Interplay between hormones and assimilates during pear development and ripening and its relationship with the fruit postharvest behaviour. (February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lindo-García, Violeta; Muñoz, Paula; Larrigaudière, Christian; Munné-Bosch, Sergi; Giné-Bordonaba, Jordi
• Is Part Of: Plant science. Volume 291(2020)
• Publication Date: 2020-02
• Subjects: ACC -- Chilling requirements -- Fruit growth -- Hormonal cross-talk -- Sugar accumulation; Botany -- Periodicals; Botanique -- Périodiques; 580
• DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2019.110339
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0168-9452

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Highlights: Postharvest ripening behaviour of pears is determined during growth and development. Not only C2 H4 but its cross-talk with other hormones regulate the ripening capacity. Late increase in ABA, IAA and sucrose is related to 'Blanquilla' ripening potential. GA1 along with SA and JA may act as ripening inhibitors in 'Conference' pears. Abstract: The ability of European pears ( Pyrus communis L .) to ripen immediately after harvest is cultivar-dependent and relies on a range of physiological and biochemical events occurring during fruit growth and development that remain largely unknown. To gain further knowledge on these events, changes in the content of sugars, acids, major hormones and ethylene precursors or related enzymes were studied in two pear varieties ('Blanquilla' and 'Conference') with known differences in their postharvest ripening behaviour. In both cultivars, low contents of abscisic acid (ABA) seemed to be a prerequisite to initiate on-tree fruit ripening including sugar accumulation and softening. In 'Blanquilla' pears, the enhanced potential to produce ethylene and thereby to ripen upon harvest was associated to a late increase in ABA content paralleled by an accumulation of indole 3-acetic acid (IAA). In turn, the inability of 'Conference' fruit to produce ethylene upon harvest appeared to be related to a coordinated action of gibberellins (more specifically GA1 ), salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA), which remained at high concentrations during the latest phases of fruit growth. Collectively, our results highlight that a complex hormonal cross-talk during the development and on-tree ripening of pear fruit may finally determine the ability of the fruit to ripen upon harvest.