Combining metabolomics to analyze the effects of cell wall component and stone cells on fruit texture in Dangshan pear

In recent years, the fruit texture of Dangshan pear has deteriorated, the fruit firmness near the kernel has increased significantly, and the fruit utilization rate has decreased. To reveal the main influencing factors of the difference in fruit firmness between the near-kernel part and the near-exocarp part of Dangshan pear and improve the fruit quality. This study investigates the fruit texture, stone cell content, cell wall components, and metabolomics of Dangshan pear near the kernel and exocarp across various developmental stages. Lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose demonstrate a significant positive correlation with stone cell content; the correlation coefficients are, respectively, 0.61, 0.86, and 0.84. The Dangshan pear's pectin breaks down, the density of stone cells decreases, and the fruit softens 102 days after flowering (DAF). The accumulation patterns of succinate, 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)propanoic acid, and 3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)propanoic acid in the phenylalanine metabolism pathway; myo-inositol, d-tagatose, and fructose 6-phosphate in the galactose metabolism pathway; and succinate, L-malic acid, and lactate in the pyruvate metabolism pathway are linked to the texture variations of the fruit in the near-kernel and near-exocarp parts of the Dangshan pear, according to metabolomics analysis.