Control of fruit ripening in stone fruits – a molecular perspective

Fruits such as peaches and plums are highly perishable fruits with a very short shelf life and hence are aptly called ‘tender fruits’. This necessitates the growing of several varieties that ripen at different time slots to ensure that there is a continual supply of these fruits in the market during the short season of availability. It is interesting to note that, though all these diverse varieties flower at about the same time in spring, fruit ripening is extended by a few weeks in some varieties over the other. The research team hypothesizes that this change is due to a certain ‘molecular switch’ that regulates the ripening process in these fruits. In this proposed project we intend to explore the possible mechanisms that may be related to the molecular switch.

Faculty Supervisor:

Dr. Jayasankar Subramanian

Student:

Islam El-Sharkawy

Partner:

Vineland Research and Innovation Centre

Discipline:

Other

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

University of Guelph