Cuticles and postharvest life of tomato fruit: A rigid cover for aerial epidermis or a multifaceted guard of freshness?

Fruit cuticle is a specialized cell wall hydrophobic architecture covering the aerial surfaces of fruit, which forms the interface between the fruit and its environment. As a specialized seed-bearing organ, fruit utilize cuticles as physical barriers, water permeation regulator and resistance to pathogens, thus appealing extensive research interests for its potential values in developing postharvest freshness-keeping strategies. Here, we provide an overview for the composition and functions of fruit cuticles, mainly focusing on its functions in mechanical support, water permeability barrier and protection over pathogens, further introduce key mechanisms implicated in fruit cuticle biosynthesis. Moreover, currently available state-of-art techniques for examining compositional diversity and architecture of fruit are also compared.

Automated summary

Fruit cuticle is a hydrophobic architecture that covers the aerial surfaces of fruit. It functions as a physical barrier, regulates water permeation and protects against pathogens, making it an important research topic for developing postharvest freshness-keeping strategies. This overview discusses the composition and functions of fruit cuticles, focusing on mechanical support, water permeability barrier, and protection against pathogens, as well as key mechanisms involved in fruit cuticle biosynthesis. State-of-art techniques for examining fruit compositional diversity and architecture are also compared.