Molecular Plant Breeding 2025, Vol.16, No.3, 191-201 http://genbreedpublisher.com/index.php/mpb 194 Figure 1 Cell wall structure (Adopted from Peng et al., 2022) Image caption: (A) Schematic representation of the cell wall structure of three cells; (B) schematic representation of the structural components of the cell wall; (C) schematic representation of the pectin structure. Pectin is composed of five different types of polysaccharides, and various pectin-degrading enzymes are involved in pectin degradation (see text); (D) The cross-linking structure of hemicellulose and cellulose microfibril, EXP and XTH are involved in the depolymerization of the structure (Adopted from Peng et al., 2022) 4.2 Limits of current postharvest methods Current post-harvest management methods also have limitations in dealing with durian softening. Low temperature storage is one of the commonly used methods, but durian is sensitive to low temperatures. If the temperature is lower than 13°C, chilling damage may occur, which manifests as brown spots on the skin and tissue vitrification, which reduces the commodity value. At the same time, the effect of low temperature in slowing down softening is limited. After returning to normal temperature, the fruit often completes the ripening process quickly (Adhikary and Das, 2022). Although chemical regulation may have a certain effect, it may bring health risks and usually cannot keep the fruit fresh for a long time (Chairat et al., 2022). Controlled atmosphere storage (regulating the concentration of O₂ and CO₂ in the storage environment) can delay respiration in some fruits, but because durian itself breathes vigorously and releases odorous gases, the implementation cost of controlled atmosphere technology is high and the risks (such as anaerobic fermentation) are difficult to control, so it is rarely used commercially (Ikwan and Fikkri, 2020). Postharvest treatments such as hot water baths and coating preservation have also been tried: hot water treatment can induce the expression of some resistance genes, delay disease infection and lenticel aging; edible coatings (such as chitin coatings) can form barriers on the peel, reducing water loss and gas exchange. Due to the many limitations of these methods, there is an urgent need to find more effective postharvest preservation strategies. In recent years, new gene editing tools such as CRISPR-Cas9 have provided a possible solution to this problem. By intervening in the softening mechanism of durian itself, the softening rate can be slowed down from the source, and the shelf life can be extended without relying on external measures (Shipman et al., 2021). By targeting and regulating genes related to cell wall degradation, it is expected that durian varieties with slower softening and better storage performance can be cultivated (Adhikary and Das, 2022; Gao et al., 2024). The storage resistance brought about by genetic improvement is inherently stable, which can reduce dependence on cold chain and chemical preservation, reduce energy consumption and the use of additives, and achieve a more sustainable supply chain.
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