Hydrogen Sulfide Application Reduces Postharvest Weight Loss in Tomato Fruit by Promoting Cuticular Wax Accumulation

During postharvest storage, water loss causes wilting, shrinkage, and browning and degrades flavor and texture, substantially lowering the quality of fruits and vegetables. Recent studies have demonstrated that H 2 S can effectively preserve the postharvest quality of fruits and vegetables, but the underlying molecular mechanisms, particularly those regulating fruit cuticle formation, remain poorly understood. In this study, tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. “Zheyingfen No. 1”) fruit were fumigated with sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), an H 2 S donor, for 24 h (20°C, 85%–90% RH) and then stored at 20°C, 50% RH. The results showed that NaHS treatment slowed wrinkle formation and decreased weight loss in postharvest tomato fruit over 15 days of storage. On day 4 of storage, NaHS treatment increased cuticular wax accumulation in the tomato fruit epidermis, especially alkanes. Furthermore, NaHS upregulated wax synthesis and transport genes ( SlCER1‐1 , SlCER6 , SlTTS1 , SlTTS2 , SlABCG11 , and SlABCG12 ) and regulatory genes ( SlMYB31 , SlMIXTA‐like , SlSHN3 , and SlWOOLLY ). These findings suggest that H 2 S enhances cuticular wax deposition in tomato fruit, this may help reduce postharvest weight loss and delay visible dehydration symptoms. This study highlights a role for H 2 S in regulating cuticle metabolism and provides evidence supporting its controlled use in postharvest fruit preservation.