Fruit Quality After Harvest: Hormonal and Cell-Wall Regulation

Submission Deadline: 31 January 2027 View: 32 Submit to Special Issue

Guest Editors

Prof. María Serrano

Email: m.serrano@umh.es

Affiliation: Department Applied Biology, University Miguel Hernández, Orihuela (Alicante), Spain

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Research Interests: plant physiology, post harvest technology, fruit quality and ripening, fruit science

Assist. Prof. Huertas M. Díaz-Mula

Email: h.diaz@umh.es

Affiliation: Department Applied Biology, University Miguel Hernández, Orihuela (Alicante), Spain

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Research Interests: postharvest technology, fruit quality preservation, natural antioxidants, plant-based food protection

Prof. Daniel Valero

Email: daniel.valero@umh.es

Affiliation: Department Applied Biology, University Miguel Hernández, Orihuela (Alicante), Spain

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Research Interests: antioxidant activity, food quality, plant physiology, plant biotechnology

Summary

Fruit growth and ripening are regulated by phytohormones, auxins, citoquinins, and gibberellins, which are involved in fruit set and growth, while abscisic acid and ethylene are the main fruit ripening regulators. Freshly fruits are classified as climacteric fruits, such as tomato, banana, kiwi, apple, mango, etc., that show an increase in respiration rate during ripening with a concomitant ethylene production peak, and non-climacteric fruits, such as strawberry, pepper, sweet cherry, or grape, in which there is no increase in the respiration rate and no peak of ethylene. ABA content increases in non-climacteric fruits at the beginning of ripening and has a pivotal role in their ripening process. However, in climacteric fruits, increases of ABA also occur and modulate ethylene biosynthesis.

During the ripening of both fresh fruit groups, softening and textural changes occur, which are due to the partial hydrolysis of cell wall components by enzymes such as β-galactosidase, polygalacturonases, pectinesterases, or expansins, among others.

In addition, jasmonates, salicylates, and brassinosteroids are other plant hormones affecting the fruit ripening process, either on the tree or after harvest, and different cross-talk interactions among hormonal groups have been reported.

Thus, the aim of this special issue is focused on pre- and postharvest hormonal treatments with positive effects on fruit quality traits (especially those related to firmness) at harvest and during storage, with special interest in their practical applications.

This journal welcomes original and exciting submissions that provide new and key insights into the origins, growth, and development of plants from the molecular to the whole organism and its interactions with the biotic and abiotic environments.

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