Fruit firmness in Rosaceae: Mechanisms and genetic insights

The Rosaceae family includes many commercially valuable fruit crops, including apple, pear, peach, cherry, blackberry, and strawberry. However, their fruit are often highly perishable, which can lead to substantial economic losses and food waste. Fruit softening is a key factor contributing to the short shelf life of Rosaceae fruit, as it directly impacts storage decay and susceptibility to pathogens. The fruit softening process is largely driven by cell wall modifications occurring during ripening, which are regulated by a complex network of genes encoded cell wall-degrading enzymes and transcription factors. Together, these orchestrate pectin depolymerization and (hemi)cellulose modification, ultimately influencing fruit firmness. The objective of this literature study is to review the research published on shelf life-related genes in Rosaceae fruit and to identify the most promising genes that can be used as targets for breeding programs aimed at improving fruit firmness and shelf life. • The Rosaceae family is very well suited for studying fruit firmness regulation. • Fruit firmness is influenced by cell wall modification. • Cell wall modification involves pectin, cellulose, and hemicellulose degradation. • PG , PL , and β-gal are commonly identified firmness genes in the Rosaceae family. • Several fruit-related transcription factors regulate the softening process.