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ABA accelerates postharvest softening in Prunus domestica L. by regulating pectin demethylation and depolymerization
Yuxing Liu1, Yingqi Yang2, Chenxi Yin2
1College of Food Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832000, PR China; Research Center of Xinjiang Characteristic Fruit and Vegetable Storage and Processing Engineering, Ministry of Education, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832000, PR China; Key Laboratory of Agricultural Product Processing and Quality Control of Specialty (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), Shihezi, Xinjiang 832000, China; College of Life Sciences, Shihezi University, Shihezi, Xinjiang 832000, PR China.
Abstract:
Postharvest softening is a key cause of quality deterioration in prunes (Prunus domestica L.) during storage and transportation. While ABA is known to regulate fruit softening, its specific role in climacteric fruit cell wall metabolism remains unclear. This study investigates ABA-mediated cell wall metabolic changes by applying exogenous ABA and its inhibitor, nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA). Results showed that ABA accelerates fruit softening and induces changes in cell wall structure, whereas NDGA inhibits softening and maintains cell wall integrity. Further investigations using infrared spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and laser confocal microscopy revealed that ABA promotes pectin demethylesterification, chain cleavage, resulting in the increase of water-soluble pectin (WSP) and chelating-soluble pectin (CSP). This effect is mediated by enhancing the activity and transcriptional levels of pectin methylesterase and polygalacturonase. The findings enhance our understanding of hormone-mediated postharvest softening in prunes and could facilitate improvement of prunes fruit storability.
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