Cracking the Code of the Perfect Plum
Ever bite into a plum that’s just right, with the perfect mix of firm skin, soft flesh, and juicy sweetness? Hitting that Goldilocks balance starts long before fruit reaches the shelf.
Here in California, researchers have been digging deep, right down to the genes, to understand what makes some plums ripen quickly while others take their time. Midway through the season, the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences announced a breakthrough. Postdoctoral scholar Po-Kai Huang identified three groups of genes that control how plums soften as they ripen. He also discovered two other key players: a hormone called jasmonate and special proteins known as NAC transcription factors that help guide the process.
As Professor Diane Beckles explains, “This was the first comprehensive map of the plum’s softening genes. These families are large and complex, and they had been under-reported before.”
It is a discovery that could reshape breeding, harvesting, and storage for California’s $700-million stone fruit industry.
To learn more, visit https://ucanr.edu/blog/food-blog/article/plum-breeding-gets-boost-new-gene-catalog
