Regulatory Effect of Methyl Jasmonate on Postharvest Chilling Injury in Oriental Melon ‘Emerald’

doi:10.13560/j.cnki.biotech.bull.1985.2025-0201

Abstract

Abstract:

Objective Methyl jasmonate (MeJA), as an important plant hormone, plays a significant regulatory role in postharvest chilling injury of fruits. This study compared the differences in chilling injury index, weight loss rate, firmness, and soluble solids content between MeJA-treated and control fruits, analyzed the differentially expressed genes primarily affected by MeJA, and provided a theoretical basis for understanding the regulatory mechanism of MeJA on postharvest chilling injury in oriental melon ‘Emerald’. Method Oriental melon ‘Emerald’ fruits were fumigated with 50 μmol/L MeJA. The chilling injury index, firmness, weight loss rate, and soluble solids content were measured to clarify the regulatory effect of MeJA on fruit chilling injury. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione reductase (APX) were compared between MeJA-treated and control fruits. Transcriptome sequencing was used to screen differentially expressed genes and transcription factors related to chilling tolerance, and real-time quantitative PCR was performed for validation. Result During low-temperature storage, MeJA significantly reduced the chilling injury index of the oriental melon ‘Emerald’ fruits and delayed the decline in fruit firmness. MeJA treatment increased the activities of SOD, POD, and CAT enzymes but did not significantly alter APX enzyme activity. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that MeJA treatment and control fruits presented differentially expressed genes in the α-linolenic acid metabolism pathway, plant hormone signal transduction pathway, and antioxidant system. Conclusion Exogenous methyl jasmonate treatment effectively alleviates chilling injury in ‘Emerald’ oriental melon fruits and enhances their antioxidant capacity. The core transcription factor CmMYC2 of methyl jasmonate is suppressed, potentially through the negative regulation of downstream genes such as CmPOD, thereby achieving the regulatory effect of methyl jasmonate on chilling injury in oriental melon fruits.

Key words: orientalmelon, MeJA, fruit chilling injury, antioxidant enzymes, gene expression, transcription regulation, transcription factor

CHEN Qiang, YU Ying-fei, ZHANG Ying, ZHANG Chong. Regulatory Effect of Methyl Jasmonate on Postharvest Chilling Injury in Oriental Melon ‘Emerald’[J]. Biotechnology Bulletin, 2025, 41(9): 105-114.

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