Metabolomic and quality profiling of Citrus hybrid cv. Yellowball during long-term storage at different temperatures

Abstract

Citrus fruits are susceptible to a loss of quality during postharvest storage due to weight loss and potential infection with pathogens. New citrus varieties are constantly developed to improve storability. The objective of this study was to investigate changes in quality characteristics and metabolite profiles of Yellowball, a novel citrus variety, during long-term storage (12 weeks) at different temperatures (5, 10, and 25 °C). The decay rates of Yellowball fruit were < 3.7% during the first 2 weeks of storage at all temperatures. An exceptional resistance to weight loss (< 15%) was observed during storage for 12 weeks at low temperatures (5 and 10 °C). Fruit firmness remained unaltered, while the soluble solids content (SSC) to titratable acidity (TA) ratio increased during storage, independent of the storage temperature. Quality-related metabolites (sugars, acidic compounds, amino acids, and secondary metabolites) in both the flesh and peel changed significantly with increasing storage period, dependent on the storage temperature. In addition, citrus metabolomic pathways associated with the storage of Yellowball flesh and peel were proposed. These results provide valuable insights into changes in citrus quality and metabolites during extended storage and under different temperature regimes that can benefit postharvest practices in the citrus industry. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2024.