By examining fruit physiology, cell structure, antioxidant systems, and gene expression, researchers found that moderate low-temperature storage preserves firmness, slows ripening, and enhances antioxidant defenses in ‘Tainong No.1’ mango. The findings uncover the biological mechanisms behind temperature-based preservation and provide practical guidance for cold-chain transport of tropical fruits.
Mango (Mangifera indica) is one of the world’s most widely cultivated tropical fruits, prized for its rich flavor and nutritional value. However, as a climacteric fruit, mango continues to respire and ripen after harvest, making it highly susceptible to rapid softening, water loss, and decay. In tropical regions, most mangoes are transported at ambient temperatures around 26–30°C, which accelerates ripening and shortens shelf life. Low-temperature storage is widely used to slow fruit metabolism, but tropical fruits are vulnerable to chilling injury if temperatures drop too low. While previous observations suggested that 12°C could preserve ‘Tainong No.1’ mango, the biological mechanisms behind this effect remained unclear.
A study (DOI:10.48130/tp-0025-0034) published in Tropical Plants on 28 January 2026 by Yuanzhi Shao & Wen Li’s team, Hainan University, demonstrates that storage at 12 °C effectively preserves postharvest mango quality by enhancing antioxidant defense and maintaining reactive oxygen species homeostasis, providing a scientific basis for optimizing cold-chain management of tropical fruits.
In this study, researchers systematically evaluated the effects of storage temperature (12 °C vs. 30 °C) on postharvest mango quality over 24 days by combining physiological measurements, microscopic observation of pulp cell structure, biochemical assays of antioxidant compounds, enzyme activity analysis, gene expression profiling (qRT-PCR), and multivariate correlation analysis. Quality parameters including color (a*, b*), total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), weight loss, firmness, respiration rate, malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), phenolics, flavonoids, and vitamin C were monitored alongside antioxidant enzyme activities (APX, SOD, PAL, POD) and related gene expression. The results showed that although visual differences were minor during the first 12 days, mangoes stored at 30 °C exhibited rapid yellowing after 16 days, whereas fruit at 12 °C retained color, reflecting suppressed chlorophyll degradation. TSS at 30 °C rose sharply and peaked at day 16 before declining, while at 12 °C it increased gradually; TA decreased much faster at 30 °C but remained significantly higher at 12 °C. Microscopy revealed that pulp cells stored at 12 °C maintained intact cell walls and starch granules even at 24 days, whereas those at 30 °C showed early wall thinning, starch depletion, and eventual collapse. Physiologically, weight loss reached over 17% at 30 °C but remained below 4% at 12 °C, and firmness decline was markedly delayed at 12 °C. The respiratory peak occurred on day 16 at 30 °C but was postponed to day 24 at 12 °C, extending the preclimacteric phase. Biochemically, 12 °C storage reduced MDA and ROS accumulation while maintaining higher vitamin C, phenolics, and flavonoids. Antioxidant enzymes exhibited stronger or more sustained activity at 12 °C, supported by upregulation of genes such as MiAPX1, MiAPX2, MiSOD1, and MiSOD2. Correlation analysis confirmed that ROS and MDA positively correlated with weight loss and softening, whereas SOD, phenolics, and flavonoids were negatively associated with ROS, demonstrating that 12 °C storage preserves mango quality by enhancing antioxidant defense and maintaining redox homeostasis.
The findings provide practical guidance for mango cold-chain logistics. Maintaining storage temperatures near 12°C can significantly extend shelf life while avoiding chilling injury. This temperature allows mangoes to be harvested earlier, transported over long distances, and ripened at destination markets with reduced losses.
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References
DOI
10.48130/tp-0025-0034
Original Source URL
https://doi.org/10.48130/tp-0025-0034
Funding information
This research was funded by the Hainan Province Agricultural Reclamation Team Joint Innovation Project (Grant No. HKKJ202432), the National Key Research and Development Program Project (Grant No. 2023YFD2300803–7), and Hainan University Mango Industry Technology System Construction Project.
About Tropical Plants
Tropical Plants (e-ISSN 2833-9851) is the official journal of Hainan University and published by Maximum Academic Press. Tropical Plants undergoes rigorous peer review and is published in open-access format to enable swift dissemination of research findings, facilitate exchange of academic knowledge and encourage academic discourse on innovative technologies and issues emerging in tropical plant research.