In addition to their high nutritional value [14], anthocyaninrich
purple tomatoes have 2-fold longer shelf life, the
combined result of increased resistance to opportunistic pathogens
and slower ripening at late stages. These traits are associated
with the accumulation of anthocyanins in tomatoes.
Anthocyanins specifically alter the spread of the ROS burst
generated as part of necrotrophic infection and so reduce susceptibility
to B. cinerea. Accumulation of anthocyanins results
in high hydrophilic antioxidant capacity, which reduces the
increase in ROS levels, that occurs late in fruit development,
and the reduction in ROS may suppress the later stages of
ripening (Figure 4F). The association of slower ripening with
elevated hydrophilic antioxidant capacity of fruit offers new,
yet broad, targets for breeders to extend the postharvest shelf
life of fruit. Additionally, anthocyanins could be used to reduce
the susceptibility of ripe fruit specifically to Botrytis cinerea,
the most important fungal pathogen of soft fruit.