Hydrogen Sulfide Improves Postharvest Quality of Okra (<i>Abelmoschus esculentus</i> (L.) Moench) Pods by Enhancing Antioxidant Capacity and Delaying Lignification
Weihua Luo,
Tinghui Chen,
Xiao Gong,
Jingjing Chen,
Wei Zhou,
Jihua Li
Affiliations
Weihua Luo
Key Laboratory of Tropical Crop Products Processing Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Products Processing Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang 524001, China
Tinghui Chen
Key Laboratory of Tropical Crop Products Processing Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Products Processing Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang 524001, China
Xiao Gong
Key Laboratory of Tropical Crop Products Processing Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Products Processing Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang 524001, China
Jingjing Chen
Key Laboratory of Tropical Fruit Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, South Subtropical Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang 524091, China
Wei Zhou
Key Laboratory of Tropical Crop Products Processing Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Products Processing Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang 524001, China
Jihua Li
Key Laboratory of Tropical Crop Products Processing Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Products Processing Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Zhanjiang 524001, China
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) pod storage is challenging due to its high water content and tendency to lignify. Sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS) served as an H2S donor in this investigation. Compared with the control group, the group treated with 0.5 mmol/L NaHS solution effectively maintained the appearance quality, and its weight loss was only 6.21% at 20 days. The H2S treatment not only preserved tissue nutrients but also significantly enhanced catalase (CAT), ascorbic acid peroxidase (APX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities while decreasing oxidant damage. In addition, H2S slowed down lignin synthesis by inhibiting the activities of key enzymes such as phenylalanine ammonialyase (PAL), cinnamate 4-hydroxylase (C4H), and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) in the lignin biosynthesis pathway. Transcriptome analysis revealed that H2S affects 34 genes in the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway, such as AePAL, Ae4CL1, AeCCOAOMT1, AePOD, etc., which inhibit lignin synthesis of okra pods. All in all, moderate H2S can improve postharvest quality and extend the shelf-life of okra pods by enhancing antioxidant capacity and delaying lignification; the results will provide an overview of its application in the preservation of okra pods.
