Ursolic Acid Induces Multifaceted Defense Responses Against Postharvest Blue Mold Rot in Apple Fruit
The disease resistance and defense mechanisms induced by ursolic acid (UA) in apple fruit were studied in this paper. UA was directly mixed with potato dextrose agar and broth media to assay its antifungal activity in vitro. The results showed that UA exerted inherent antifungal activity and directl...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-02-01
|
| Series: | Foods |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/5/761 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850225620770881536 |
|---|---|
| author | Chang Shu Wenxiao Jiao Kuanbo Cui Jiankang Cao Weibo Jiang |
| author_facet | Chang Shu Wenxiao Jiao Kuanbo Cui Jiankang Cao Weibo Jiang |
| author_sort | Chang Shu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The disease resistance and defense mechanisms induced by ursolic acid (UA) in apple fruit were studied in this paper. UA was directly mixed with potato dextrose agar and broth media to assay its antifungal activity in vitro. The results showed that UA exerted inherent antifungal activity and directly inhibited the in vitro growth and spore germination of <i>Penicillium expansum</i>. Its half-maximal inhibitory concentration for hyphal growth was 175.6 mg L<sup>−1</sup>. Apple fruit were immersed in UA solution, followed by inoculation with <i>P. expansum</i>, to measure their disease response. The results demonstrated that UA induced significant disease resistance in apple fruit and that its mechanisms are multifaceted and associated with defensive and antioxidative enzymes and the phenylpropanoid pathway. Chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase were activated and maintained at relatively high levels. The activities of enzymes and their metabolites in the phenylpropanoid pathway, including phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, cinnamate-4-hydroxylase, and 4-coumarate coenzyme A ligase were significantly increased; accordingly, total phenolics, flavonoid, and lignin contents were significantly increased. The activities of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase were enhanced upon UA treatment, while catalase activity was suppressed, which regulates hydrogen peroxide accumulation to defend against pathogens. These results suggest that UA induces defense responses against postharvest blue mold rot in apple fruit and that it may be a promising elicitor to induce fruit disease resistance to control postharvest decay. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-921712fd9734432dad1fce529fc5597d |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj-art-921712fd9734432dad1fce529fc5597d2025-08-20T02:05:18ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582025-02-0114576110.3390/foods14050761Ursolic Acid Induces Multifaceted Defense Responses Against Postharvest Blue Mold Rot in Apple FruitChang Shu0Wenxiao Jiao1Kuanbo Cui2Jiankang Cao3Weibo Jiang4College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaCollege of Food Science and Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan 250353, ChinaAgricultural Mechanization Institute, Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Urumqi 830091, ChinaCollege of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaCollege of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaThe disease resistance and defense mechanisms induced by ursolic acid (UA) in apple fruit were studied in this paper. UA was directly mixed with potato dextrose agar and broth media to assay its antifungal activity in vitro. The results showed that UA exerted inherent antifungal activity and directly inhibited the in vitro growth and spore germination of <i>Penicillium expansum</i>. Its half-maximal inhibitory concentration for hyphal growth was 175.6 mg L<sup>−1</sup>. Apple fruit were immersed in UA solution, followed by inoculation with <i>P. expansum</i>, to measure their disease response. The results demonstrated that UA induced significant disease resistance in apple fruit and that its mechanisms are multifaceted and associated with defensive and antioxidative enzymes and the phenylpropanoid pathway. Chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase were activated and maintained at relatively high levels. The activities of enzymes and their metabolites in the phenylpropanoid pathway, including phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, cinnamate-4-hydroxylase, and 4-coumarate coenzyme A ligase were significantly increased; accordingly, total phenolics, flavonoid, and lignin contents were significantly increased. The activities of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, and glutathione reductase were enhanced upon UA treatment, while catalase activity was suppressed, which regulates hydrogen peroxide accumulation to defend against pathogens. These results suggest that UA induces defense responses against postharvest blue mold rot in apple fruit and that it may be a promising elicitor to induce fruit disease resistance to control postharvest decay.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/5/761induced resistancepostharvest decayursolic acidreactive oxygen species metabolismblue mold rot |
| spellingShingle | Chang Shu Wenxiao Jiao Kuanbo Cui Jiankang Cao Weibo Jiang Ursolic Acid Induces Multifaceted Defense Responses Against Postharvest Blue Mold Rot in Apple Fruit Foods induced resistance postharvest decay ursolic acid reactive oxygen species metabolism blue mold rot |
| title | Ursolic Acid Induces Multifaceted Defense Responses Against Postharvest Blue Mold Rot in Apple Fruit |
| title_full | Ursolic Acid Induces Multifaceted Defense Responses Against Postharvest Blue Mold Rot in Apple Fruit |
| title_fullStr | Ursolic Acid Induces Multifaceted Defense Responses Against Postharvest Blue Mold Rot in Apple Fruit |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ursolic Acid Induces Multifaceted Defense Responses Against Postharvest Blue Mold Rot in Apple Fruit |
| title_short | Ursolic Acid Induces Multifaceted Defense Responses Against Postharvest Blue Mold Rot in Apple Fruit |
| title_sort | ursolic acid induces multifaceted defense responses against postharvest blue mold rot in apple fruit |
| topic | induced resistance postharvest decay ursolic acid reactive oxygen species metabolism blue mold rot |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/14/5/761 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT changshu ursolicacidinducesmultifaceteddefenseresponsesagainstpostharvestbluemoldrotinapplefruit AT wenxiaojiao ursolicacidinducesmultifaceteddefenseresponsesagainstpostharvestbluemoldrotinapplefruit AT kuanbocui ursolicacidinducesmultifaceteddefenseresponsesagainstpostharvestbluemoldrotinapplefruit AT jiankangcao ursolicacidinducesmultifaceteddefenseresponsesagainstpostharvestbluemoldrotinapplefruit AT weibojiang ursolicacidinducesmultifaceteddefenseresponsesagainstpostharvestbluemoldrotinapplefruit |