Ripe Tomato Research Articles

Fruit color and firmness in tomato hybrids as a function of the alleles rin, nor, norA, ogc and hp

The objective of this work was to quantify the effects of tomato ripening mutant alleles rin, nor and norA in fruit shelf life and in the internal and external fruit color, and the possible effects of their joint deployment with alleles that enhance fruit color ogc and hp. A randomized complete block design trial with three replications was used to test twelve tomato genotypes (all in genotypic background Floradade), which comprised four inbred lines (Floradade-normal genotype, TOM-559-norA/norA, TOM-613-nor/nor and TOM-614-rin/rin) and eight hybrids [F1(TOM-559 x TOM-613)-nor/norA, F1(FloraDade x TOM-559)-nor+/norA, F1(FloraDade x TOM-613)-nor+/nor, F1(FloraDade x TOM-614)-rin+/rin, F1(TOM-559 x TOM-614)-rin+/rin nor+/norA, F1(TOM-613 x TOM-614)-rin+/rin nor+/nor, F1(TOM-591 x TOM-614)-rin+/rin nor+/norA ogc+/ogc and F1(TOM-589 x TOM-614)-rin+/rin nor+/norA ogc+/ogc hp+/hp]. Our results indicate that deployment of the double heterozygous combination rin+/rin nor+/norA is effective towards improving fruit shelf life, not only with relation to the normal genotype, but also relatively to the single heterozygous genotypes rin+/rin or nor+/norA. Possible deleterious effects of the double combination rin+/rin nor+/norA on external and on internal fruit color are similar to those presented by the single heterozygous genotype rin+/rin (widely deployed in commercial hybrids), and may be attenuated by simultaneous deployment of alelles ogc and hp in the combination rin+/rin nor+/norA ogc+/ogc hp+/hp.

Kirlenmiş Bir Alanda Olgun ve Olgunlaşmamış Domateslerdeki Kritik Hammadde Grubundan Toksik Elementler: Birikim ve Potansiyel Sağlık Riski Değerlendirmesi

Accumulation and health risk assessment of cobalt (Co), antimony (Sb), vanadium (V), and lanthanum (La) in tomatoes growing in an area contaminated with municipal wastewater were investigated. For this aim, tomatoe samples were taken and sepertaed into root, stem and leaf parts. Co, Sb, V and La concentrations were detected in plant organs. The arrangement of the elements in the root, stem, and leaf of ripe and unripe tomatoes was V>Co>La>Sb. According to total element values in the ripe and unripe tomatoes; the highest values were 23±1.1 mg/kg and 35±1.7 mg/kg for V, respectively. Co, Sb, V, and La values accumulated by ripe and unripe tomatoes were determined as 24.65 and 25.6 times for Co, 1.8 and 2.7 times for Sb, 46 and 70 times for V and 4.4 and 6.15 times for La, respectively when compared with control. Total Co, Sb, V, and La were male

(E)-2-hexenal regulates the chloroplast degradation in tomatoes

The concentrations of (E)-2-hexenal (E2H) have obvious correlation with the color change process in tomatoes during ripening. It is proposed that E2H may play a role in regulating the chloroplast degradation. In this study, the exogenous E2H was applied to tomato fruits and plants to create a higher concentration of E2H atmosphere than naturel released. A set of indices in response to E2H were detected. The color change was inhibited. The ethylene pathway and the involved genes were limited. The results of subcellular structure changes, the fatty acid profiles and the malondialdehyde (MDA) content supported that the chloroplast membranes were specifically degraded. The hydroperoxide lyase (HPL) and the lipoxygenase (LOX) pathway was activated to decompose the free fatty acids. In tomato plants at the harvest stage, E2H did not affect the ripe tomatoes, but inhibited the color changes of green tomatoes, accelerated the withering of the leaves and the branches, and made the fruits fall off easier. The chlorophagy was activated and the autophagosomes were observed to decompose the chloroplasts in leaves. In conclusion, E2H accelerated the chloroplast degradation, by which the color changes were regulated.

Potential of Neem Leaves on Preservation of Selected Elemental Compositions in Two Tomato Cultivars from Sokoto, Nigeria

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of neem leaves in preserving the mineral elements content of two tomato types from Sokoto state, Nigeria. Healthy, ripe and firm tomato fruits brought from Sokoto City, were selected, cleaned for this study. 5%, 10% and 25% by were prepared by dissolving respective 5g, 10g and 25g neem extracts in 9.5, 9.0 and 7.5 liters of distilled water respectively to preserve tomatoes. The experiment was laid in a completely randomized design. And elements, Na, K, Ca, Mg, and P were determined in the tomatoes after the experiment using atomic absorption spectroscopy. The levels of Na, K, Ca, and P in Daneka after preservation ranges are: 1.1-1.3(ppm), 2.1-2.3 (ppm), 1.0-1.3 (ppm), 0.30-0.34 (ppm), and 0.3200-0.3330 (ppm) respectively. The levels of Na, K, Ca, and P in UTC after preservation ranges are: 1.6-1.10 (ppm), 1.6-1.10 (ppm), 0.10-1.16 (ppm), 0.30-0.35 (ppm), and 0.9997-1.0998 (ppm) respectively; revealing an increasing trend of elemental contents of all the tomato cultivars with an increasing neem concentration. Thus, the neem leaves indicate the capacity to preserve a typical quality parameter of tomatoes, that is concentration of Na, K, Ca, and P elements at p < 0.05 significant level.

CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF FOAM MAT-DRIED TOMATO POWDER AS AFFECTED BY PROCESS VARIABLES

This research aimed at studying the optimization of process variables for the production of quality foam mat-dried tomato. The method of drying used for this study is foam mat drying and oven drying which serves as the control. For this study, Box-Behnken experimental design of response surface methodology (RSM) was used for designing the experiments. The independent variables selected for the foam mat drying were acacia gum (1 - 3 %) as foam stabilizer, temperature (60 -80 o C) and weight of tomato pulp (170, 190 and 210 g/m 2 ). While for the controls were just dried at different temperature ranges of 60, 70 and 80 o C. The fresh ripe tomato was washed, desked, cut into smaller pieces, pulped before adding the foaming agent and stabilizer then whipped for 7 min and dried in a rectangular tray at 60, 70, 80 o C, scarped, milled and packaged in air tight container. Lycopene, total sugar, ascorbic acid, beta-carotene, and total soluble solids ranged from 2.87 – 11.80 mg/100g, 0.0002 – 0.0012 mml/L, 121.01 – 127.50 mgL-1, 1.40 – 2.47 mg, 4.60 – 7.27 o Brix respectively and their controls ranged from 6.79 – 9.26 mg/100g, 0.0001 – 0.0008 mml/L, 60.13- 70.81 mgL-1, 0.56 – 0.83 mg and 0.80 – 1.60 o Brix respectively. Keywords: Foam Mat Dried Tomato Powder; Process Variables; Chemical Properties; Lycopene; Correlation; Optimization; Face Centered Composite Design. DOI: 10.7176/FSQM/121-06 Publication date: April 30 th 2023

Image Convolution to Obtain Color ROI after Segmentation Process with Fuzzy Cmeans

Image segmentation is still an important concern in terms of digital image processing. Segmentation refers to dividing an image into several parts based on similar characteristics or uniformity. Its use is quite important, especially related to the analysis and application of digital image processing. The challenge faced is separating the object image from its background in images with complex backgrounds. The aim of this research is to separate tomatoes from simple to complex backgrounds. This paper proposes a convolution method of segmented binary images and RBG images all based on contours using Fuzzy C-means and reconstruction operations to obtain the foreground from an image with a complex background. This method has been tested on ripe tomatoes with various backgrounds. This method has Indicated Performance Achievement Sc = 99.2%, Fpe = 0.6% and FNe = 0.4%. This shows that the method is suitable and robust for the dataset used in this study, especially if it will be continued for further work related to the classification of tomato maturity assessment.

Abundance of Phytoparasitic Root Nematodes Associated with Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.) in Kalaburagi, Karnataka, India

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.) is the most commonly grown prime vegetable crop in India and all around the world. Tomato is cultivated majorly in many states of the nation including Karnataka and plays an important role in the Indian economy. The ripe tomato fruits act as the best source of vitamin A, Vitamin D and also have various antioxidant properties. Tomato crop progressively gets infested by various diseases at different stages from vegetation up to fruiting. The diseases such as bacterial leaf spot, bacterial wilt, leaf curl, fruit canker and Septoria leaf spot are caused by different Bacteria, Viruses and Fungi. Nematodes also result in root-knot, stunting and fusarium wilt diseases which may reduce the crop yield and fruit quality. The present survey was carried out from June 2021 to November 2021 in selected tomato plots of Kalaburagi district to identify different species of root nematodes affecting tomato crop in the selected study area. According to the survey results a total of six species of root nematodes were isolated and identified namely Meloidogyne spp., Globodera Spp., Paratrichodors minor, Helicotylenchus dihystera, Pratylenchus spp. and Rotylenchus buxophilus from selected study plots of Nirgudi, Bhosga, Bhosga Tanda, Gobbur, Sannur, Nadikur and Khanadal. The results suggest that Meloidogyne sps and Paratrichodors minor were most commonly recorded. The highest abundance of these nematodes recrded in Nirgudi region and in Nandikur region population of these root nematodes is least abundant.

The impact of alginate composites enriched with spent black tea, green tea, jasmine tea, and Oolong tea wastes on the shelf-life extension of fruits and vegetables

Bananas and tomatoes are of the most valuable staple foods in the world. They are widely cultivated in tropical countries. Freshly harvested green bananas and tomatoes are brought from the plantation field, packed and shipped to many countries such as the USA and European countries. However, being climacteric fruits, a major challenge for bananas and tomatoes supply stakeholders is the short post-harvest shelf-life due to rapid onset of ripening and undesirable ripening-associated changes, which result in their major losses. This work aimed to determine the impact of biocomposites based on spent tea waste (STW) and alginate on Cavendish banana (Musa acuminata) and tomatoes shelf-life. STW from black tea, green tea, jasmine tea, and Oolong tea were obtained through hot water extraction. The highest and lowest recoveries were recorded for green tea powder (96.0%) and Oolong tea leaf (88.33%), respectively. Composites were fabricated in sodium alginate cross-linked calcium chloride with or without STW. The STW-alginate composites were investigated for their effects on water absorptivity, gas absorptivity, and ripening of mature green bananas and tomatoes via monitoring of peel color changes visually and comparing to the standard color charts. The results indicated that the STW-alginate composites had variable effects on water absorptivity compared to the control. The spent green tea powder-alginate composite displayed the highest water absorptivity (212%). Moreover, the STW-alginate composites were able to prolong the ripening of both bananas and tomatoes stored in both plastic containers and modified atmosphere storage (MAP) bags at room temperature compared to the control. Composite enriched with spent green tea retained banana greenness for up to seven weeks compared to less than three weeks for the control. The results were consistent for follow-up study using MAP bags with banana and tomato. Specifically, compared to controlled group, green tea powder followed by Jasmine tea powder were the only two composites could extend to six weeks. Accordingly, STW-alginate composites hold potential as simple and novel bio-sorbents that can be applied in extending post-harvest banana shelf-life in a safe and sustainable manner.

Effect of Methyl Jasmonate on the Biosynthesis of Volatile Compounds Associated with the Ripening of Grape Tomato Fruits

The present work aims to evaluate the roles of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) in the formation of volatile organic compounds (VOC) from grape tomatoes during ripening. Fruits were treated with MeJA, ethylene, 1-MCP (1-methylcyclopropene), and MeJA+1-MCP, with analyses of the VOC and levels of the gene transcripts for the enzymes lipoxygenase (LOX), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), and hydroperoxide lyase (HPL). An intimate relationship between MeJA and ethylene in aroma formation was detected, mainly among the VOC from the carotenoid pathway. Expression of the fatty acid transcripts, LOXC, ADH, and HPL pathway genes, was reduced by 1-MCP, even when associated with MeJA. In ripe tomato, MeJA increased most of the volatile C6 compounds, except 1-hexanol. The MeJA+1-MCP treatment followed most of the increases in volatile C6 compounds that were increased by MeJA alone, which evidenced some ethylene-independent mechanism in the production of the volatile C6 compounds. In ripe tomato, MeJA and MeJA+1-MCP increased the levels of 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, which is derived from lycopene, evidencing an ethylene-independent biosynthetic process.

Ethylene-dependent regulation of oxidative stress in the leaves of fusaric acid-treated tomato plants

The mycotoxin fusaric acid (FA) induces rapid oxidative burst leading to cell death in plants. At the same time, plant defence reactions are mediated by several phytohormones for instance ethylene (ET). However, previously conducted studies leave research gaps on how ET plays a regulatory role under mycotoxin exposure. Therefore, this study aims to the time-dependent effects of two FA concentrations (0.1 mM and 1 mM) were explored on the regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in leaves of wild-type (WT) and ET receptor mutant Never ripe (Nr) tomatoes. FA induced superoxide and H2O2 accumulation in both genotypes in a mycotoxin dose- and exposure time-dependent pattern. 1 mM FA activated NADPH oxidase (+34% compared to the control) and RBOH1 transcript levels in WT leaves. However, superoxide production was significantly higher in Nr with 62% which could contribute to higher lipid peroxidation in this genotype. In parallel, the antioxidative defence mechanisms were also activated. Both peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities were lower in Nr but ascorbate peroxidase showed one-fold higher activity under 1 mM FA stress than in WT leaves. Interestingly, catalase (CAT) activity decreased upon FA in a time- and concentration-dependent manner and the encoding CAT genes were also downregulated, especially in Nr leaves at 20%. Ascorbate level was decreased and glutathione remained lower in Nr than WT plants under FA exposure. Conclusively, Nr genotype showed more sensitivity to FA-induced ROS suggesting that ET serves defence reactions of plants by activating several enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants to detoxify excess ROS accumulation.

Using Response Surface Methodology to Optimize Edible Coating Formulations to Delay Ripening and Preserve Postharvest Quality of Tomatoes

Tomato is a nutrient-rich but highly perishable fruit. In order to delay the rapid ripening and degradation of fruits and reduce postharvest losses, response surface methodology (RSM) was used as the optimizing method to formulate edible coating based on pineapple peel extract and Arabic gum of twenty concentrations of pineapple (0.5–0.83 kg/l) and 20 concentrations of Arabic gum (5–15%, w/v). Tomatoes were soaked for 10–30 min in any of the coating solution. Five parameters including ripening rate, chlorophyll a content, firmness, total flavonoid content, and titratable acidity of tomatoes were evaluated after 8 days of storage at 24 ± 0.5°C and 82 ± 1.5% relative humidity. Results showed that the experimental data could be adequately fitted into a second-order polynomial model with coefficient of determination (R2) ranging from 0.775 to 0.976 for all the variables studied. The optimum concentrations were predicted as 0.70 kg/l pineapple peel extract and 17.04% with 18.72 min optimum time. Under these conditions, predicted values of response variables are as follows: ripening rate (RR) 40.75, chlorophyll a (Chl a) 8.11, firmness (Fir) 4.00, total flavonoid content (TFC) 43.51, and titratable acidity (TA) 0.30. It is concluded that RSM can be used to optimize pineapple peel extract and Arabic gum-based edible coating formulation to extend the shelf life or delay the ripening process of tomato fruit at ambient conditions.

Selection Of Tomato Fruits by Color and Size Based on Arduino

Human life relies heavily on agriculture. To fulfill the needs of human life every day, the process of planting, land, and harvest is fast. Short time and limited power are challenges that farmers should face. Similarly, the problem faced by tomato farmers is that they should be sorting tomatoes based on their level of maturity. The tomato farmers should be sorted by maturity level. The issue is a system of tomato partitioning based on maturity level. The purpose of this research is to design a tool to build the maturity of tomato fruit using Arduino. The tools used are color sensors TCS3200, HC-SR04 Ultrasonic, servo motors, and DC motors. The sorting system is designed using the principle of detecting red green blue (RGB) values of tomato fruit using color sensors. After that, the next system streams the tomatoes to the container according to the level of the decline by opening and closing the portal that is connected to the servo motor. The Portal leads to a ripe container if the fruit is ripe and vice versa if raw fruit leads to a raw container. Results obtained that the sorting tool is able to give a success rate of 90% in distinguishing ripe tomatoes ready to harvest (basil) from raw fruit (green).

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated SNAC9 mutants reveal the positive regulation of tomato ripening by SNAC9 and the mechanism of carotenoid metabolism regulation.

NAC transcriptional regulators are crucial for tomato ripening. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) of SNAC9 (SlNAC19, Gene ID: 101248665) affects tomato ripening, and SNAC9 is involved in ethylene and abscisic acid (ABA) metabolic pathways. However, the function of SNAC9 in pigment metabolism in tomatoes remains unclear. This work seeks to discover the mechanism of SNAC9 involvement in pigment metabolism during tomato ripening by establishing a SNAC9 knockout model using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. The results indicated that fruit ripening was delayed in knockout (KO) mutants, and SNAC9 mutation significantly affected carotenoid metabolism. The chlorophyll (Chl) degradation rate, total carotenoid content, and lycopene content decreased significantly in the mutants. The transformation rate of chloroplasts to chromoplasts in mutants was slower, which was related to the carotenoid content. Furthermore, SNAC9 changed the expression of critical genes (PSY1, PDS, CRTISO, Z-ISO, SGR1, DXS2, LCYE, LCYB, and CrtR-b2) involved in pigment metabolism in tomato ripening. SNAC9 knockout also altered the expression levels of critical genes involved in the biosynthesis of ethylene and ABA. Accordingly, SNAC9 regulated carotenoid metabolism by directly regulating PSY1, DXS2, SGR1, and CrtR-b2. This research provides a foundation for developing the tomato ripening network and precise tomato ripening regulation.

Classification of Tomato Fruit Using Yolov5 and Convolutional Neural Network Models

Four deep learning frameworks consisting of Yolov5m and Yolov5m combined with ResNet50, ResNet-101, and EfficientNet-B0, respectively, are proposed for classifying tomato fruit on the vine into three categories: ripe, immature, and damaged. For a training dataset consisting of 4500 images and a training process with 200 epochs, a batch size of 128, and an image size of 224 × 224 pixels, the prediction accuracy for ripe and immature tomatoes is found to be 100% when combining Yolo5m with ResNet-101. Meanwhile, the prediction accuracy for damaged tomatoes is 94% when using Yolo5m with the Efficient-B0 model. The ResNet-50, EfficientNet-B0, Yolov5m, and ResNet-101 networks have testing accuracies of 98%, 98%, 97%, and 97%, respectively. Thus, all four frameworks have the potential for tomato fruit classification in automated tomato fruit harvesting applications in agriculture.

E3 ligase BRG3 persulfidation delays tomato ripening by reducing ubiquitination of the repressor WRKY71.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a gaseous signaling molecule reported to play multiple roles in fruit ripening. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying H2S-mediated delay in fruit ripening remain to be established. Here, the gene encoding a WRKY transcription factor, WRKY71, was identified as substantially upregulated in H2S-treated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) via transcriptome profiling. The expression of WRKY71 was negatively associated with that of CYANOALANINE SYNTHASE1 (CAS1). Transient and stable genetic modification experiments disclosed that WRKY71 acts as a repressor of the tomato ripening process. CAS1 appears to play an opposite role, based on the finding that the ripening process was delayed in the cas1 mutant and accelerated in CAS1-OE tomatoes. Dual-luciferase reporter assay, yeast one-hybrid, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and transient transformation experiments showed that WRKY71 bound to the CAS1 promoter and suppressed its activation. Moreover, the persulfidation of WRKY71 enhanced its binding ability to the CAS1 promoter. Data from luciferase complementation and Y2H assays confirmed that WRKY71 interacts with a BOI-related E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase 3 (BRG3) and is ubiquitinated in vitro. Further experiments showed that modification of BRG3 via persulfidation at Cys206 and Cys212 led to reduced ubiquitination activity. Our findings support a model whereby BRG3 undergoes persulfidation at Cys206 and Cys212, leading to reduced ubiquitination activity and decreased interactions with the WRKY71 transcript, with a subsequent increase in binding activity of the persulfidated WRKY71 to the CAS1 promoter, resulting in its transcriptional inhibition and thereby delayed ripening of tomatoes. Our collective findings provide insights into a mechanism of H2S-mediated regulation of tomato fruit ripening.

Regulating Enzymatic Antioxidants, Biochemical and Physiological Properties of Tomato under Cold Stress: A Crucial Role of Ethylene

The production of tomato under low-temperature stress in the open fields is a challenge faced by many farmers. The current study compares the use of different ethylene treatments to accelerate the fruit ripening of tomato during two successive seasons under cold stress. The treatments included foliar application of ethrel (2500, 5000, and 7500 ppm) in the open field at the mature green stage, dipping collected fruits in ethrel solution (1000, 1500, and 2000 ppm) right after harvest, and application of gaseous ethylene (100, 200, and 300 ppm) to the harvested fruits. The effects were compared to untreated fruits (control). Characteristics, such as physical properties (ripening, weight loss, firmness, decay, and fruit color), chemical properties (ascorbic acid, acidity, total soluble sugars, and pigments), and enzymatic activities (polygalacturonase and pectin methylesterase), were sampled throughout the storage period. In general, the ethylene gas application was the most effective method in accelerating the fruit ripening process compared to the other methods applied. The highest vitamin C total soluble solid contents and redness parameters were found after applying the highest dose of ethylene gas (300 ppm). This indicates that the ripening of tomato fruits, which are cultivated under cold stress conditions as found during the early summer season in a Mediterranean climate, might be harvested at a mature green stage and exposed to ethylene application.

MEDIATOR 25: A missing link in tomato ripening.

MEDIATOR 25: A missing link in tomato ripening.

The Effect of Visible Light on the Postharvest Life of Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) are widely cultivated and consumed, but ripening should be carried out in controlled storage conditions to extend their shelf life and avoid economic losses. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of visible artificial light on the ripening and quality of fresh market tomatoes stored at a low temperature and high humidity. The postharvest performance with respect to the ripening of organically grown tomatoes in the Toscano cultivar, with a long storage life, was studied in the presence and the absence of visible LED light. The maturation kinetics of the tomatoes was modeled using the Power Law equation. Results showed that tomatoes stored in the presence of light exhibited an increased respiration rate and a faster preclimacteric phase. Lycopene content, total soluble solids, and maturity index increased in the presence of light. Hence, light increased the postharvest ripening of tomatoes, affecting their shelf life.

Dietary vitamin A intake and its major food sources among rural pregnant women of South-West Bangladesh

The study aimed to estimate the dietary intake of vitamin A and its major food sources among rural pregnant women from the southwest region of Bangladesh. A multi-stage random cluster sampling method was used to select the respondents (N = 1012). A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect the data, and statistical analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS 20.0. The mean age of the respondents was 23.27 ± 5.23 years, and the majority were in their second (48%) and third trimester (49%). The mean dietary intake of vitamin A was 392 ± 566 μg Retinol Activity Equivalent (RAE)/day (51% of Recommended Dietary Allowance). The contribution of β-carotene (plant source) and retinol (animal source) in vitamin A intake was about 60% and 40%, respectively. The major β-carotene contributing food groups were vegetables (dark and light) and tubers, and food items were colocasia, potato, beans, brinjal, and ripe tomatoes. On the other hand, the major retinol-contributing food groups were fish, eggs, and milk, and food items were small fish, Rui (carp) fish, and cow’s milk. It was also observed that the consumption of food items from β-carotene and retinol-contributing food groups did not differ significantly among the three groups of respondents, but the variations in the amount of the different food items consumed were significant. Dietary vitamin A intake is low among pregnant women in the South-West region of Bangladesh. Hence, they are at a greater risk of adverse materno-fetal health outcomes associated with vitamin A deficiency.

Elucidating the role of SlXTH5 in tomato fruit softening

Fruit softening in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is closely associated with cell wall disassembly, which is brought about through the action of a range of cell wall structure-related enzymes and other proteins such as expansins. Xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) (EC 2.4.1.207 and/or EC 3.2.1.151) has been proposed to be key player involved in xyloglucan metabolism. SlXTH5 showed the highest expression level among all SlXTHs during tomato ripening. In this study, the role of SlXTH5 involved in tomato softening was investigated in CRISPR-based knockout mutants of SlXTH5. Loss-of-function of SlXTH5 in transgenic tomato lines resulted in slightly firmer fruit pericarp, but significantly decreased their color index compared with azygous wild type (WT) control fruits. Increased paste viscosity was detected in CRISPR mutants, indicating that the activity of SlXTH5 is responsible for maintaining cell wall structural integrity. Immunocytochemistry studies were performed using the monoclonal antibody probe LM25 to examine the localization and distribution of xyloglucan in the pericarp cells of the CRISPR mutant fruits. The data indicated more xyloglucan was retained in the pericarp of CRISPR mutant fruit than in WT control fruit. This study revealed the link between SlXTH5 and xyloglucan metabolism and indicated the potential of manipulating SlXTH5 to regulate fruit softening. .