Sofia Correia1, Marlene Santos1, Sława Glińska2, Magdalena Gapińska2, Manuela Matos3,4, Valdemar Carnide1,3, Rob Schouten5, Ana Paula Silva1, Berta Gonçalves1. 1. Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Environmental and Biological Sciences (CITAB), University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal. 2. Laboratory of Microscopic Imaging and Specialized Biological Techniques, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Łódź, Poland. 3. Department of Genetics and Biotechnology, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal. 4. Biosystems and Integrative Sciences Institute (BioISI), Sciences Faculty, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal. 5. Horticulture and Product Physiology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cherry fruit cracking is a costly problem for cherry growers. The effect of repeated sprayings (gibberellic acid - GA3 ; abscisic acid - ABA; salicylic acid - SA; glycine betaine - GB, and Ascophyllum nodosum - AN) combined with CaCl2 , on 'Sweetheart' cherry fruit-cracking characteristics was investigated. Cracking was quantified in terms of cracking incidence, crack morphology, confocal scanning laser microscopy, cuticular wax content, cell-wall modification, and cuticular wax gene expression. RESULTS: All spray treatments reduced cracking compared with an untreated control (H2 O), with fewer cheek cracks. The least cracking incidence was observed for ABA + CaCl2 - and GB + CaCl2 -treated fruits, indicating an added benefit compared to spraying with CaCl2 alone. In addition, GB + CaCl2 -treated fruits showed higher fruit diameter. ABA + CaCl2 and GB + CaCl2 sprays showed higher wax content and higher cuticle and epidermal thickness compared with the control, including increased expression of wax synthase (ABA + CaCl2 ) and expansin 1 (GB + CaCl2 ). CONCLUSION: In general, factors that improve the cuticle thickness appear to be important at the fruit-coloring stage. At the fruit-ripening stage, larger cell sizes of the epidermis, hypodermis, and parenchyma cells lower cracking incidence, indicating the importance of flexibility and elasticity of the epidermis.
BACKGROUND: Cherry fruit cracking is a costly problem for cherry growers. The effect of repeated sprayings (gibberellic acid - GA3 ; abscisic acid - ABA; salicylic acid - SA; glycine betaine - GB, and Ascophyllum nodosum - AN) combined with CaCl2 , on 'Sweetheart' cherry fruit-cracking characteristics was investigated. Cracking was quantified in terms of cracking incidence, crack morphology, confocal scanning laser microscopy, cuticular wax content, cell-wall modification, and cuticular wax gene expression. RESULTS: All spray treatments reduced cracking compared with an untreated control (H2 O), with fewer cheek cracks. The least cracking incidence was observed for ABA + CaCl2 - and GB + CaCl2 -treated fruits, indicating an added benefit compared to spraying with CaCl2 alone. In addition, GB + CaCl2 -treated fruits showed higher fruit diameter. ABA + CaCl2 and GB + CaCl2 sprays showed higher wax content and higher cuticle and epidermal thickness compared with the control, including increased expression of wax synthase (ABA + CaCl2 ) and expansin 1 (GB + CaCl2 ). CONCLUSION: In general, factors that improve the cuticle thickness appear to be important at the fruit-coloring stage. At the fruit-ripening stage, larger cell sizes of the epidermis, hypodermis, and parenchyma cells lower cracking incidence, indicating the importance of flexibility and elasticity of the epidermis.
Authors: Richard Breia; Andreia F Mósca; Artur Conde; Sofia Correia; Carlos Conde; Henrique Noronha; Graça Soveral; Berta Gonçalves; Hernâni Gerós Journal: Int J Mol Sci Date: 2020-04-24 Impact factor: 5.923
Authors: Boris Basile; Natalie Brown; José Miguel Valdes; Mariateresa Cardarelli; Pasquale Scognamiglio; Alessandro Mataffo; Youssef Rouphael; Paolo Bonini; Giuseppe Colla Journal: Plants (Basel) Date: 2021-03-24