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GR24, a synthetic strigolactone analogue, plays a crucial role in a wide range of life processes. Studying the effects of the pre-harvest application of GR24 on strawberry ripening and fruit quality provides a scientific basis for the application of GR24 in horticultural crop production. GR24 solutions at concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1 and 2 µmol/L were applied to strawberries at the de-greening stage. The results showed that pre-harvest treatment with 1 µmol/L GR24 increased fruit weight and size; promoted fruit softening; increased the content of sugars, total flavonoids, total phenolics, and anthocyanins, and increased antioxidant activity. These results proved that GR24 effectively accelerated fruit ripening and improved fruit quality. In addition, to gain more insight into the biological mechanism of GR24 in fruit ripening, we conducted a combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis. It was found that the differences were related to sugar and flavonoid biosynthesis, particularly in the later stage of fruit ripening. qRT-PCR analysis revealed that GR24 increased gene expression activity and metabolite accumulation in the anthocyanin and sugar biosynthetic pathway, thereby promoting strawberry color and flavor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry is a worldwide demanded edible fruit with high economic and nutritional value; however, a very short storage life largely limits its supply and marketing. In this study, strawberries were treated using sodium selenite with different concentrations (6, 12, 18, and 24 mg/L), and the postharvest fruit quality and resistance to Botrytis cinerea were substantially assessed. Among all concentrations, 12 mg/L Se was the most effective treatment, which maintained fruit skin brightness, reduced natural decay incidence, severity, and weight loss, increased the Se content in fruit, and thus maintained the postharvest fruit quality of the strawberry. Furthermore, strawberries treated with 12 mg/L Se had lower flavonoid, phenolic, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, H2O2, and O2− contents compared to the control and, correspondingly, lower antioxidant capacity; moreover, 12 mg/L Se treatment decreased the decay incidence and severity caused by the infection of B. cinerea. Collectively, our findings may provide a reference for developing safe and environmentally friendly alternative methods to sustain quality and manage gray mold in postharvest strawberries as well as other horticultural crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]