Fruit softening correlates with enzymatic activities and compositional changes in fruit cell wall during growing in Lycium barbarum L.

Summary The present study aims to examine fruit cell wall‐associated fruit softening in Lycium barbarum L. by the microstructure of the fruit cells and the changes in the contents of cell wall components, molecular weights of cell wall polysaccharides and the activities of related cell wall degrading enzymes at different development stages of L. barbarum L. fruit. Fruit firmness significantly declined during ripening, with the greatest reduction between the 28 and 35 days stages. The decrease in firmness correlated with an extensively deformed microstructure in the parenchyma tissues and positively correlated with reductions in the contents of fruit cell wall materials and molecular weight in cell wall polysaccharide. Cellulase, α‐galactosidase, polygalactosidase and pectin methylesterase showed higher activities during 28 days; whereas, the activities of β‐galactosidase were higher during 35 days. These results indicate that cell wall‐related processes are a key feature of early softening in L. barbarum L.