Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Review Articles

Vol. 13 No. 3 (2026)

Recent advances in ripening-associated molecular mechanisms in mango

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.13301
Submitted
22 December 2025
Published
16-09-2026 — Updated on 30-09-2026
Versions

Abstract

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is a climacteric fruit and its ripening and post-harvest quality is regulated by complex interactions of genetic, hormonal, biochemical and molecular regulatory networks. Ethylene is a major regulator of fruit ripening, inducing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid synthase (ACS) and ACC oxidase (ACO) which control processes associated with fruit ripening such as cell wall degradation, pigment accumulation, aroma production and sugar metabolism. Fruit quality is controlled by the interaction of ethylene with abscisic acid, jasmonic acid, salicylic acid and reactive oxygen species (ROS) pathways that regulate fruit maturation, antioxidant metabolism and defence responses. The main post-harvest pathogens Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Lasiodiplodia theobromae utilise changes related to ripening to shift from latent infection to active disease development. Recent advances such as treatment with 1-methylcyclopropene, hexanal formulations, controlled atmosphere storage etc., have shown potential to delay ripening, maintain antioxidant capacity and reduce post-harvest losses. New technologies such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR/Cas) genome editing, RNA interference, multi-omics approaches and nanotechnology-based delivery systems are emerging opportunities that manipulate ripening and disease-resistance pathways. However, the balance between extending shelf-life and retaining flavour, consumer acceptance, biosafety and environmental sustainability remains to be addressed. Future research in transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics and epigenomics will be critical to identify molecular targets and develop precision-based strategies to improve mango shelf life, quality and resistance to post-harvest pathogens.

References

  1. 1. Sivakumar D, Jiang Y, Yahia EM. Maintaining mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruit quality during the export chain. Food Research International. 2011;44(5):1254–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2010.11.022
  2. 2. Gautam P, Kumar A, Prakash O, Singh J, Ali I. Advances in production technology of mango. In: A textbook on advances in production technology of tropical and subtropical fruits. New Delhi: New Vishal Publication; 2023. p. 9–59. https://doi.org/10.59317/9789361343117
  3. 3. Liu B, Xin Q, Zhang M, Chen J, Lu Q, Zhou X, et al. Research progress on mango post-harvest ripening physiology and the regulatory technologies. Foods. 2023;12(1):173. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12010173
  4. 4. Singh Z, Singh RK, Sane VA, Nath P. Mango-postharvest biology and biotechnology. Critical Reviews in Plant Sciences. 2013;32(4):217–36. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352689.2012.743399
  5. 5. Kapoor L, Simkin AJ, George Priya Doss C, Siva R. Fruit ripening: dynamics and integrated analysis of carotenoids and anthocyanins. BMC Plant Biology. 2022;22(1):27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12870-021-03411-w
  6. 6. Bajpai A, Khan K, Muthukumar M, Rajan S, Singh NK. Molecular analysis of anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway genes and their differential expression in mango peel. Genome. 2018;61(3):157–66. https://doi.org/10.1139/gen-2017-0205
  7. 7. Giovannoni JJ. Genetic regulation of fruit development and ripening. Plant Cell. 2004;16(Suppl 1):S170–80. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.019158
  8. 8. Kumar N, Pratibha, Upadhyay A, Trajkovska Petkoska A, Gniewosz M, Kieliszek M. Extending the shelf life of mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruits by using edible coating based on xanthan gum and pomegranate peel extract. Journal of Food Measurement and Characterization. 2023;17(2):1300–8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-022-01706-6
  9. 9. Brummell DA. Cell wall disassembly in ripening fruit. Functional Plant Biology. 2006;33(2):103–19. https://doi.org/10.1071/FP05234
  10. 10. Deshpande AB, Anamika K, Jha V, Chidley HG, Oak PS, Kadoo NY, et al. Transcriptional transitions in Alphonso mango (Mangifera indica L.) during fruit development and ripening explain its distinct aroma and shelf life characteristics. Scientific Reports. 2017;7(1):8711. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-08499-5
  11. 11. Chourasia A, Sane VA, Nath P. Differential expression of pectate lyase during ethylene-induced postharvest softening of mango (Mangifera indica var. Dashehari). Physiologia Plantarum. 2006;128(3):546–55. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1399-3054.2006.00752.x
  12. 12. Gill PP, Jawandha SK, Kaur N, Singh N. Physico-chemical changes during progressive ripening of mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Dashehari under different temperature regimes. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2017;54(7):1964–70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-017-2632-6
  13. 13. Kuldeep, Singh AK, Rawat M, Shivam, Mani G, Gautam R, et al. Postharvest physiology of mango crops: understanding ripening, quality, and storage strategies. Applied Fruit Science. 2025;67(2):60. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10341-025-01273-2
  14. 14. Li L, Wu HX, Ma XW, Xu WT, Liang QZ, Zhan RL, et al. Transcriptional mechanism of differential sugar accumulation in pulp of two contrasting mango (Mangifera indica L.) cultivars. Genomics. 2020;112(6):4505–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygeno.2020.07.038
  15. 15. Prasanna V, Prabha TN, Tharanathan RN. Fruit ripening phenomena: an overview. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2007;47(1):1–9. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408390600976841
  16. 16. Camacho-Vazquez C, Ruiz-May E, Guerrero-Analco JA, Elizalde-Contreras JM, Enciso-Ortiz EJ, Rosas-Saito G, et al. Filling gaps in our knowledge on the cuticle of mangoes (Mangifera indica) by analyzing six fruit cultivars: architecture/structure, postharvest physiology and possible resistance to fruit fly (Tephritidae) attack. Postharvest Biology and Technology. 2019;148:83–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2018.10.006
  17. 17. Ploetz RC. Diseases of mango. In: Diseases of tropical fruit crops. 2003. p. 327–63. https://doi.org/10.1079/9780851993904.0327
  18. 18. Manthey JA, Perkins-Veazie P. Influences of harvest date and location on the levels of β-carotene, ascorbic acid, total phenols, the in vitro antioxidant capacity, and phenolic profiles of five commercial varieties of mango (Mangifera indica L.). Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2009;57(22):10825–30. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf902606h
  19. 19. Dautt-Castro M, López-Virgen AG, Ochoa-Leyva A, Contreras-Vergara CA, Sortillón-Sortillón AP, Martínez-Téllez MA, et al. Genome-wide identification of mango (Mangifera indica L.) polygalacturonases: expression analysis of family members and total enzyme activity during fruit ripening. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2019;10:969. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.00969
  20. 20. Datir S, Regan S. Advances in physiological, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and molecular genetic approaches for enhancing mango fruit quality. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. 2023;71(1):20–34. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.2c05958
  21. 21. Jayaswal PK, Srivastava M, Bajpai A, Ravishankar KV, Singh NK. Mango fruit transcriptome. Reference Module in Food Sciences. 2021;1:592. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-100596-5.22742-X
  22. 22. Tanaka Y, Sasaki N, Ohmiya A. Biosynthesis of plant pigments: anthocyanins, betalains and carotenoids. Plant Journal. 2008;54(4):733–49. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-313X.2008.03447.x
  23. 23. Bajpai A, Muthukumar M, Kumar S. Mango functional genomics. In: The Mango Genome. Cham: Springer International Publishing; 2021. p. 195–217. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-47829-2_12
  24. 24. Klee HJ, Giovannoni JJ. Genetics and control of tomato fruit ripening and quality attributes. Annual Review of Genetics. 2011;45(1):41–59. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-genet-110410-132507
  25. 25. Cara B, Giovannoni JJ. Molecular biology of ethylene during tomato fruit development and maturation. Plant Science. 2008;175(1–2):106–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2008.03.021
  26. 26. Wang D, Samsulrizal NH, Yan C, Allcock NS, Craigon J, Blanco-Ulate B, et al. Characterization of CRISPR mutants targeting genes modulating pectin degradation in ripening tomato. Plant Physiology. 2019;179(2):544–57.
  27. 27. Watkins CB. The use of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on fruits and vegetables. Biotechnology Advances. 2006;24(4):389–409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biotechadv.2006.01.005
  28. 28. Gapper NE, McQuinn RP, Giovannoni JJ. Molecular and genetic regulation of fruit ripening. Plant Molecular Biology. 2013;82(6):575–91. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11103-013-0050-3
  29. 29. Kubo Y. Ethylene, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and temperature in postharvest physiology. In: Abiotic stress biology in horticultural plants. Tokyo: Springer Japan; 2014. p. 17–33. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55251-2_2
  30. 30. Liu B, Xin Q, Zhang M, Chen J, Lu Q, Zhou X, et al. Research progress on mango post-harvest ripening physiology and the regulatory technologies. Foods. 2023;12(1):173. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12010173
  31. 31. Zaharah SS, Singh Z, Symons GM, Reid JB. Role of brassinosteroids, ethylene, abscisic acid, and indole-3-acetic acid in mango fruit ripening. Journal of Plant Growth Regulation. 2012;31(3):363–72. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-011-9245-5
  32. 32. Bambalele NL, Mditshwa A, Magwaza LS, Tesfay SZ. Recent advances on postharvest technologies of mango fruit: a review. International Journal of Fruit Science. 2021;21(1):565–86. https://doi.org/10.1080/15538362.2021.1918605
  33. 33. Sui Y, Li Z, Xiao X, Deng W, Duan B. The role of induced resistance in mitigating postharvest fungal diseases in fruits and vegetables. Journal of Advanced Research. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2025.08.037
  34. 34. Kankam F, Larbi-Koranteng S, Adomako J, Kwodaga JK, Akpatsu IB, Danso Y, et al. Anthracnose disease of mango: epidemiology, impact and management options. In: Current and emerging challenges in the diseases of trees. London: IntechOpen; 2022. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.105934
  35. 35. Gariba AA, Amoah RS, Honger JO. Characterization of Lasiodiplodia theobromae causing post-harvest stem-end rot disease of mango and its management using synthetic fungicides. Archives of Phytopathology and Plant Protection. 2025;58(14):794–810. https://doi.org/10.1080/03235408.2025.2533445
  36. 36. Gariba AA, Amoah RS, Honger JO, Deha CI. A comprehensive review of post-harvest stem end rot of mango caused by Lasiodiplodia theobromae. Preprints. 2025. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202511.1970.v1
  37. 37. Liu J, Yang L, Zhou J, Cai G, Li X, Lu J. Alternaria alternata causing postharvest fruit rot of Mangifera indica in China. Plant Disease. 2019;103(10):2683. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-04-19-0801-PDN
  38. 38. Krishnapillai N, Vijayakumaran WR. Aspergillus rot of ripe mangoes (Mangifera indica L.) var. Ambalavi, Willard and Karuthakolumban. Journal of the National Science Foundation of Sri Lanka. 2013;41(1):95–8. https://doi.org/10.4038/jnsfsr.v41i1.5335
  39. 39. Bautista-Baños S, Bosquez-Molina E, Barrera-Necha LL. Rhizopus stolonifer (soft rot). In: Postharvest decay. San Diego: Academic Press; 2014. p. 1–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-411552-1.00001-6
  40. 40. Li SN, Zhang WM. Occurrence of postharvest fruit rot of mango caused by Fusarium pernambucanum in China. Plant Disease. 2023;107(8):2526. https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-02-23-0275-PDN
  41. 41. Zakaria L. An overview of major Penicillium species associated with plant diseases. Journal of Fungi. 2026;12(4):286. https://doi.org/10.3390/jof12040286
  42. 42. Johnson G, Cooke T, Mead A. Infection and quiescence of mango stem-end rot pathogens. In: IV International Mango Symposium. Acta Horticulturae. 1993;341:329–36. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1993.341.36
  43. 43. Davidzon M, Alkan N, Kobiler I, Prusky D. Acidification by gluconic acid of mango fruit tissue during colonization via stem end infection by Phomopsis mangiferae. Postharvest Biology and Technology. 2010;55(2):71–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2009.08.009
  44. 44. Snowdon AL. A colour atlas of post-harvest diseases and disorders of fruits and vegetables. Vol. 1. General introduction and fruits. London: Wolfe Scientific; 1990.
  45. 45. Bautista-Baños S, editor. Postharvest decay: control strategies. San Diego: Academic Press; 2014.
  46. 46. Shukla PK. Mango fruit diseases management to reduce postharvest rotting. Indian Horticulture. 2021;66(4).
  47. 47. Cantu D, Vicente AR, Greve LC, Dewey FM, Bennett AB, Labavitch JM, et al. The intersection between cell wall disassembly, ripening, and fruit susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2008;105(3):859–64. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0709813105
  48. 48. Prusky D, Alkan N, Mengiste T, Fluhr R. Quiescent and necrotrophic lifestyle choice during postharvest disease development. Annual Review of Phytopathology. 2013;51(1):155–76. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-phyto-082712-102349
  49. 49. Blanco-Ulate B, Morales-Cruz A, Amrine KC, Labavitch JM, Powell AL, Cantu D. Genome-wide transcriptional profiling of Botrytis cinerea genes targeting plant cell walls during infections of different hosts. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2014;5:435. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2014.00435
  50. 50. Cantu D, Blanco-Ulate B, Yang L, Labavitch JM, Bennett AB, Powell AL. Ripening-regulated susceptibility of tomato fruit to Botrytis cinerea requires NOR but not RIN or ethylene. Plant Physiology. 2009;150(3):1434–49. https://doi.org/10.1104/pp.109.138701
  51. 51. Blanco-Ulate B, Vincenti E, Powell AL, Cantu D. Tomato transcriptome and mutant analyses suggest a role for plant stress hormones in the interaction between fruit and Botrytis cinerea. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2013;4:142. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2013.00142
  52. 52. Alkan N, Friedlander G, Ment D, Prusky D, Fluhr R. Simultaneous transcriptome analysis of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and tomato fruit pathosystem reveals novel fungal pathogenicity and fruit defense strategies. New Phytologist. 2015;205(2):801–15. https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.13087
  53. 53. Petrasch S, Knapp SJ, Van Kan JAL, Blanco-Ulate B. Grey mould of strawberry, a devastating disease caused by the ubiquitous necrotrophic fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea. Molecular Plant Pathology. 2019;20(6):877–92. https://doi.org/10.1111/mpp.12794
  54. 54. Riechmann JL, Heard J, Martin G, Reuber L, Jiang CZ, Keddie J, et al. Arabidopsis transcription factors: genome-wide comparative analysis among eukaryotes. Science. 2000;290(5499):2105–10. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.290.5499.2105
  55. 55. Jaganathan D, Ramasamy K, Sellamuthu G, Jayabalan S, Venkataraman G. CRISPR for crop improvement: an update review. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2018;9:985. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2018.00985
  56. 56. Gao C. Genome engineering for crop improvement and future agriculture. Cell. 2021;184(6):1621–35. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2021.01.005
  57. 57. Fletcher SJ, Reeves PT, Hoang BT, Mitter N. A perspective on RNAi-based biopesticides. Frontiers in Plant Science. 2020;11:51. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2020.00051
  58. 58. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Genome editing and agrifood systems: regulatory and policy considerations. Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations; 2023.
  59. 59. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Considerations for the safety assessment of plants developed using genome editing techniques. Paris: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development; 2024.
  60. 60. Singh PK, Gautam S. Role of salicylic acid on physiological and biochemical mechanism of salinity stress tolerance in plants. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum. 2013;35(8):2345–53. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-013-1279-9
  61. 61. Singh BP, Tandon DK, Kalra SK. Changes in postharvest quality of mangoes affected by preharvest application of calcium salts. Scientia Horticulturae. 1993;54(3):211–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4238(93)90089-9
  62. 62. Chouhan A, Bisen B, Nagaveni SR, Kumar L. Effect of potassium nitrate (KNO₃) and gibberellic acid (GA₃) on fruit retention and yield of mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Amrapali. Journal of Experimental Agriculture International. 2025;47(4):340–6. https://doi.org/10.9734/jeai/2025/v47i43383
  63. 63. Lurie S, Paliyath G. Enhancing postharvest shelf life and quality in horticultural commodities using 1-MCP technology. In: Postharvest Biology and Technology of Fruits, Vegetables, and Flowers. 2008. p. 139.
  64. 64. Anwar R, Malik AU. Effect of hot water treatment on storage life and quality of mango (Mangifera indica L.). In: XXVII International Horticultural Congress-IHC2006: International Symposium on the Role of Postharvest Technology. Acta Horticulturae. 2007;768:201–7. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2008.768.24
  65. 65. Tavassoli-Kafrani E, Gamage MV, Dumée LF, Kong L, Zhao S. Edible films and coatings for shelf life extension of mango: a review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition. 2022;62(9):2432–59. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2020.1853038
  66. 66. Hodges DM, Lester GE, Munro KD, Toivonen PM. Oxidative stress: importance for postharvest quality. HortScience. 2004;39(5):924–9. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.39.5.924
  67. 67. Jogaiah S, Mujtaba AG, Mujtaba M, De Britto S, Geetha N, Belorkar SA, et al. Chitosan-metal and metal oxide nanocomposites for active and intelligent food packaging: a comprehensive review of emerging trends and associated challenges. Carbohydrate Polymers. 2025;357:123459. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carbpol.2025.123459
  68. 68. Kah M, Kookana RS, Gogos A, Bucheli TD. A critical evaluation of nanopesticides and nano fertilizers against their conventional analogues. Nature Nanotechnology. 2018;13(8):677–84. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41565-018-0131-1
  69. 69. Zhang Y, Gao Z, Hu M, Pan Y, Xu X, Zhang Z. Delay of ripening and senescence in mango fruit by 6-benzylaminopurine is associated with inhibition of ethylene biosynthesis and membrane lipid catabolism. Postharvest Biology and Technology. 2022;185:111797. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2021.111797
  70. 70. Kaur K, Kaur G, Brar JS. Pre-harvest application of hexanal formulations for improving post-harvest life and quality of mango (Mangifera indica L.) cv. Dashehari. Journal of Food Science and Technology. 2020;57(11):4257–64. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-020-04464-9
  71. 71. Kosugi Y, Matsuoka A, Higashi A, Toyohara N, Satoh S. 2-Aminooxyisobutyric acid inhibits the in vitro activities of both 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase and ACC oxidase in ethylene biosynthetic pathway and prolongs vase life of cut carnation flowers. Journal of Plant Biology. 2014;57(4):218–24. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12374-014-0180-4
  72. 72. Kim YT, Ha ST, Chun I, In BC. Inhibition of ethylene binding and biosynthesis maintains fruit quality of 'Formosa' plums during postharvest storage. Horticultural Science and Technology. 2021;39(3):368–78. https://doi.org/10.7235/HORT.20210033
  73. 73. Li C, Yu W, Liao W. Role of nitric oxide in postharvest senescence of fruits. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022;23(17):10046. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231710046
  74. 74. Abdel-Sattar M, Al-Obeed RS, Lisek A, Eshra DH. Enhancing Anna apples' productivity, physico-chemical properties, and marketability using sprays of naphthalene acetic acid and inhibitors of ethylene for alleviating abiotic stresses. Horticulturae. 2023;9(7):755. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9070755
  75. 75. Valero D, Martínez-Romero D, Valverde JM, Guillen F, Serrano M. Quality improvement and extension of shelf life by 1-methylcyclopropene in plum as affected by ripening stage at harvest. Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies. 2003;4(3):339–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1466-8564(03)00038-9
  76. 76. Deng X, Zhu F, Qiao H, Shangguan W, Yu Q, Sharma S, et al. Navigating the future of nano-pesticides: a perspective on design, efficacy, mechanisms, and environmental stewardship. iMeta. 2026:e70129. https://doi.org/10.1002/imt2.70129
  77. 77. Zhang J, Ma Y, Dong C, Terry LA, Watkins CB, Yu Z, et al. Meta-analysis of the effects of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment on climacteric fruit ripening. Horticulture Research. 2020;7:208. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41438-020-00405-x
  78. 78. Qin Q, Wang L, Wang Q, Wang R, Li C, Qiao Y, et al. Postharvest flavor quality changes and preservation strategies for peach fruits: a comprehensive review. Plants. 2025;14(9):1310. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14091310
  79. 79. Muengkaew R, Whangchai K, Chaiprasart P. Application of calcium-boron improve fruit quality, cell characteristics, and effective softening enzyme activity after harvest in mango fruit (Mangifera indica L.). Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology. 2018;59(4):537–46. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13580-018-0059-2
  80. 80. Huang T, Liu G, Zhu L, Liu J, Xiang Y, Xu X, et al. Mitigation of chilling injury in mango fruit by methyl jasmonate is associated with regulation of antioxidant capacity and energy homeostasis. Postharvest Biology and Technology. 2024;211:112801. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2024.112801

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.