Fruit Quality and Ripening in Prunus

Dear Colleagues,

Fruit quality and ripening processes in stone fruits trees such as Prunus species are relevant aspects to consider by breeders in any breeding program in order to select the best genotypes depending on the desired fruit characteristics. Fruit quality is defined by pomological traits, which are sensorially perceived by consumers, with the latter providing valuable information about greater or lower acceptance from a sensorial point of view. Therefore, fruit quality is closely linked to sensorial perception, meaning one concept would not be understood without the other. It is important to discern physiological and commercial maturity in order to define the treatments or storage conditions suitable for acceptable post-harvest behavior, with the aim of finding a balance between the shelf-life period and fruit quality, which will allow a wider marketing window, along with high fruit quality and great sensory appeal. To date, fruit quality and ripening have been extensively studied in stone fruit trees, considering the different levels of the molecular bases involved in the phenotypic traits, including the genomics, transcriptomics, and to a lesser extent proteomics and epigenetics. However, in spite of the advances in the last decades, it is still necessary to unravel the questions that arise in terms of ripening and fruit quality, as well as the interrelationships between them. One of the great challenges of the study of fruit quality traits is due to the polygenic nature and quantitative inheritance, largely due to the large number of physiological processes that take place during the fruit ripening process in the pre- and post-harvest stages.

This Special Issue focusing on fruit quality and ripening is intended to generate a comprehensive picture of the fruit quality- and ripening-related traits through the work of talented researchers. You are kindly invited to submit advanced works concerning the pre- and post-harvest management factors related to fruit quality and ripening, as well all processes that take place at genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and epigenetic levels. 

You may choose our Joint Special Issue in Plants.

Dr. Juan A. Salazar
Guest Editor

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• fruit trees
• Prunus
• post-harvest
• fruit quality
• sensory quality
• genomics
• transcriptomics
• proteomics
• epigenetics