Why does the loquat fruit become harder and harder after being picked?

The fruit grower is picking loquats.

The fruit quality biology team of Zhejiang University has conducted in-depth explorations on this phenomenon, focusing on the mechanism of postharvest loquat lignification at the single-cell level, using specific synthetic labeling bio-orthogonal chemical imaging technology, and focusing on the development and development of loquat fruits.

Relevant studies have determined the target cells that specifically accumulate lignin in postharvest fruits, and expanded the research ideas on postharvest lignification of loquat fruits from the perspective of cell biology.

Quality deterioration is a prominent problem in fruit storage logistics

The quality of the fruit is diverse.

"My team mainly focuses on the biological mechanism of fruit quality formation and postharvest deterioration.

The texture changes of fruits after harvest can be divided into two types: softening and lignification.

"Loquat fruits are mostly harvested in the hot and rainy early summer season.

The "culprit" of increased pulp firmness

How can lignification of loquat pulp occur after harvest? The team's research found that because lignin is accumulated in the pulp cells, the increase in its content leads to an increase in lignin in the pulp, which in turn causes the pulp to harden.

At present, the related research on the lignification of loquat fruit after harvest mainly focuses on physical and chemical analysis and molecular regulation of lignin biosynthesis.

It has always been thought that when loquat fruits undergo lignification after harvest, the pulp cells will accumulate lignin.

"Through section observation, we found that the lignin in the loquat pulp is heterogeneous in the cell spatial distribution, that is, inhomogeneous.

In fact, loquat fruits also accumulate lignin during the developmental stage of the tree.

In order to find out, they used the emerging bio-orthogonal chemical imaging technology to successfully label the newly synthesized lignin of loquat fruit after harvest, and found that the newly synthesized lignin would specifically accumulate during the postharvest storage of loquat fruit.

In addition, they also found that during the development of loquat fruits, lignified cells and vascular bundles are the active areas for lignin accumulation.

This study visually presents the accumulation process of lignin in loquat pulp cells in the form of images, which helps to understand the lignin accumulation mechanism of the cells more vividly, and provides a theory for in-depth elucidation of the cellular biological mechanism of loquat fruit lignification.

Targeted, improved traits

Loquat is a perennial woody fruit tree that is a specialty in southern my country, belonging to the Rosaceae and Loquat genus.
Although loquat is a niche fruit, it is a high-value fruit for medicine and food.
It occupies a pivotal position in the family of characteristic fruits in my country and is deeply loved by consumers.

The loquat industry is also the backbone of the economy in many regions.
Therefore, it is of great practical significance to study the post-harvest quality deterioration of loquat fruits.

In Zhu Nan's view, clarifying the biological mechanism of post-harvest lignification of loquat fruits will help them to design and improve the post-harvest storage and preservation technology of loquat fruits, reduce the symptoms of lignification, and maintain loquat fruits efficiently.
The quality of fresh food and processing in the post-harvest storage and logistics process maintains the commodity value of the fruit.

Not only that, “in-depth clarification of the mechanism of post-harvest fruit quality deterioration will also help us cultivate some loquat varieties that are not easy to accumulate lignin, achieve variety improvement, and help industrial development.
” Wu Di said.
(Source: China Science News Zhang Qingdan)

Related paper information: org/10.
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org/10.
1038/s41438-021-00497-z