Differences in cuticular wax among eight eggplant genotypes affect fruit postharvest quality during storage

Cuticular wax compounds, which are related to fruit postharvest performance, vary across different cultivars. However, the relationship between cuticular wax characteristics and postharvest performance in eggplant remains largely uncharacterized. In this study, the postharvest performance, wax structure, and variations in wax chemical composition in eight eggplant cultivars during storage were examined to elucidate the regulatory role of wax in fruit postharvest performance. A total of 99 wax compounds and abundant granular wax crystals were identified across all tested cultivars, with significant differences in wax component profiles observed among the eight cultivars. Correlation analysis indicated that the dense wax layer structure and total wax content were closely associated with enhanced postharvest storage tolerance. This study provides novel insights into the cuticular wax profiles of eggplant and offers a theoretical basis for evaluating cuticular wax traits to predict and improve the postharvest performance of eggplant cultivars.