An overview of tomato fruit-ripening mutants and their use in increasing shelf life of tomato fruits

Abstract

The potential of tomato ripening mutants; rin, nor, alc, nr, gr, etc to prolong the shelf life of tomato cannot be overemphasized. Ripening mutants have gained a considerable attention in the last few years to extend shelf life. They have been characterized and examined for their potential utilization in lengthening shelf life of tomatoes. Mutant genes are therefore available to extend the shelf-life of tomato via breeding. These single recessive gene mutants mostly modify ethylene's downstream effects on specific biochemical processes related to fruit ripening. The fruits of these mutants are characterized by an absence of a ripening-associated ethylene burst and failure to ripen in the presence of exogenous ethylene. They are useful in research and breeding of cultivated tomatoes for postharvest quality. The effect is more pronounced in homozygotes where fruits do not develop normal colour. However, in the heterozygous form, several ripening characteristics exhibit levels that are intermediate between those of the wild and mutant parents and are able to produce fruits that have high shelf life than normal cultivars. Their discoveries have generated insights into ripening control and created new understanding of the primary ripening control mechanisms. Nonetheless, some scientists have argued that these mutant genes produce undesirable pleiotropic effects on other components of fruit quality. This is true in the homozygotes state, however in the heterozygote form, they develop acceptable colour for marketing, ripe naturally and exhibit extended shelf life too. Hence this offers an opportunity to exploit these genes to regulate tomato supply for longer period.

Single and Double Mutations in Tomato Ripening Transcription Factors Have Distinct Effects on Fruit Development and Quality Traits

“…The nor and rin mutants have been utilized in breeding for developing tomato hybrids with extended shelf life or extended field harvest depending on their purpose for the fresh market and processing tomato industries (Kopeliovitch et al, 1979;Kitagawa et al, 2005;Garg et al, 2008;Osei et al, 2017). Hybrids between elite varieties and the ripening mutants have a delayed ripening progression, but with the tradeoff of decreased fruit quality attributes, such as color, taste, and aroma (Kitagawa et al, 2005;Tieman et al, 2017).…”

Beyond nutrition: modification of the carotenoid profile as a potential strategy to regulate tomato fruit ripening and shelf-life

“…Because of their wide-ranging effect in other ripening-related processes, these mutations are also tools to breed for extended fruits shelf life (Osei et al, 2017;Wang et al, 2020). In a similar manner, carotenoid mutants provide an opportunity to explore the significance of these pigments on ripening.…”