International Journal of Horticulture, 2025, Vol.15, No.5, 234-241 http://hortherbpublisher.com/index.php/ijh 239 6.3 Postharvest quality control and ripening regulation strategies Post-harvest quality maintenance of Pitaya is mainly the management of sugar levels and fruit softening, to which consumer acceptance is most sensitive. Management of sugar metabolism enzymes (e.g., vacuole acid converting enzymes and sucrose synthase) is crucial in post-harvest sugar level maintenance. Also, the deeper understanding of ethylene and abscisic acid functions throughout the ripening process can allow the formulation of control measures for fruit ripening, in addition to shelf life extension. Such studies are also essential for postharvest handling practice optimization (Shi et al., 2022). 6.4 Future breeding strategies: enhancing fruit quality and extending shelf life Future breeding of bird's nest fruit needs to improve quality (such as sugar content and antioxidant activity) and shelf life. Identification of genes and transcription factors involved in sugar accumulation and regulation of maturation is useful for gene improvement. In addition, utilization of omics data to comprehend the genetic mechanism of fruit ripening could be applied to breed new varieties with higher quality and improved resistance to environmental stress. These breeding practices are especially significant to meeting market demand and improving the economic benefits of the Pitaya industry (Huang, 2024). 7 Concluding Remarks Pitaya fruit ripening is a complex physiological process, which is mainly reflected by the coordinated regulation of the accumulation of sugars, softening and antioxidant metabolism. Transcription factors HpWRKY3, HpDof1.7 and HpDof5.4 trigger glucose and fructose accumulation by activating sucrose metabolism-related genes such as HpINV2 and HpSuSy1. Additionally, during fruit coloration during pigment synthesis, R2R3-MYB transcription factor HuMYB1 regulates the fruit coloration process by inhibiting beet erythronin synthesis-related gene expression. These metabolic processes are regulated by key enzymes such as vacuole acid converting enzyme (VAI) and sucrose synthase (SS), which in turn regulate fruit sugar content and quality. While much has been accomplished, gaps remain in pitaya fruit ripening research. Precisely what regulatory networks and how various transcription factors and metabolic pathways communicate with one another is still elusive. For instance, while functions of certain transcription factors in sugar metabolism are known, how they interact with other environmental and hormonal signals remains unknown. Additionally, the effect of abiotic stress factors on hormonal control of fruit ripening, with specific focus on the role of abscisic acid and ethylene, should be researched to determine how these factors control the quality of the fruit as a function of varying environmental conditions. Physiological control of Pitaya (Hylocereus megalanthus) ripening has yet to be investigated. Gene control, metabolic control, environmental adaptation and smart agriculture can be investigated in the future. At the molecular level, how transcription factor control, non-coding RNA and epigenetic modification affect maturity can be researched, while at the same time how hormones such as ethylene and abscisic acid control fruit development. At the level of metabolic regulation, metabolomics can be combined with metabolomics to study the dynamics of sugar formation, acid and aromatic compounds, and gene editing to enhance the quality of flavor. In addition, studying the effect of pigment deposition, antioxidant activity and environmental factors on fruit maturity will improve the quality of fruit and storage tolerance. In the meantime, intelligent agricultural technology construction can perform accurate mature prediction and control by means of image recognition and nano delivery systems. Generally, a whole system of research from molecular mechanisms to production applications should be built in the future to ensure efficient development of the Pitaya industry. Acknowledgments The authors especially thank the Pitaya growers who assisted during the study and share their valuable experience to provide the necessary support for studying the physiological mechanisms of Pitaya fruit ripening. Conflict of Interest Disclosure The authors affirm that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
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