regulating gene expression of ethylene synthesis enzymes
A1 Verde Rodríguez, Antía
A1 Míguez Miramontes, Jesús Manuel
A1 Gallardo Medina, Mercedes
K1 2417.19 Fisiología Vegetal
AB Melatonin has been implicated in the regulation of ripening in several types of climacteric fruits, but its role in apple is poorly understood. In this study, the effectiveness of melatonin in influencing postharvest ripening in apples and interacting with ethylene biosynthesis process was investigated. Apples of four local cultivars (Golden, Reineta, Blanquina and Rabiosa) were harvest at an immature green stage and immersed for 120 min ina solution with water (control), melatonin 50 μM, ACC 1 mM, and melatonin 50 μM + ACC 1 mM. The evolution of apple quality parameters and ethylene production was assessed in all cultivars for 35 days after treatment. In addition, Golden apple was used to examine the transcript abundance of ethylene biosynthesis enzymes genes in the skin and flesh. Exogenous melatonin improved apple quality during postharvest ripening and stimulated ethylene production in all cultivars studied, advancing the timing of the climacteric burst. Melatonin-inducedchanges in ethylene production correlated well with changes in fruit quality and were in part similar to thoseinduced by the ethylene precursor ACC, so ethylene appears to be a target of melatonin. In Golden apple,melatonin stimulated the expression of MdACS1 and MdACO1 genes, which showed a climacteric profile similarto that of ethylene. The transcriptional effects of exogenous melatonin on ethylene-related genes was also morenotable in the skin than in the flesh, suggesting an initiating role of the former in the biosynthesis of thephytohormone. Taken together, the results point to the fact that exogenous melatonin may be useful inimproving apple quality during postharvest ripening by promoting colour and flavour change and extending fruitfirmness. The effect of melatonin appears to be mediated in part by up-regulation of the transcriptional activity ofthe MdACS1 and MdACO1 genes during the climacteric peak, thus contributing to an increase in ethyleneavailability.
PB Postharvest Biology and Technology
SN 09255214
YR 2022
FD 2022
LK http://hdl.handle.net/11093/3972
UL http://hdl.handle.net/11093/3972
LA eng
NO Postharvest Biology and Technology, 195, 112133 (2023)
NO Xunta de Galicia | Ref. ED481A-2017/387
DS Investigo
RD 23-sep-2023