Transcriptomic and Functional Insights of Calcium Suppresses Grape Berry Cracking: Antioxidant Activation, ABA Pathway Modulation, and VITPL1-Mediated Cell Wall Stability

Abstract

Calcium treatments are effective in reducing grapevine berry cracking. However, the underlying mechanism of calcium on grapevine berry cracking is not well-known. This work aims to explore the potential molecular mechanism of calcium treatment regulating grapevine berry cracking. 5 g/L of calcium chloride was sprayed at flowering period (A), early (B) and late (C) fruit development period of grapevine, non-calcium sprayed treatment as control (D). The molecular mechanism of calcium treatment on berry skin cracking was studied by RNA-seq. Meanwhile, the key genes [pectin lyase gene (VITPL1)] were analyzed for function verification of overexpression. The other glycan degradation, Peroxisome, Oxidative phosphorylation, Plant hormone signal transduction, and Diterpenoid biosynthesis (p