Low-temperature conditioning induces chilling tolerance in stored mango fruit

- Low-temperature conditioning reduced the chilling injury in mango fruit.
- Low-temperature conditioning accelerated the softening in mango fruit.
- Low-temperature conditioning enhanced the soluble solids and proline content of mango fruit.
- Low-temperature conditioning reduced oxidative stress in mango fruit.
- Low-temperature conditioning resulted in a higher MiCBF1 expression in mango fruit.

In this study, mango fruit were pre-treated with low-temperature conditioning (LTC) at 12 °C for 24 h, followed by refrigeration at 5 °C for 25 days before removal to ambient temperature (25 °C) to investigate the effects and possible mechanisms of LTC on chilling injury (CI). The results showed that LTC effectively suppressed the development of CI in mango fruit, accelerated softening, and increased the soluble solids and proline content. Furthermore, LTC reduced electrolyte leakage, and levels of malondialdehyde, O2− and H2O2, maintaining membrane integrity. To reveal the molecular regulation of LTC on chilling tolerance in mango fruit, a C-repeat/dehydration-responsive element binding factor (CBF) gene, MiCBF1, was identified and its expression in response to LTC was examined using RT-qPCR. LTC resulted in a higher MiCBF1 expression. These findings suggest that LTC enhances chilling tolerance in mango fruit by inducing a series of physiological and molecular responses.