ABSTRACT To explore the effects of salicylic acid (SA) on the softening of postharvest grapes, “Red Globe” grapes ( Vitis vinifera L.) were immersed in 1.0 mM SA for 5 min and stored at 4°C for 56 days. Results revealed that SA treatment could maintain cell wall component contents by inhibiting enzyme activities and gene expression, including pectin methyl esterase, polygalacturonase, and β ‐galactosidase. Meanwhile, SA application delayed the degradation of wax crystals and maintained higher levels of wax fractions. In addition, SA treatment upregulated the transcription of genes involved in the phenylpropanoid pathway, resulting in higher endogenous phenolics. In conclusion, SA treatment effectively delayed softening by regulating cell wall, cuticular wax, and phenylpropanoid metabolism. These findings provide a theoretical basis for clarifying the mechanism by which SA maintains the fruit quality of grapes, and support the use of exogenous SA as a strategy to extend shelf life and improve fruit quality in commercial storage.
Zeng et al. (Fri,) studied this question.