Differential Phenolic Compounds and Hormone Accumulation Patterns between Early- and Mid-Maturing Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium L.) Cultivars during Fruit Development and Ripening

Color acquisition is one of the most distinctive features fruit development and ripening processes. The color red closely related to accumulation polyphenolic compounds, mainly anthocyanins, during sweet cherry maturity. In non-climacteric species like cherry, maturity process controlled by phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA), though other hormones may also play a role. However, coordinated stage-specific production compounds their relation with hormone content variations have not been studied in depth fruits. To further understand dynamics these (hormones metabolites) development, two cultivars (Lapins Glenred) contrasting timing phenotypes were analyzed using targeted metabolic analysis. ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) approach revealed that phenolic acids, flavonols, flavan-3-ols accumulated until straw-yellow stage early-maturing cultivar, while was at green mid-maturing suggesting cultivar-dependent secondary metabolites. anthocyanins detected only from onward, whereas detection began pink cultivar. ABA negatively correlated (p-value < 0.05) flavonols both cultivars. anthocyanin increased same time early-season contrast, initiation started several days after increase Differential patterns GA4, antagonizing hormone, between could explain this difference. These results showed red-colored presented different plant underlying differences evolution.