Low Temperature Increases Ethylene Sensitivity in Actinidia chinensis ‘Rainbow Red’ Kiwifruit

Abstract

Premature softening during low-temperature storage is a major issue in the red kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis Planch.) cultivar ‘Rainbow Red’. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of low temperature on ethylene sensitivity in this cultivar. We demonstrate how ethylene preconditioning at 4°C and 25°C interacted with more rapidly ripening at the lower temperature in ‘Rainbow Red’ kiwifruit. The expression of ripening-related genes ACS1, ACO3, EIL4, ERF14, and PGB was at the basal level during ethylene preconditioning at 4°C and 25°C, and rapidly increased with ethylene treatment following ripening. These results suggest that low-temperature storage enhances ethylene sensitivity in ‘Rainbow Red’.