title: Water scarcity conditions affect peach fruit size and polyphenol contents more severely than other fruit quality traits.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The literature abounds with the impacts of drought conditions on the concentration of non-structural compounds (NSC) in peach fruits without distinction as to the direct effect of drought on fruit metabolism and its indirect effect through dilution. Moreover, there is a need to investigate the sensitivity of the fruit composition to progressive water deficit in semi-arid conditions, as well as the origin of variations in fruit composition - not only in carbohydrates and organic acids, but also in secondary metabolites such as polyphenols.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The increase in stress intensity resulted in smaller fruits and a reduction in yield. Drought increased fruit dry matter content, structural dry matter (SDM) content and firmness due to lower water import to fruits, although drought reduced fruit surface conductance and its transpiration. Drought significantly affected the concentrations of each NSC either through the decrease in dilution and/or modifications of their metabolism. The increase in hexoses and sorbitol concentrations of fruits grown under drought conditions resulted in an increase in the sweetness index but not near harvest. Malic acid concentration and content:SDM ratio increased as drought intensified, whereas those of citric and quinic acids decreased. Polyphenol concentration and content increased under severe drought.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increase in stress intensity strongly affected fruit mass. The concentration of total carbohydrates and organic acid at harvest increased mainly through a decrease in fruit dilution, whereas the concentrations of polyphenols were also strongly affected through an impact on their metabolism.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UR 1115, Plantes et Systèmes de culture Horticoles, P.O. Box 84914, Avignon, France; Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Faculty of Agriculture, P.O. Box 91775-1163, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Mitra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rahmati
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vercambre
authors.forename: Gholamhossein
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Davarynejad
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bannayan
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Azizi
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Génard
mesh_terms: D057914:Agricultural Irrigation; D000465:Algorithms; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D019343:Citric Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D018556:Crops, Agricultural / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis; D055864:Droughts; D063427:Food Quality; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000592:standards; D006601:Hexoses / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007492:Iran; D008293:Malates / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000068239:Prunus persica / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D011801:Quinic Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D012621:Seasons; D013012:Sorbitol / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological; D013499:Surface Properties
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D006601:Hexoses; D008293:Malates; D059808:Polyphenols; D011801:Quinic Acid; D019343:Citric Acid; D013012:Sorbitol; C030298:malic acid
keywords: Prunus persica L; carbohydrates; drought; fruit surface conductance; organic acid; structural material; sweetness index