Sweet cherry fruit cracking: follow-up testing methods and cultivar-metabolic screening

Michail Michailidis,Evangelos Karagiannis,Stefan Martens,Katerina Karamanoli,Athanassios Molassiotis,Georgia Tanou,Eirini Sarrou,Athina Lazaridou

doi:10.1186/s13007-020-00593-6

Michail Michailidis, Evangelos Karagiannis + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s13007-020-00593-6

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Abstract

BackgroundRain-induced fruit cracking is a major physiological problem in most sweet cherry cultivars. For an in vivo cracking assay, the ‘Christensen method’ (cracking evaluation following fruit immersion in water) is commonly used; however, this test does not adequately simulate environmental conditions. Herein, we have designed and evaluated a cracking protocol, named ‘Waterfall method’, in which fruits are continuously wetted under controlled conditions.ResultsThe application of this method alone, or in combination with ‘Christensen method, was shown to be a reliable approach to characterize sweet cherry cracking behavior. Seventeen cherry cultivars were tested for their cracking behavior using both protocols, and primary as well as secondary metabolites identification was performed in skin tissue using a combined GC–MS and UPLC-MS/MS platform. Significant variations of some of the detected metabolites were discovered and important cracking index–metabolite correlations were identified.ConclusionsWe have established an alternative/complementary method of cherry cracking characterization alongside to Christiansen assay.

Highlights

Rain-induced fruit cracking is a major physiological problem in most sweet cherry cultivars
Plant material and sampling procedure Fruits of seventeen sweet cherry cultivars at commercial harvest stage were collected (Fig. 1a) and evaluated for susceptibility to fruit cracking
The two orchards consisted of 14-years old trees, planted at 5 × 5 m spacing between rows and along the row, grafted onto ‘Mahaleb’ rootstock, trained in open vase and subjected to standard cultural practices

Summary

Introduction

Rain-induced fruit cracking is a major physiological problem in most sweet cherry cultivars. For an in vivo cracking assay, the ‘Christensen method’ (cracking evaluation following fruit immersion in water) is commonly used; this test does not adequately simulate environmental conditions. Sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is an important temperate fruit crop and its production is characterized by short duration of fruit development during spring until the middle of summer in North hemisphere. In sweet cherry, rain-induced cracking before harvest is the most significant crop loss in many cherry-producing areas with enormous commercial losses worldwide [2]. This physiological disorder is developed as cracks of the fruit. The type of split possible is determined by the occurrence of different way of water uptake [6]

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