The Dynamics of Fruit Quality: From Formation to Regulation

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Horticultural and Floricultural Crops".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 May 2026 | Viewed by 335

Special Issue Editor

College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Interests: fruit development and quality formation; sugar and acid metabolism; maintenance of postharvest fruit quality
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Fruits play a crucial role in human diet and nutrition. Breeding scientists have focused on the traits and improvement of fruit quality. Fruit quality, including color, flavor, aroma, and texture, is closely related to a series of metabolic pathways in the process of fruit ripening. Therefore, studying and understanding the mechanisms of quality control are critical to improving fruit quality. In this Special Issue, we aim to exchange knowledge on any aspect related to the formation and regulation of fruit quality, thus providing new insights and technical references for the high-quality breeding of fruit crops. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Genetic and epigenetic regulation of quality-related traits;
  • Biosynthesis and accumulation of pigments, volatiles, sugars, acids, and health-promoting compounds;
  • The role of hormones and environmental signals in ripening and quality development;
  • Omics-driven discoveries (genomics, transcriptomics, metabolomics, etc.);
  • Applications of gene editing, molecular breeding, and bioengineering for quality improvement;
  • Postharvest management and technological interventions preserving quality.

We welcome original research articles and comprehensive reviews that deepen our understanding of quality control mechanisms and offer innovative strategies for breeding high-quality fruit crops. This Special Issue aims to support sustainable fruit production and meet evolving consumer demands through advanced science and technology.

Dr. Shaojia Li
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • fruits
  • color
  • flavor
  • texture
  • physiology
  • cultivation
  • postharvest

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

15 pages, 2411 KB  
Article
The PAT Gene Family in Citrus: Genome-Wide Identification and Its Potential Implications for Organic Acid Metabolism
by Yinchun Li, Ziyi Huang, Ziyan Jiang, Yijing Fan, Lifang Sun and Shaojia Li
Agronomy 2025, 15(10), 2350; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15102350 - 6 Oct 2025
Viewed by 233
Abstract
Protein palmitoylation, a key post-translational modification (PTM) regulating protein transport and function, is catalyzed by palmitoyl transferases (PATs). PATs play vital roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses, yet their characterization in citrus remains limited. This study identified 23 PAT genes (CitPATs) [...] Read more.
Protein palmitoylation, a key post-translational modification (PTM) regulating protein transport and function, is catalyzed by palmitoyl transferases (PATs). PATs play vital roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses, yet their characterization in citrus remains limited. This study identified 23 PAT genes (CitPATs) possessing the conserved DHHC domain in the citrus genome through comprehensive genome-wide analysis. Analysis revealed that most CitPAT proteins are hydrophilic, basic, and stable, with significant variations in sequence length. Gene structure and motif analysis confirmed 10 conserved motifs, with the DHHC domain being the most conserved among all 23 members. The CitPAT genes were unevenly distributed across nine chromosomes and exhibit high evolutionary conservation. Promoter analysis identified numerous cis-acting elements associated with abiotic stress and hormone responses, including basic regulatory elements, light-responsive elements, and stress-responsive elements, with light-responsive elements being predominant. Expression profiling during fruit development revealed distinct correlation patterns with citric acid dynamics: CitPAT6, CitPAT18, and CitPAT23 showed positive correlations with acid accumulation, while CitPAT1, CitPAT10, and CitPAT13 exhibited negative correlations. Further RT-qPCR experiments revealed that CitPAT1 and CitPAT10 consistently demonstrated strong negative correlations with citrate content throughout fruit development. This functional diversification suggests roles in regulating citric acid metabolism. These findings provide novel insights into quality formation in facility-cultivated citrus and establish a foundation for understanding PAT-mediated regulation of fruit development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Dynamics of Fruit Quality: From Formation to Regulation)
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