Search Results (55)

Chilling injury is a major problem limiting the postharvest storage and marketability of mango fruit at low temperature. The present study investigated the individual and combined effects of sodium nitroprusside (SNP), L-arginine (Arg) and salicylic acid (SA) on chilling tolerance, regulation of oxidative stress and the postharvest quality of ‘Keitt’ mango fruit stored at 5 ± 1 °C for 28 days followed by 4 days of shelf life at 23 °C. Fruits were pre-treated with 1 mM SNP, 1 mM Arg, 2 mM SA or their binary combinations before storage. The chilling injury, membrane damage, lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation and fruit softening were greatly enhanced by cold storage in untreated fruits. In contrast, all the treatments significantly ameliorated these deteriorative changes, and the combined treatments were superiorly effective. Among these, SNP + Arg was the most effective treatment, which reduced the chilling injury index from 4.05 in control fruits to 1.00 after shelf life, completely inhibiting the incidence of decay and reducing electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde accumulation by 47.4 and 48.2%, respectively. The same treatment also maintained higher firmness, titratable acidity, visual appearance and ascorbic acid content than untreated fruits. The enhanced chilling tolerance was accompanied by increased antioxidant defense, as SNP + Arg significantly stimulated the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase, but suppressed the activity of pectin methylesterase. Multivariate analyses, such as PCA, clustered heatmap and integrated stress index, demonstrated a strong negative relationship between oxidative stress markers and antioxidant metabolism. The results showed that combined SNP and Arg treatments enhanced chilling tolerance through increasing antioxidant capacity, preserving membrane integrity, and retarding ripening-related metabolism, which provides an effective way to maintain the postharvest quality of cold-stored mango fruit. Full article

Ovarian tissue cryopreservation (OTC) has emerged as the only viable fertility preservation strategy for prepubertal girls and adolescent cancer patients facing gonadotoxic treatments. While OTC has transitioned from an experimental procedure to an established clinical practice, the functional longevity of transplanted grafts remains limited by massive follicle depletion. This review synthesizes recent technological advances in OTC for female children, with a particular focus on the underlying molecular mechanisms and innovative protective strategies. We systematically evaluate pre-cryopreservation assessments, surgical harvesting techniques such as medulla-sparing biopsies, and the comparative efficacy of slow freezing versus vitrification in preserving stromal and follicular integrity. Central to this discussion are the molecular drivers of post-transplantation injury, including ischemia–reperfusion-induced oxidative stress and the iatrogenic over-activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, which leads to follicular “burnout.” Furthermore, we explore targeted pharmacological interventions, such as the dual-drug application of VEGFA and rapamycin, alongside emerging bioengineering frontiers including decellularized extracellular matrix scaffolds and 3D-printed bioprosthetic ovaries. Clinical outcomes are also summarized, highlighting high rates of endocrine recovery (~95%) and promising live birth rates (~28%), predominantly through natural conception. By integrating deep molecular insights with advanced tissue engineering, this review provides a comprehensive framework for optimizing long-term fertility restoration and improving the quality of survivorship for young female cancer survivors. Full article

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is highly susceptible to chilling injury (CI) during cold storage, with severity being strongly influenced by fruit maturity stage. At the tissue level, the peel acts as the primary site of cold-stress metabolic responses. This study evaluated the effect of pre-storage glycine betaine treatment (GB, 10 mM) on CI in purple eggplant at baby (BB, low sensitivity) and commercial (CC, high sensitivity) maturity stages stored at 4 °C for 20 days, integrating the use of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy as a rapid, non-destructive tool to monitor quality in the fruit peel. Physiological traits including chilling injury index (CII) and fruit rigidity were integrated with peel-specific ATR-FTIR spectroscopy combined with chemometric analysis to describe structural and metabolic behavior. BB fruit showed higher tolerance to CI, reaching a CII 23% lower than CC after 20 d, along with greater rigidity retention. GB treatment was significantly effective in reducing CI in both maturity stages by decreasing CII by 23% for BB and 32% for CC fruit, and delaying symptom onset. FTIR analysis revealed that the main peel spectral changes during storage occurred in the amide–phenolic (1653–1515 cm⁻¹) and polysaccharide (~1017 cm⁻¹) regions. Control fruit showed progressive shifts in these regions indicating structural disorganization, while GB-treated fruit delayed and attenuated spectral changes. Chemometric analysis (OPLS-DA) clearly discriminated samples according to maturity stage, treatment, and storage time. Overall, the results demonstrate that chilling susceptibility is determined by maturity stage, that the GB treatment enhanced CI tolerance—especially in sensitive CC fruit—and that ATR-FTIR coupled with chemometrics provides an effective approach for rapid non-destructive monitoring of postharvest quality changes in eggplant during cold storage. Full article

Salinization of agricultural areas is one of the main abiotic factors responsible for the reduction of seed germination and vigor. In this context, the use of stress attenuators applied to seeds may contribute to mitigating the effects of salinity and improving the physiological and antioxidant performance of seedlings. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of stress attenuators on the tolerance and antioxidant activity of watermelon Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum & Nakai cultivars under saline conditions. The study was conducted in two stages. In the first stage, a 3 × 6 factorial scheme was used to evaluate three salinity levels (0, −0.2, and −0.4 MPa) and six watermelon cultivars. In the second stage, in a 2 × 6 factorial scheme, two cultivars (sensitive and tolerant) were subjected to the combination of salinity (−0.4 MPa) and attenuators: hydropriming, gibberellic acid, salicylic acid, and hydrogen peroxide. Physiological and biochemical traits were evaluated, including hydrogen peroxide content, lipid peroxidation, and the activity of the enzymes, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase. Salinity reduced germination and seedling vigor, with Crimson Sweet, Charleston Gray, and Charleston Super being the most sensitive cultivars, whereas Congo and Omaru exhibited greater tolerance, and Fairfax also showed good performance under saline conditions. The selection of cultivars for the second stage was based not only on physiological tolerance but also on agronomic and commercial relevance, including post-harvest resistance traits. Seed treatment of Crimson Sweet with salicylic acid and hydrogen peroxide increased antioxidant enzyme activity, with increases of up to 103% in ascorbate peroxidase activity, and reduced oxidative damage, with reductions of 44% in hydrogen peroxide and 49% in malondialdehyde levels. In Fairfax, gibberellic acid contributed to osmotic adjustment, promoting increase of up to 76% in total soluble sugars, while pre-germinative treatment with salicylic acid and hydrogen peroxide promoted higher enzyme activity, contributing to the reduction of oxidative stress. Full article

Adverse environmental and postharvest conditions challenge the functional quality of lemons, an economically vital citrus crop. Melatonin (MEL) has emerged as an effective regulator of plant stress responses and secondary metabolism. This study evaluated the effects of pre- and postharvest MEL treatments, combined with cold storage, on the fruit quality of two lemon cultivars (‘Fino’ and ‘Verna’). The research focused specifically on endogenous MEL and flavanone dynamics. Three experimental conditions were assessed: (a) preharvest MEL application at 0.1 and 1 mM; (b) preharvest treatment followed by cold storage; and (c) combined pre- and postharvest MEL treatment followed by cold storage. Preharvest treatments increased endogenous MEL at harvest in a dose- and cultivar-dependent manner. Specifically, 1 mM being optimal for ‘Fino’, while 0.1 mM was more effective for ‘Verna’. During cold storage, ‘Fino’ fruit, characterized by low basal endogenous MEL levels, showed a marked increase in MEL accumulation, suggesting the stimulation of biosynthesis. In contrast, ‘Verna’ fruit, which had initially high endogenous MEL content, exhibited a pronounced decline, indicating MEL consumption to counteract oxidative stress. Flavanone content increased dose-dependently after preharvest treatment and was preserved during storage in ‘Fino’ but declined in ‘Verna’. These findings demonstrate that the fruit cultivar must be considered a critical factor in MEL-based strategies, as identical treatments may yield markedly different outcomes even within the same species. Full article

Jasmonic acid (JA) and its derivative, methyl jasmonate (MeJa), are naturally occurring plant hormones involved in alleviating abiotic stresses, such as exposure to extreme temperatures (cold or heat), flooding and drought. JA content increased following MeJa applications at pre- or postharvest, regulating several physiological and biochemical processes during fruit growth and ripening. As a preharvest treatment, MeJa increased crop yield and improved the organoleptic quality of the fruit. Regarding postharvest applications, MeJa reduced the chilling injury symptoms in sensitive fruits when they were stored at cold temperatures. In addition, there is some evidence of crosstalk between JA and other plant hormones. In this review, we highlight the mechanisms by which jasmonates contribute to plant stress resistance, regulating the biosynthesis and metabolism of abiotic stress and improving fruit quality. Full article

Background: Peach fruit quality can be compromised by cold storage, a postharvest practice required for long-distance export that can trigger chilling injury and metabolic disturbances affecting sugars, organic acids, and other metabolites. Preharvest practices such as thinning modify source–sink relationships and fruit development, potentially influencing susceptibility to chilling stress. Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether commercial thinning alters fruit susceptibility to cold storage damage and to identify metabolic processes associated with chilling tolerance in two nectarine varieties with contrasting sensitivity, ‘Magique’ (tolerant) and ‘Red Pearl’ (sensitive). Methods: Fruits from thinned (TH) and unthinned (UTH) trees were subjected to cold storage (0 °C, 21 days) followed by ripening, and evaluated for physiological parameters, sugar and organic acid composition by HPLC, and phenylpropanoid-related metabolites by ¹H-NMR. A genome-scale metabolic model was built to model fruit metabolism using COBRApy. Results: Thinning increased fruit size in both varieties. Magique exhibited overall metabolic stability across thinning treatments and cold storage. Red Pearl, in contrast, showed broad metabolic fluctuation in response to external stimuli. Integration of transcriptomic data and metabolic modeling identified quinate-centered reactions as candidate regulatory nodes associated with phenylpropanoid flux during ripening and post-chilling recovery. Conclusions: These findings indicate that modulating quinate metabolism during early ripening may help improve chilling tolerance and highlight the phenylpropanoid pathway as a central metabolic axis modulated by both pre- and postharvest practices, with implications for fruit quality management. Full article

Mycotoxin contamination represents a major public health and economic burden worldwide. Aflatoxins, particularly aflatoxin B₁, are the most detrimental for human health. In this review, we discuss the sources of exposure and geographic distribution. The prevalence of aflatoxin–albumin/lysine adduct detection in humans varies dramatically across the world, from 0% reported in two European studies to up to 100% reported in studies from parts of Africa and Asia. We also summarize the disease outcomes that aflatoxins are associated with in humans. We focus particularly on cancer outcomes, which aflatoxins can cause through mutagenic DNA adducts, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, immune effects, and epigenetic changes. Synergy with hepatitis B virus and potentially with other mycotoxins can also increase risk. Minimization of aflatoxin exposure requires an integrative approach, beginning at the farm level and continuing through pre-harvest, post-harvest, storage, and the consumer level. New developments in technology, such as electrochemical biosensors and artificial intelligence algorithms, are being piloted and could help improve detection and decontamination efforts. Further, new tests for aflatoxin exposure in humans (e.g., blood spot assays) could assist biomonitoring efforts. Despite regulatory standards in most countries for the maximum allowable level of aflatoxins in food products and animal feed, exposure remains high in many parts of the world and might be increasing even in countries with historically low exposure. Integration of these tools in a One Health framework is essential to reduce the current and future burden of aflatoxin-related disease. Full article

Temperate fruits, mostly comprising pome, stone fruits, and berries with immense nutritional benefits and a storehouse of various therapeutic phytochemicals, are prone to several physiological disorders immediately after harvest. The etiology, symptom progression, and decay incidence are influenced by pre-harvest and post-harvest factors, causing significant economic loss with respect to both the energy and economics invested. Respiratory end products, ethylene generation, and enzymatic activities interact to influence the metabolic response and associated biochemical variation. Advanced packaging technologies have emerged as innovative solutions to curtail these post-harvest problems. The design and development of novel packaging technologies need to critically understand the respiratory behavior of the fruits and their associated metabolic functions. A desirable polymer or packaging technology should exhibit enhanced barriers to the gases while providing adequate support to the fruit matrix. In addition, it should also fulfill the role of environmental sustainability and the circular economy. The outcome of this review will highlight the importance of proper post-harvest procedure, appropriate pretreatment, packaging matrix selection, and the storage conditions for effective and enhanced shelf-life storage. Therefore, this review was structured in two phases; the first phase discusses the biochemical understanding of the fruit during storage and transit in response to stress factors. The next phase highlights the various packaging interventions (polymers, biodegradable films, edible coatings, smart packaging, nano-packaging) taken to address these issues, with a key focus on shelf-life enhancement. Further, the key limitations of each technology are appraised. Full article

Hollowness of the cucumber fruit, caused by carpel separation during growth, severely impacts fruit quality. Several Sikkim cucumber accessions originating from the India–Pakistan region exhibit pronounced internal cavities. We previously identified the QTL mfh2.1 as a key contributor to this phenotype. In this study, we investigated the genetic and physiological basis of fruit hollowness in the Sikkim cucumber line WI7120 through an integrative analysis combining histological staining, HPLC for hormonal profiling, and fine mapping using a large F2 segregation population. Comparative analysis between the hollow-fruited WI7120 and the non-hollow line 9930 revealed distinct growth dynamics: WI7120 displayed accelerated radial expansion and aberrant cell patterning at carpel junctions. Histological examination using paraffin sectioning uncovered disorganized endocarp cell arrangements in WI7120 occurring as early as pre-anthesis (0 days post-pollination), with enlarged suture cells that likely facilitate tissue separation during fruit enlargement. Hormonal assays indicated elevated levels of gibberellin (GA) and zeatin (ZT), along with reduced indole-butyric acid (IBA) in WI7120, suggesting that a hormonal imbalance and mechanical stress contribute to compromised cell adhesion. By screening ~2000 F₂ individuals with SSR and InDel markers, we refined the mfh2.1 locus to a 50.92 kb interval on chromosome 2, pinpointing CsRPT4Bb—encoding a 26S proteasome subunit—as the candidate gene. A non-synonymous SNP (I135V) in CsRPT4Bb was associated with tissue-specific expression patterns during cavity formation, implicating proteasome-mediated cellular remodeling in carpel cohesion. Spatial-temporal expression analysis further revealed upregulation of CsRPT4Bb in the WI7120 exocarp during fruit expansion, potentially influencing cell wall dynamics. This study demonstrates a coordinated interplay among genetic, hormonal, and mechanical factors underlying cucumber fruit hollowness, offering new avenues for breeding cultivars with improved fruit integrity and postharvest quality. Full article

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is an important crop globally, being a starchy, energy-dense food source rich in several micronutrients and bioactive compounds. Achieving food security for everyone is highly challenging in the context of growing populations and climate change. As a highly adaptable crop, potatoes can significantly contribute to food security for vulnerable populations and have outstanding commercial relevance. Specific pre- and post-harvest parameters influence potato quality. It is vital to understand how these factors interact to shape potato quality, minimizing post-harvest losses, ensuring consumer safety, and enhancing marketability. This review highlights how pre-harvest (cultivation approaches, agronomic conditions, biotic and abiotic stresses) and post-harvest factors impact tuber’s microbial stability, physiological behaviour, nutritional, functional attributes and frying quality. Quality parameters, such as moisture content, dry matter, starch, sugar, protein, antioxidants, and color, are typically measured using both traditional and modern assessment methods. However, advanced non-destructive techniques, such as imaging and spectroscopy, enable rapid, high-throughput quality inspection from the field to storage. This review integrates recent advancements and specific findings to identify factors that contribute to substantial quality degradation or enhancement, as well as current challenges. It also examines how pre- and post-harvest factors collectively impact potato quality. It proposes future directions for quality maintenance and enhancement across the field and storage, highlighting research gaps in the pre- and post-harvest linkage. Full article

Enzymatic browning (EB) is a physiological alteration that compromises the sensory and commercial quality of tree nuts, significantly reducing their market value and functional compound content. Due to its complexity and economic impact, this review compiles updated information on mechanisms and factors driving EB in tree nut species, as well as strategies for its prevention. The EB in tree nuts results from the oxidation of phenolic compounds (PCs) to brown pigments. This process is driven by enzymatic activity such as polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD), and phenylalanine ammonium lyase (PAL) and strongly enhanced by cellular stress and associated regulation of gene expression. The EB has been documented in several tree nut species, including almonds, betel nuts, chestnuts, hazelnuts, macadamias, pecans, pistachios, and walnuts. This alteration developed both pre-harvest and post-harvest and was influenced by agronomic factors (such as cultivar, nutritional status, climatic conditions, and altitude) and handling (including shelling, storage, and processing). Mitigation strategies include the use of synthetic inhibitors, physical treatments, and the use of plant extracts rich in natural antioxidants, the latter perceived as more sustainable and safer alternatives. Full article

Calcium (Ca²⁺) plays a fundamental role in metabolic processes, and it is involved in several structural functions at the cell level, such as vacuole osmotic regulation, cell wall strengthening, and plasma membrane stability, as well as acting as a secondary messenger for several different signals. The role of Ca²⁺ in signal transduction and cell wall organization is crucial for stress responses, cell activity, and plant tissue development. In addition, Ca²⁺ is essential in modulating enzymatic activities, hormonal control, water, and ion transport across the plasma membrane. Although calcium’s role in fruit trees is well studied, many of its specific functions in kiwifruit remain unclear, including the optimal amount of Ca²⁺ in fruit and its distribution in fruit cells for the best pre- and post-harvest fruit quality. Calcium transport to the fruit is mainly regulated by the xylem sap flow; however, the contribution of fruit transpiration and the requirements of fruit cells are not clear. Understanding the kinetics of Ca²⁺ accumulation in fruit under different environmental conditions can help establish correct nutrient management. This review addresses the current knowledge on Ca²⁺ involvement in plant physiology, metabolic processes, structural functions, and fruit growth, quality, and storage, with particular emphasis on Actinidia chinensis. In addition, the different analytical techniques used for the quantification and definition of Ca²⁺ in different plant organs, including stain technology, X-rays, and advanced imaging methods, are here explored. Full article

The market demand for baby leaf lettuce is constantly increasing, while safety has become one of the most important traits in determining consumer preference driven by human health hazards concerns. In this study, the performance of visible and near-infrared (vis/NIR) spectroscopy was tested in discriminating pesticide-free against pesticide-treated lettuce plants. Two commercial fungicides (mancozeb and fosetyl-al) and two insecticides (deltamethrin and imidacloprid) were applied as spray solutions at the recommended rates on baby leaf lettuce plants. Untreated-control plants were sprayed with water. Reflectance data in the wavelength range 400–2500 nm were captured on leaf samples until harvest on the 10th day upon pesticide application, as well as after 4 and 8 days during post-harvest storage at 5 °C. In addition, biochemical components in leaf tissue were also determined during storage, such as antioxidant enzymes’ activities (peroxidase [POD], catalase [CAT], and ascorbate peroxidase [APX]), along with malondialdehyde [MDA] and hydrogen peroxide [H₂O₂] content. Partial least square discriminant analysis (PLSDA) combined with feature-selection techniques was implemented, in order to classify baby lettuce tissue into pesticide-free or pesticide-treated ones. The genetic algorithm (GA) and the variable importance in projection (VIP) scores identified eleven distinct regions and nine specific wavelengths that exhibited the most significant effect in the detection models, with most of them in the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. According to the results, the classification accuracy of discriminating pesticide-treated against non-treated lettuce leaves ranged from 94% to 99% in both pre-harvest and post-harvest periods. Although there were no significant differences in enzyme activities or H₂O₂, the MDA content in pesticide-treated tissue was greater than in untreated ones, implying that the chemical spray application probably induced a stress response in the plant that was disclosed with the reflected energy. In conclusion, vis/NIR spectroscopy appears as a promising, reliable, rapid, and non-destructive tool in distinguishing pesticide-free from pesticide-treated lettuce products. Full article

Forestry operations and climate variability affect hydrologic response and sediment transport. Management of forested catchments under intense forestry activity in areas under climatic stress is critical. This study analyzes the impact of forest operations (thinning and clearcutting) on runoff (Q) and suspended sediment loads (SSL) in three small catchments (named N02, N03 and N04, respectively) in south-central Chile, where rainfall has decreased by 20% since 2010. Using modified double mass curves and piecewise regression, we separated the effects of forest practices and climate. Thinning in N02 initially reduced Q and SSL, with stable Q overtime, while final harvest in N03 and N04 increased Q, although less than expected. SSL surged post-harvest: 3.6 times in N03 and 1.8 times in N04, potentially linked to hillslope instability. Major SSL events contributed over 55% of post-harvest sediment yield in both catchments, with maximum yields reaching 7.2 tons ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in N03 and 4.1 tons ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ in N04. SSL recovered to pre-harvest levels by the third year, except during a rainy year. Management practices likely contributed to lower SSL and faster recovery. These findings improve our understanding of catchment responses to forest practices and climate change, aiding sustainable forest and water resource management. Full article