Methyl jasmonate delays the browning of Litchi pericarp by activating the phenylpropanoid metabolism during cold storage
The market value of litchi fruit decreases due to pericarp browning. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) has the ability to inhibit the occurrence of browning in litchi pericarp after harvest. However, the molecular mechanism underlying this effect remains unknown. In the present study, we used 100 μM MeJA to...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2025
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| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/115839/ http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/115839/1/115839.pdf |
| Summary: | The market value of litchi fruit decreases due to pericarp browning. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) has the ability to
inhibit the occurrence of browning in litchi pericarp after harvest. However, the molecular mechanism underlying
this effect remains unknown. In the present study, we used 100 μM MeJA to treat the ‘Guiwei’ litchi fruit to
investigate the molecular mechanism by which MeJA delays the occurrence of browning via the phenylpropanoid
metabolism. The results demonstrated that MeJA treatment effectively decreased the accumulation of
reactive oxygen species (ROS), relative leakage rate (Rlr), and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Additionally,
MeJA treatment enhanced the enzyme activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), cinnamate-4-
monooxygenase (C4H), and 4-coumarate: coenzyme A ligase (4CL) in the early stage of phenylpropanoid
metabolism, and up-regulated the expression of their respective genes, resulting in an increased content of GC,
EGC, EGCG, EC, ECG, CG, total phenolics and flavonoids that help eliminate excess ROS and maintain a high
antioxidant capacity. Treatment of fruit with MeJA down-regulated the gene expression and enzyme activity of
peroxidase (POD) and decelerated the decline in the content of anthocyanins. Interestingly, MeJA treatment
induced both the activity and gene expression of polyphenol oxidase (PPO). Correlation analysis showed that
pericarp browning is closely related to PAL, C4H, 4CL, and phenolic components. In conclusion, MeJA treatment
activated the early stage of the phenylpropanoid metabolism pathway, enhanced antioxidant capacity, and
maintained anthocyanins content in the pericarp, thus delaying the browning of litchi fruit during storage at 4
℃. These findings will lay the foundation for the application of MeJA in fruit preservation. |
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