Programmed cell death in the postharvest context

Programmed cell death (PCD) describes the death of plant and animal cells by processes under genetic control. In plants, processes associated with PCD have been identified in the hypersensitive response and tissue differentiation. The potential involvement of PCD in plant senescence and in response to altered temperatures and gas concentrations has implications for postharvest science. However, there is still little evidence for the full PCD or apoptotic pathway proceeding in such instances. Various features of PCD are involved, and study of these provides new information on nuclear changes, signalling and proteolytic metabolism under postharvest conditions.