Abstract
The genus Brassica comprises a highly diverse range of vegetable crops varying in morphology, harvestable crop product, and postharvest shelf-life that has arisen through domestication, artificial selection and plant breeding. Previous postharvest studies on the shelf-life of Brassica species has mainly focused on the variable rates of physiological changes including respiration and transpiration. Therefore, further understanding of the molecular basis of postharvest senescence in Brassica vegetables is needed to understand its progression in improving their postharvest shelf-life. The aim of this study was to better understand the trajectory of molecular responses in senescence-associated genes but not induced by ethylene and ethylene-induced genes towards altered postharvest storage conditions. After storage at different temperatures, the expression levels of the key senescence-associated genes (SAGs) and the ethylene biosynthesis, perception, and signaling genes were quantitatively analyzed in cabbage, broccoli and kale. The expression levels of these genes were tightly linked to storage temperature and phase of senescence. Expression of ORE15, SAG12, and NAC29 were continuously increased during the twelve days of postharvest storage at room temperature. Prolonged exposure of these three vegetables to cold temperature reduced the variation in the expression levels of ORE15 and SAG12, observed as mostly decreased which resulted in limiting senescence. The transcript levels of the ethylene receptor were also decreased at lower temperature, further suggesting that decreased ethylene biosynthesis and signaling in cabbage during postharvest storage would delay the senescence mechanism. These results enhanced our understanding of the transcriptional changes in ethylene-independent SAGs and ethylene-related genes in postharvest senescence, as well as the timing and temperature sensitive molecular events associated with senescence in cabbage, broccoli and kale and this knowledge can potentially be used for the improvement of postharvest storage in Brassica vegetables.
Highlights
Postharvest longevity of perishable produce remains a challenge in the global fresh market supply chain [1]
Postharvest senescence was studied in cabbage, broccoli and kale stored under cold and room temperatures for 12 days
The expression patterns of those senescence-associated genes (SAGs) varied at cold treatment (Figure 3D). These results suggested that divergent transcript expression of SAGs in Brassica vegetables might lead to the differential senescence mechanism that progresses through the interactions between senescence-related factors and environmental factors
Summary
Postharvest longevity of perishable produce remains a challenge in the global fresh market supply chain [1]. Postharvest longevity is determined by the rates of ripening and senescence, which are influenced by harvest time and storage conditions. The traditional supply chain for most perishable produce is long and complex, with postharvest losses ranging from 12–46% after seven days in storage. It is important to improve the sustainability of postharvest quality in order to avoid losses and to bolster crop prices. In this regard, significant amounts of research have been done to study what physiological and biochemical changes during postharvest senescence in fruits and vegetables [2]
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