Unravelling senescence: New opportunities for delaying the inevitable in harvested fruit and vegetables

Current technology for maintaining the postharvest quality of fresh produce relies on the precise control of storage temperature and/or atmosphere conditions. These technologies have evolved from over 70 years of largely empirical postharvest research. New knowledge about the mechanisms and control of senescence is emerging from biochemical and molecular studies, and is providing exciting opportunities to delay the inevitable loss of quality that accompanies the postharvest senescence of horticultural crops. This knowledge is generating elite plants that have altered postharvest characteristics, and will simplify the future development of effective postharvest technology.