Search for Expression Marker Genes That Reflect the Physiological Conditions of Blossom End Enlargement Occurrence in Cucumber.

Blossom end enlargement (BEE) is a postharvest deformation that may be related to the influx of photosynthetic assimilates before harvest. To elucidate the mechanism by which BEE occurs, expression marker genes that indicate the physiological condition of BEE-symptomatic fruit are necessary. First, we discovered that preharvest treatment with a synthetic cytokinin, N-(2-Chloro-4-pyridyl)-N'-phenylurea (CPPU), promoted fruit growth and suppressed BEE occurrence. This suggests that excessive assimilate influx is not a main cause of BEE occurrence. Subsequently, the expression levels of seven sugar-starvation marker genes, , , , , , , and , were compared among symptomatic and asymptomatic fruits, combined with and without CPPU treatment. Only showed a higher expression level in asymptomatic fruits than in symptomatic fruits, regardless of CPPU treatment. This was then tested using fruits stored via the modified-atmosphere packaging technique, which resulted in a lower occurrence of BEE, and the asymptomatic fruits showed a higher expression level than symptomatic fruits, regardless of the packaging method. codes a CCCH-type zinc finger protein, and an increase in the expression of was correlated with a decrease in the fruit respiration rate. Thus, may be usable as a BEE expression marker gene.