Pectic and Galacturonic Acid Oligosaccharides on the Postharvest Performance of Citrus Fruits

Abstract

<jats:p>Orange [<jats:italic>Citrus sinensis</jats:italic> (L.) Osbeck] and grapefruit (<jats:italic>Citrus paradisi</jats:italic> Macfad) citrus fruits are prone to develop different peel physiological disorders caused by storage at both chilling and nonchilling temperatures. The effect of galacturonic acid oligosaccharides (GAOs) and pectic oligosaccharides (POs) in reducing postharvest nonchilling peel pitting (NCPP), decay, and chilling injury (CI) in orange cv. Navelina and the effect of POs in reducing CI in grapefruit cv. Rio Red, were investigated. The incidence of these disorders was examined in fruits stored at chilling and nonchilling temperatures and at 90% to 95% relative humidity (RH). POs showed a better efficacy than GAOs in reducing postharvest losses in orange. The POs were able to reduce NCPP and decay in ‘Navelina’ fruits stored at 20 °C, irrespective of the fruit maturity stage. The application of 10 g·L<jats:sup>−1</jats:sup> POs also reduced CI and the chilling-induced ethylene production in oranges and grapefruits maintained at the chilling temperature. Likewise, the decrease in ethylene production found in ‘Navelina’ fruits that developed NCPP during storage at the nonchilling temperature was related to lower peel damage. Moreover, results showed that POs do not induce an increase in ethylene when fruit are stored under conditions that do not cause stress-related injury to fruit. Therefore, POs efficacy in reducing postharvest physiological disorders is not likely mediated by ethylene. Overall results indicate that the application of POs may be an acceptable alternative to mitigate postharvest losses of citrus fruits.</jats:p>

Insights into the regulation of molecular mechanisms involved in energy shortage in detached citrus fruit

“…7). Lastly, the induction of the oligosaccharide biosynthetic BP by ATP (Table 2, pattern 6) is noteworthy because oligosaccharides reduce NCPP in citrus fruit 32 and favor the synthesis of secondary metabolites with antioxidant activity 33 . www.nature.com/scientificreports www.nature.com/scientificreports/…”

Postharvest application of pectic‐oligosaccharides on quality attributes, activities of defense‐related enzymes, and anthocyanin accumulation in strawberry

“…Pectic‐oligosaccharides were obtained by the enzymatic hydrolysis of low‐methoxyl pectin (Grindsted® LC‐950, Danisco/DuPont, Tecomán, Mexico) using a pectinase from Aspergillus niger (Sigma‐Aldrich) at 23 °C for 15 min . The degree of polymerization (DP) was determined by high‐performance anion‐exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (Dionex, Sunnyvale, CA), and calculated according to the trigalacturonic acid standard (Sigma‐Aldrich) . A mixture of 3–20 DP, derived from the partial enzymatic hydrolysis of pectin, was used in all treatments.…”

“…28 The degree of polymerization (DP) was determined by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection (Dionex, Sunnyvale, CA), and calculated according to the trigalacturonic acid standard (Sigma-Aldrich). 27 A mixture of 3-20 DP, derived from the partial enzymatic hydrolysis of pectin, was used in all treatments. In this study, three concentrations of POS were assessed based on preliminary tests.…”

“…16 Pectic-oligosaccharide (POS) treatment has recently been tested as an effective alternative for reducing decay and postharvest disorders in citrus fruits, and inducing the expression of genes coding for antioxidant enzymes in grapefruit. 27,28 Pecticoligosaccharides have also been used as a pre-harvest treatment to increase color development and anthocyanin content in 'Flame Seedless' grapes 29 and to promote anthocyanin accumulation and induction of PAL expression in 'Cabernet Sauvignon' berries. 30 However, the elicitor effect that POS may exert to improve the postharvest shelf-life and nutritional quality via stimulation of the natural defense mechanisms in strawberry fruit, has remained unaddressed to date.…”

“…Pectic‐oligosaccharide (POS) treatment has recently been tested as an effective alternative for reducing decay and postharvest disorders in citrus fruits, and inducing the expression of genes coding for antioxidant enzymes in grapefruit . Pectic‐oligosaccharides have also been used as a pre‐harvest treatment to increase color development and anthocyanin content in ‘Flame Seedless’ grapes and to promote anthocyanin accumulation and induction of PAL expression in ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ berries .…”