Hormonal Regulation of Non-climacteric Fruit Development and Maturation

As opposed to climacteric fruits, non-climacteric fruits are characterized by ripening transitions that do not strictly depend on a significant increase in ethylene production and an associated rise in respiration rate. Non-climacteric fruits include strawberry, grape, raspberry, cherry, citrus and many others. The development and maturation of fruit follows a series of molecular and physiological events that leads to dramatic modifications in fruit size, color, texture, flavor, and aroma. These processes are essential to achieve both optimal fruit quality and long shelf life. Although the ripening process of climacteric fruits has been well-documented, this is not true for non-climacteric fruit. However, recent studies using metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics have significantly increased our knowledge of the molecular processes at play during non-climacteric fruit ripening. These studies have demonstrated the involvement of different hormones, such as abscisic acid (ABA), auxin, gibberellins, ethylene, among others. However, the complex mechanisms underlying the regulation and crosstalk between these hormones during fruit development and ripening require further research.
This Research Topic aims to improve our understanding of hormonal regulation during non-climacteric fruit development and ripening. This includes, but is not restricted to, the role of phytohormones and the biochemical, molecular, and signal transduction events involved in their synthesis, degradation, homeostasis, and response during the development and ripening of non-climacteric fruits. This knowledge is of fundamental importance for the improvement of the nutritional and functional quality, and to prolong the shelf-life of these fruits.

Topics to be explored:

• Hormones and fruit disorders
• Hormones synthesis and degradation
• Hormonal regulation and signal transduction
• Transcriptional and post-transcriptional events involved in the hormonal regulation
• Crosstalk between phytohormones
• Using plant growth regulators to alter fruit development and maturation

We will receive the following types of manuscripts:

• Original research
• Review articles

Please note that descriptive studies, including those using 'omics approaches, defining gene families, or descriptive collections of transcripts, proteins, or metabolites will not be considered for review unless they are expanded and provide mechanistic and/or physiological insights into the biological system or process being studied.