Improved postharvest storage is a major target for vegetable-crop production. Nutritional contents and flavor are traits highly affected from harvesting to final consumption. Several reports have demonstrated that these traits are strong driving factors impacting consumers’ decisions and preferences when purchasing food. Therefore, these are economically important traits related to strong commercialization potential and improved market value. Assessing the potential variation in post-harvest shelf life among vegetable crops will be critical to identify parental lines that can be used in breeding programs to improve these traits and their effect on the quality of produce. Additionally, investigating the genetic mechanisms underlying post-harvest shelf life in horticultural crops is critical. This will result in the development of molecular breeding tools associated with improving shelf life, which will accelerate breeding. This interest group seeks to provide case studies from experts worldwide who have worked on breeding for nutritional contents, flavor, and post-harvest shelf life in vegetables.
Coordinator(s)- Carlos Avila, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Weslaco, TX, United States
Moderator(s)- Dennis Nicuh Lozada, New Mexico State University, Plant and Environmental Sciences, Las Cruces, NM, United States
- Devi Kandel, Langston University, United States
Speaker/Participant(s)- Carmit Ziv, Institute of Postharvest and Food Science, ARO, Volcani Institute, Israel
Breeding for improved postharvest quality of peppers during cold storage (15 mins)
Summary: Dr. Ziv's research program studies postharvest disease control of fruity vegetables by developing environment-friendly treatments to control postharvest fungal rot, understanding resistance mechanisms of phytopathogenic fungi to cold storage, uncovering the role of lipids in determining the interactions between fruits and pathogenic fungi during storage. - Carlos Avila, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Weslaco, TX, United States
Lack of locule gel increases post-harvest shelf-life and quality in tomato (15 mins)
Summary: Dr. Avila's research program is focused on the development of tomato and spinach cultivars adapted to Texas conditions. Research work includes the characterization of plant a/biotic stress and vegetable quality trait regulation using molecular, physiological, and biochemical approaches to develop applied strategies to improve breeding efficiency and ultimately crop resistance and quality. Current efforts include the development of firm long shelf-life tomato cultivars with improved flavor and nutritional content. - Bhimu Patil, Texas A&M University, Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center, College Station, Texas, United States
Post-harvest shelf life and nutritional quality in horticultural crops (15 mins)
Summary: Dr. Patil has been actively involved in both research and educational activities related to global level ‘Foods for Health’. His research, in collaboration with trans-disciplinary scientists, related to bioactive-derived assays led to isolation and characterization of certain bioactive compounds in citrus and turmeric and other vegetables. His research is also focused on pre and postharvest effects on bioactive compounds in citrus, onion and recently his work is focused on other vegetables and fruits. - Alexander Goldshmidt, Institute of Plant Sciences, ARO, Volcani Institute, Israel
Exploring the Role of CLASS-II KNOX mediated Ripening Pathways for the Discovery of Novel Genetic Approaches to Extend Fruit Shelf Life (15 mins)
Summary: Dr. Goldshmidt research is focused on investigation of the genetic factors and networks controlling development of the pericarp tissues in fruits of Solanaceae crops tomato and pepper. His lab seek to use their research to develop novel genetic solutions and tools to extend fruit's shelf life and improve its consumer attractiveness and nutritional values. - Barbara Blanco Ulate, UC Davis, United States
Control of fruit ripening, improvement of fruit quality, and fruit-pathogen interactions. (15 mins)
Summary: Dr. Blanco-Ulate's research program integrate systems biology approaches with biochemical and physiological analyses to study fruit development and quality traits, and to establish a novel framework for the early detection and efficient management of fruit diseases.
