Cucumber fruit skin reticulation affects post-harvest traits

Fruit skin reticulation is accompanied by the formation of a wound-periderm tissue made of suberized cells. The regulatory networks overseeing skin reticulation during fruit development were extensively studied, yet how reticulation affects post-harvest traits remains unknown. We addressed this notion using the common Cucumis sativus and the skin-cracked Sikkim (Cucumis sativus var. sikkimensis) cucumbers. Light and electron microscopy in consort with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed that sativus fruit skin is made of the typical cutin polymer, while the skin of sikkimensis fruit comprised of the aromatic suberin polymer. Comparative post-harvest experiments with different storage temperatures revealed that sikkimensis fruit are more resilient to chilling injuries arise during cold storage, exhibiting lower rates of weight losses, ethylene and CO2, electrolyte leakage and lipid peroxidation. We further demonstrate that different storage temperatures affect the contents of skin polymers cutin and suberin in a differential manner.

Automated summary

Fruit skin reticulation, formed by suberized cells, plays an important role in fruit development. However, its impact on post-harvest traits remains unclear. In this study, cucumbers with different types of skin were compared, and it was found that the skin-cracked Sikkim cucumbers exhibited higher resilience to chilling injuries during cold storage.