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ABSTRACT

Fruits are an important source of dietary supplements and provide minerals, vitamins, fibers, and antioxidants for humans. At the time of maturation, the fruit undergoes the process of ripening, a highly coordinated series of biochemical changes that renders the fruit attractive to eat. Besides genes, the plant hormones play an essential control over this process.  One of the major hormones in fruit ripening is the “Ethylene”. Besides ethylene, many hormones play a vital role in the fruit ripening process. Although, their mode of action is not well known but it plays an important function in the ripening. Such as abscisic acid, auxins, and gibberellins may affect the sensitivity of fruit to ethylene. Other than ethylene, melatonin also induced fruit ripening in different horticultural crops. Melatonin treatments enhance the levels of ABA, H2O2, and regulate ethylene production and signal transduction during the ripening process and promote the ripening phenomenon in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, this hormone may contribute to postharvest ripening and quality of fruits by regulating the biosynthesis of ethylene, its perception, and signaling and by involving cross-talks with ABA and H2O2.

Keywords: Melatonin, Climacteric, Non-climacteric, Ethylene, Plant growth regulators

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Melatonin promotes post-harvest ripening and quality of fruits.pdf