A DIAGNOSTIC TOOLBOX FOR INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF POSTHARVEST APPLE NECROTIC DISORDERS
Physiology and Pathology of Tree Fruits Research
2013 Annual Report
1a.Objectives (from AD-416):
1. Discover and validate diagnostic biomarkers that predict, diagnose, and/or distinguish apple postharvest physiological disorders.
2. Compile sets of biomarkers that could be used to predict, diagnose, or distinguish apple postharvest browning disorders and test their efficacy by classifying/reclassifying browning disorders based on new metabolic/genetic information.
3. Transfer of new biomarker-based technology for immediate implementation adapting existing laboratory-based and field-based analytical platforms.
1b.Approach (from AD-416):
Previous results indicate postharvest experiments designed to produce necessary contrasts can be used to develop viable biomarkers for physiological disorder prediction, diagnosis, and differentiation. Until recently, metabolic and gene expression evaluation approaches have focused on one or a few pathways with known associations to a particular disorder. While focused approaches were insightful, these approaches have not allowed development of new tools for superficial scald control or the discovery of physiological bases of other apparently unrelated physiological disorders. Our proposed research relies instead on comprehensive analytical approaches that avoid preconception of disorder-related metabolic/genetic processes. This allows discovery of prospective biomarkers not previously associated with superficial scald and other disorders. Documents Trust with Agrofresh. Log 43450.
This project relates to objective 2 of the associated in-house project which seeks to identify factors that influence postharvest fruit quality and development of market limiting physiological disorders. Biomarker evaluation experiments have been completed for all disorders. Transcriptomic and metabolomics evaluation of all of the disorders have been completed. This information will be used to identify key biochemical pathways associated with disorder development and potential biomarkers for different disorder-associated events to use for risk management and diagnostic tools. Initial validation of superficial scald biomarkers under commercial conditions has been successful. This information may provide commercial tools to assess disorder risk.