Liu Y, Xu J, Lu X, Huang M, Yu W, Li C
College of Agriculture, Guangxi University, Nanning, China.
Plant Biol (Stuttg). 2025 Jan;27(1):3-17. doi: 10.1111/plb.13706. Epub 2024 Aug 16.
The postharvest lifespan of horticultural products is closely related to loss of nutritional quality, accompanied by a rapid decline in shelf life, commercial value, and marketability. Melatonin (MT) application not only maintains quality but also delays senescence in horticultural products. This paper reviews biosynthesis and metabolism of endogenous MT, summarizes significant effects of exogenous MT application on postharvest horticultural products, examines regulatory mechanisms of MT-mediated effects, and provides an integrated review for understanding the positive role of MT in senescence delay and quality maintenance. As a multifunctional molecule, MT coordinates other signal molecules, such as ABA, ETH, JA, SA, NO, and Ca, to regulate postharvest ripening and senescence. Several metabolic pathways are involved in regulation of MT during postharvest senescence, including synthesis and signal transduction of plant hormones, redox homeostasis, energy metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and degradation of pigment and cell wall components. Moreover, MT regulates expression of genes related to plant hormones, antioxidant systems, energy generation, fruit firmness and colour, membrane integrity, and carbohydrate storage. Consequently, MT could become an emerging and eco-friendly preservative to extend shelf life and maintain postharvest quality of horticultural products.
园艺产品采后的寿命与营养品质的丧失密切相关，同时伴随着货架期、商业价值和适销性的迅速下降。褪黑素（MT）的应用不仅能保持品质，还能延缓园艺产品的衰老。本文综述了内源性MT的生物合成与代谢，总结了外源MT应用对采后园艺产品的显著影响，探讨了MT介导效应的调控机制，并提供了一篇综合综述，以了解MT在延缓衰老和维持品质方面的积极作用。作为一种多功能分子，MT协调其他信号分子，如脱落酸（ABA）、乙烯（ETH）、茉莉酸（JA）、水杨酸（SA）、一氧化氮（NO）和钙（Ca），来调节采后的成熟和衰老。采后衰老过程中，几种代谢途径参与了MT的调控，包括植物激素的合成和信号转导、氧化还原稳态、能量代谢、碳水化合物代谢以及色素和细胞壁成分的降解。此外，MT还调节与植物激素、抗氧化系统、能量产生、果实硬度和颜色、膜完整性以及碳水化合物储存相关的基因表达。因此，MT有望成为一种新兴的、环保的保鲜剂，以延长园艺产品的货架期并保持其采后品质。
