Metabolomic profiling during ripening of peach fruits: common and distinct metabolic processes among peach varieties

MONTI, LAURA; GABILONDO, J; BUDDE, C; VALENTINI G; OSORIO SONIA; ALISDAIR R. FERNIE; ANDREO, CS; LARA, MARÍA VALERIA; MARIA FABIANA DRINCOVICH

Puerto Varas

Congreso; XII Panamerican Association for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (PABMB) Congress; 2013

Rosaceous fruits display a great variety of flavours, textures and metabolites with nutrition and health-related properties. During ripening of peach (Prunuspersica L. Batsch), the complex network of metabolites is dramatically altered, affecting the nutritional quality, flavor and aroma. The sugars/organic acids ratio at the ripe state, significantly contributes to the overall flavor of the fruit. Here, metabolic profiling during ripening of 15-peach varieties was assessed by Gas Chromatography?Mass Spectrometry. Data obtained at harvest and ripened stages reveal clear metabolic shifts among varieties. During ripening, some sugars were increased and others were  not modified: xylose and fucose increased in all varieties, while maltose, sucrose and trehalose did not change their relative levels. The increase of fucose could be related to cell wall degradation during softening. With respect to sugar alcohols, myo-inositol and maltitol did not vary during ripening, while galactinol, an important compound involved in plant-tolerance to various stresses, was dependent on the variety. The pattern of variation of organic acids and amino acids was diverse. Putrescine was drastically reduced during ripening, in agreement with its potential role as a senescence inhibitor. Overall, data obtained highlight singular metabolic programs for peach ripening, which may allow the identification of key factors related to agronomic traits of this important crop species