Fruit Cracking Mechanisms and Mitigation Strategies
Summary
Fruit cracking is a multifaceted physiological disorder that arises when the mechanical integrity of the skin and underlying tissues is exceeded by internal or external stresses. Mechanisms include cuticular microfractures, cell wall loosening and polysaccharide breakdown, excessive turgor pressure driven by water uptake, and tissue heterogeneity in growth rates. Genetic factors such as the expression of cell wall–modifying enzymes (polygalacturonases, pectinesterases and expansins) modulate cell adhesion and wall elasticity, while environmental triggers—rapid changes in soil moisture, heavy rainfall or high humidity—accentuate water influx and localised swelling. The interplay between cuticle composition, epidermal cell structure and mesocarp mechanics governs crack initiation and propagation. Mitigation strategies range from cultural practices (rain covers, regulated irrigation, canopy management) to exogenous treatments (calcium sprays, film coatings) and targeted breeding for thicker cuticles or altered expression of wall–remodelling genes. Advances in omics and high-throughput phenotyping are leading to an integrated understanding of genetic networks, aiding the development of cracking-resistant cultivars. Practical applications span horticultural management to molecular interventions aimed at stabilising cell walls and modulating osmotic balances.
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Fruit Cracking Mechanisms and Mitigation Strategies publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in fruit cracking mechanisms and mitigation strategies across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Cuticle: A waxy, hydrophobic layer covering the epidermis that limits water loss and resists mechanical stress.
Pectin: A complex polysaccharide in the cell wall middle lamella that contributes to cell adhesion and wall porosity.
Polygalacturonase: An enzyme that degrades pectin by hydrolysing α-1,4-galacturonan linkages, loosening cell walls.
Turgor pressure: The hydrostatic pressure within a cell exerted by water against the cell wall, influencing firmness and expansion.
Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA): A class of RNA transcripts longer than 200 nucleotides that do not encode protein but regulate gene expression at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels.
References
- Advances in Mechanisms and Omics Pertaining to Fruit Cracking in Horticultural Plants. Agronomy (2021).
- Effect of calcium on relieving berry cracking in grape (Vitis vinifera L.) ‘Xiangfei’. PeerJ (2020).
- LncRNA regulates tomato fruit cracking by coordinating gene expression via a hormone-redox-cell wall network. BMC Plant Biology (2020).
- Crack initiation and propagation in sweet cherry skin: A simple chain reaction causes the crack to ‘run’. PLOS ONE (2019).
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