A relationship between tomato fruit softening, cuticle properties and water availability

Area of Science:

• Plant Physiology
• Fruit Biology
• Agricultural Science

Background:

• Fruit softening is typically linked to cell wall changes.
• The tomato fruit cuticle's role in water relations and firmness is increasingly recognized, particularly in long-shelf life genotypes.
• The delayed fruit deterioration (dfd) tomato genotype exhibits unique characteristics in fruit softening and shelf life.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the dynamic properties and composition of the tomato fruit cuticle.
• To determine how environmental water availability influences fruit transpiration and firmness.
• To compare the responses of a dfd genotype with two normal cultivars under water stress.

Main Methods:

• Cultivar comparison: dfd, Ailsa Craig (AC), and M82.
• Environmental conditions: Control and water stress (WS).
• Post-harvest assessment of WS effects on detached fruit.

Main Results:

• Water stress (WS) increased firmness, cuticle load, and cuticle biosynthetic gene expression in AC and M82.
• WS reduced cuticle permeability and fruit transpiration rate in AC and M82.
• dfd fruit showed no significant changes in these parameters under WS.
• A direct relationship between fruit cuticle properties, transpiration, and firmness was supported.

Conclusions:

• The tomato fruit cuticle plays a significant role in regulating transpiration and firmness.
• Water availability dynamically affects cuticle properties and fruit firmness in normal tomato cultivars.
• The dfd genotype demonstrates a distinct adaptation to water scarcity, maintaining fruit properties differently.
• Findings provide insights into tomato genotype adaptation to water-limited environments.