Mango-fruit storage period and shelf life are prolonged by cold storage. However, chilling temperature induces physiological and molecular changes, compromising fruit quality. In our previous transcriptomic study of mango fruit, cold storage at suboptimal temperature (5 °C) activated the α-linolenic acid metabolic pathway. To evaluate changes in fruit quality during chilling, we analyzed mango "Keitt" fruit peel volatiles. GC-MS analysis revealed significant modulations in fruit volatiles during storage at suboptimal temperature. Fewer changes were seen in response to the time of storage. The mango volatiles related to aroma, such as δ-3-carene, (Z)-β-ocimene, and terpinolene, were downregulated during the storage at suboptimal temperature. In contrast, C6 and C9 aldehydes and alcohols-α-linolenic acid derivatives 1-hexanal, (Z)-3-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexenol, (E)-2-hexenal, and nonanal-were elevated during suboptimal-temperature storage, before chilling-injury symptoms appeared. Detection of those molecules before chilling symptoms could lead to a new agro-technology to avoid chilling injuries and maintain fruit quality during cold storage at the lowest possible temperature.
Keywords: chilling injuries; mango fruit; oxylipins; volatiles; α-linolenic acid-oxidation pathway.