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Assessing relationship between fruit cracking, metabolic and ultrastructural changes in the peel of pomegranate varieties during fruit development

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Abstract

The fruit cracking in pomegranate is an important physiological disorder limiting its fruit quality as well as yield potential. In the present study, fruit cracking behaviour in five pomegranate varieties namely, Bhagwa, Mridula, Kandhari, Jodhpur Red and Ganesh was evaluated in relation to changes in peel thickness, peel moisture, antioxidants, phenols and anthocyanin. Pomegranate variety Kandhari, which registered no cracking, contained the highest level of total phenols, antioxidants and anthocyanin content, while the variety Jodhpur Red recorded minimum content of these phytochemicals and the maximum cracking. Further, the activity of the cell wall degrading enzymes viz., polygalacturonase and cellulase were the highest in the peel of variety exhibiting maximum cracking i.e., Jodhpur Red. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of cracked and healthy peels of Jodhpur Red and Kandhari varieties demonstrated isodiametric, well organized cells with no intercellular spaces that possibly impart crack resistance to Kandhari variety whereas, transversely elongated and disorganized cells with intercellular spaces render Jodhpur Red susceptible to cracking.

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Data availability

Data generated during this study are available on request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India for providing the necessary research facilities.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific funding.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 141004, India

    Gurleen Kaur & Nirmaljit Kaur

  2. Department of Fruit Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, 141004, India

    P. P. S. Gill

  3. Punjab Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Bathinda, 151001, India

    Navjot Gupta

Authors
  1. Gurleen Kaur
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  2. Nirmaljit Kaur
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  3. P. P. S. Gill
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  4. Navjot Gupta
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Contributions

Gurleen Kaur—performed the experiment, prepared the manuscript and analysed the data. Dr. Nirmaljit Kaur—conceptualization, planned the experiment and supervision. Dr. Parmpal Singh Gill—reviewing and editing, conceived and analysed the data. Dr. Navjot Gupta—reviewing and editing.

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Correspondence to Gurleen Kaur.

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Communicated by P.K. Nagar.

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Kaur, G., Kaur, N., Gill, P.P.S. et al. Assessing relationship between fruit cracking, metabolic and ultrastructural changes in the peel of pomegranate varieties during fruit development. Acta Physiol Plant 45, 118 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-023-03597-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-023-03597-6

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