Metabolomics and genetics of reproductive bud development in Ficus carica var. sativa (edible fig) and in Ficus carica var. caprificus (caprifig): similarities and differences

Abstract

In figs, reproductive biology comprises cultivars requiring or not pollination, with female trees (edible fig) and male trees (caprifig) bearing different types of fruits. Metabolomic and genetic studies may clarify bud differentiation mechanisms behind the different fruits. We used a targeted metabolomic analysis and genetic investigation through RNA sequence and candidate gene investigation to perform a deep analysis of buds of two fig cultivars, ‘Petrelli’ (San Pedro type) and ‘Dottato’ (Common type), and one caprifig. In this work, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR-based metabolomics) has been used to analyze and compare buds of the caprifig and the two fig cultivars collected at different times of the season. Metabolomic data of buds collected on the caprifig, ‘Petrelli’, and ‘Dottato’ were treated individually, building three separate orthogonal partial least squared (OPLS) models, using the “y” variable as the sampling time to allow the identification of the correlations among metabolomic profiles of buds. The sampling times revealed different patterns between caprifig and the two edible fig cultivars. A significant amount of glucose and fructose was found in ‘Petrelli’, differently from ‘Dottato’, in the buds in June, suggesting that these sugars not only are used by the ripening brebas of ‘Petrelli’ but also are directed toward the developing buds on the current year shoot for either a main crop (fruit in the current season) or a breba (fruit in the successive season). Genetic characterization through the RNA-seq of buds and comparison with the literature allowed the identification of 473 downregulated genes, with 22 only in profichi, and 391 upregulated genes, with 21 only in mammoni.

Sustainability Potential of Marginal Areas for Food, Feed, and Non-Food Production in the Puglia Region, Southern Italy: Part II: A Review

“…Over 100 different fig genotypes, mainly collected in Puglia, are located in the fig repository at the P. Martucci experimental station, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro'. The collection has been investigated to understand the biological behavior of these fig genotypes and to valorize this biodiversity [190,191].…”

Exploring the Anti-Inflammatory and Antioxidant Potential, Metabolite Composition and Inorganic Profile of Cistus monspeliensis L. Aerial Parts and Roots

“…The standard was also used to perform a semiquantitative analysis of 1-O-methyl-epi-inositol and gallic acid. The analysis of the extracts 1 H NMR profiles was performed based on an in-house library and compared with the literature [21,22]. All the spectra were uploaded onto the Zenodo repository (https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11281288).…”

The fig (Ficus carica L.): varietal evolution from Asia to Puglia region, southeastern Italy

“…Similarly, caprifigs can also bear multiple (up to three) crops throughout the year; most varieties are triferous producing mammoni, profichi and mamme, respectively, but there are many cases in which it behaves as a uniferous and biferous tree (Grassi 1991). Although there are differences between the two sexual forms, there are some similarities between the crops; in particular, the first production (brebas) is like that of the profichi of the male plant, while the second production (main crop) can be considered similar to the mammoni of the caprifig (Condit 1932;Morales and Gil 2014;Marcotuli et al 2023aMarcotuli et al , 2023b.…”

“…In Italy, the first descriptive studies of the different fig varieties cultivated in central-northern area of the country were initiated by Gallesio (1817), and reported in his great work "Pomona Italiana", which represented the basis for all subsequent studies (Targiotti-Tozzetti 1853; Roda 1881; Baldini 1982Baldini , 1994Baldini , 1995Ferraro 1996). (increase in size, change in flesh color and texture and taste) (Condit 1947;Ferrara et al 2016;Marcotuli et al 2020Marcotuli et al , 2023a. The most important and widespread varieties include "Adriatic", "Brown Turkey", and "Mission".…”