Susan Zhang

All Publications

• Cell layer-specific cell wall modification is associated with exo-mesocarp split in pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY Zhang, S., Wang, M., Eagle, S., Chernikova, A., Bedell, K., Tran, P., Lee, C., Adaskaveg, J. A., Wei, Y., Lopez, R., Basco, A., Gordon, P., Blanco-Ulate, B., Monroe, G., Drakakaki, G. 2026

  Abstract

  Pistachio (Pistacia vera) is a drought and salinity-tolerant perennial whose fruit features a fleshy exo-mesocarp, or "hull," that protects the kernel. Hull development and degradation are key to kernel quality, yet the anatomy and mechanisms driving hull breakdown during late-stage development remain largely unknown. Here, we show that the hull contains anatomically distinct layers of hypodermal parenchyma and filler parenchyma. Using a combination of transcriptome analyses and immunohistochemistry, we show that changes in pectin associated gene expression and modification of this polysaccharide are involved in hull cell size increase, loss of cell-cell adhesion, and hull softening. Anatomical analysis shows that filler parenchyma expands during late-stage hull development while hypodermal parenchyma remains constant in size. Field data suggest that irrigation and humidity affect pistachio hull split, implicating a role for water status in cell expansion. In summary, the complex interplay between molecular, cellular, and environmental changes suggests that cell layer-specific modifications of the cell wall are linked to exo-mesocarp splitting, forming a model for understanding the mechanism of fruit split during ripening in non-berry fruit crops.

  View details for DOI 10.1093/jxb/eraf519

  View details for Web of Science ID 001656221700001

  View details for PubMedID 41327884