Research conducted at the School of Agronomy at PUCV could lay the groundwork for producing new varieties of the fruit, aiming to open exports to other markets.
Through a project analyzing how certain biological factors can affect the development of the cherry fruit and the formation of the pit, experts from the School of Agronomy at the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso are investigating mechanisms to improve the quality of cherries, generate other varieties, and potentially open new export markets.
This study, led by researcher Patricio Tapia, uses gibberellin— a plant hormone that controls plant growth and development—both in high concentrations and by inhibiting its action, to predict how the pit formation process within the fruit will be and its final size.
“One of the main characteristics that the market is seeking is to diversify products (types of fruit) to target various segments. This research could lay the groundwork to support the generation of new varieties, perhaps with novel fruit characteristics or types, allowing us to expand into new markets beyond China,” Tapia stated.
The sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) is a deciduous fruit tree commercially cultivated in temperate climates and belongs to the rosaceae family. It stands out for its high commercial value worldwide. In 2022, it demonstrated its importance as an export product with an increase of 2.2 million tons of production globally, with Chile ranking among the top five cherry producers for the same year, producing 354,952 tons and generating revenue of 1.914 billion dollars.
Genetic intervention
The research is part of a postdoctoral Fondecyt project whose main contribution centers on obtaining information about pit development in cherries and how the inhibition or increase of gibberellins can affect both the size and the lignification process of the pit. Lignification is a process that hardens plant walls, and in this case, it pertains to the hardening of the endocarp—the part surrounding the seeds—to become the pit.
“The study will allow the identification of marker genes associated with pit size development or the lignification process, proposing a list of candidate genes connected through a regulatory ‘hub’ that guides future efforts in breeding and genetic editing programs. Methodologically, this research will generate a transcriptomic database and phyt hormone concentration that will identify post-transcriptional processes in specific tissues that regulate the early stages of fruit development,” explained the PUCV researcher.
As a final product, the project aims to create an enriched database with useful information for cherry producers and other fruits of the Prunus genus—such as apricots, peaches, and nectarines—whose pit occupies about one-third of the fruit. This will include knowledge of the mechanisms acting on pit development when the fruit is exposed to various external factors such as adding or inhibiting a phytohormone like gibberellin.
“Other fruits with a degree of lignification in the center, such as apples and pears, can also benefit from understanding these mechanisms associated with gibberellin,” he detailed.
Spanning three years, this research is currently in an initial phase consisting of tests where both the inhibitor and external gibberellin are applied to the cherry trees to evaluate physiological characteristics of the pit and the entire fruit during various developmental stages. The second phase involves RNA extraction to understand what is occurring between the flesh and the pit. The third stage will entail repeating this same experiment but using molecular biology techniques to validate and assess the obtained results.
Article from: https://www.pucv.cl/uuaa/estudio-busca-minimizar-el-tamano-del-carozo-y-mejorar-la-calidad-de-las
