Starch and sugars determine shelf life in high- and low-starch produce

Starch and sugars account for most of the dry weight of horticultural crops and in many species, are known determinants of quality. However, we posit that these carbohydrates often have less-obvious roles in plant tissues with direct implications for the postharvest quality and produce shelf life. The latter has not been given as much attention, but with the recent interest in reducing the scale of postharvest waste and loss, we highlight how dynamic changes in the spatial?temporal accumulation of carbohydrates, can influence myriads of biological processes affecting postharvest attributes. Versatile roles, some surprising, that carbohydrates play in determining produce of high value to consumers, are highlighted, and gene targets for biotechnological improvement are specified. SourcesStarch and sugars as determinants of postharvest shelf life and quality: some new and surprising rolesJingwei Yu, Yute Tseng, Kien Pham. Margaret Liu & Diane M BecklesCurrent Opinion in Biotechnology, Volume 78, December 2022, 102844https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102844Get rights and contenthttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958166922001781