TITLE:
Potential Roles of Fatty Acids and Lipids in Postharvest Needle Abscission Physiology
AUTHORS:
Gaye E. MacDonald, Rajasekaran R. Lada, Claude D. Caldwell, Chibuike Udenigwe, Mason T. MacDonald
KEYWORDS:
Phospholipids, Galactolipids, Fatty Acids, Plant Growth Regulators, Abscission
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.10 No.6,
June
28,
2019
ABSTRACT: Our understanding of
postharvest needle abscission physiology in conifers has greatly improved in
the last decade. Abscission is initially triggered by root detachment, which
begins a cascade of changes such as decreased water uptake, water potential,
and auxins and increased membrane injury, ethylene, abscisic acid, volatile
terpenes, and catalytic enzymes. Needle abscission is also affected by
environmental factors. For example, a period of cold acclimation generally
delays postharvest abscission. The aforementioned pieces of evidence, along
with previous studies, strongly points to a role for plant lipids and fatty
acids. Studies from other species have pointed out key roles in abscission and
stress responses for a variety of phospholipids and galactolipids, which has
not been studied in balsam fir. It is imperative to have an understanding of
the role of plant lipids and fatty acids to further our overall understanding
of the physiological mechanisms of postharvest abscission and needle abscission
resistance. This review is an overview of membrane lipids and fatty acids,
changes that occur postharvest and the interaction that lipids may have in the
phenomenon of postharvest abscission.