Unraveling cell wall polysaccharides during blueberry ripening: insights into the roles of rhamnogalacturonan-I and arabinogalactan proteins in fruit firmness.

ABSTRACT: Blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) undergo significant texture changes during development and ripening, notably a consistent decrease in firmness, which affects fruit quality, consumer preference, transportability, and shelf life. This study examined the composition and structural modifications of the cell wall in five commercially available blueberry varieties with differing firmness levels at harvest. Our approach integrated various biochemical techniques for a comprehensive analysis of cell wall components to elucidate firmness differences at the harvest stage. One of the conclusions was the relationship between a low degree of pectin methylesterification and the presence of increased egg-box structures, which correlated with increased firmness. The data suggest that low-abundanc

SUBMITTER: Sanhueza D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11472824 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature