Shelf Life Potential and the Fruit Cuticle: The Unexpected Player

Abstract

The plant cuticle is an extracellular barrier that protects the aerial, non-lignified parts of plants from the surrounding environment, and furthermore plays important functions in organ growth and development. The role of the cuticle in post-harvest quality of fruits is a topic currently driving a lot of interest since an increasing bulk of research data show its modulating influence on a number of important traits determining shelf life and storage potential, including water transpiration and fruit dehydration, susceptibility to rots, pests and disorders, and even firmness. Moreover, the properties of fruit cuticles keep evolving after harvest, and have also been shown to be highly responsive to the external conditions surrounding the fruit. Indeed, common post-harvest treatments will have an impact on cuticle integrity and performance that needs to be evaluated for a deeper understanding of changes in post-harvest quality. In this review, chemical and biophysical properties of fruit cuticles are summarized. An overview is also provided of post-harvest changes in cuticles and the effects thereupon of some post-harvest procedures, with the purpose of offering a comprehensive summary of currently available information. Identification of natural sources of variability in relevant quality traits would allow breeding for the improvement of post-harvest life of fruit commodities.

The Role of Cutinsomes in Plant Cuticle Formation

“…In planta ultrastructural studies of S. lycopersicum fruit epidermis ( Figure 2 A–D) showed cutinsomes and particles resembling cutinsomes merging into a procuticule at the early stage of cuticle formation (five to ten days post anthesis) [ 7 , 66 , 70 ]. However, ten days post anthesis, CUS1—which was not present at earlier developmental stages—was observed [ 54 ].…”

“…In some species, the cuticle forms highly repellent leaf surfaces that have the ability to self-clean [ 1 , 2 ], which provides a maximum capacity for photosynthesis [ 3 , 4 ]. The mechanical features of the cuticle, and thus its protective properties, depend at least partly on its thickness on fruit and leaves of different species and on the amounts of its particular components [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Moreover, in some consumable species, the cuticle thickness was reported to influence fruit cracking due to changes in the mechanical resistance to deformation [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ].…”

“…Notwithstanding a great number of papers stimulated by the abundance of cuticles in nature and their great economic importance, there are still many important issues regarding cuticles that need elucidation, especially since it significantly contributes to the quality and shelf-life of plant food products. One of the interesting aspects still requiring deep analysis is the polymerization of cutin from its chemically modified monomers synthesized in epidermal cells [ 7 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ].…”

“…Recently, many reviews have appeared, which have consolidated knowledge on the enzymatic pathway of cuticle lipid component biosynthesis, cutin and waxes [ 3 , 7 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ]. These works presented cuticle biosynthesis from different angles and were based on various experimental models, including mutant analysis and in vivo labeling.…”

Network Analysis Provides Insight into Tomato Lipid Metabolism

“…For example, the composition of fatty acids can be significantly changed without altering the overall plant morphology [72]. Nevertheless, versatility of lipophilic compounds might indirectly affect traits like shelf-life, if cuticle lipids are changed [73]. Until now, the influence of lipophilic compounds on overall plant phenotype remains unclear.…”