Transcriptome and metabolome provide insights into fruit rip-ening of cherry tomato

Insights into flavor formation during fruit ripening can guide the development of breeding strawategies that balance consumer and producer needs. Cherry tomatoes possess a distinctive taste, yet research on quality formation is limited. Here, we conducted a combined metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis of cherry tomatoes to investigate the mechanisms underlying flavor formation during ripening. We selected the Yu-nu cultivar as the material due to its widespread cultivation in southeast China, as well as its reputation for high yield, medium firmness, and intense flavor. Considering the growth pattern and flavor changes, fruit samples at the mature green (MG), pink (Pk), and red ripe (RR) stages were collected for analysis.