Comprehensive profiling unveils insights into cultivar-depending correlations of volatile substances to postharvest quality resistance of fresh hot peppers by microbiomics integrated with metabomics.

Hot peppers are much preferred for preparing cuisine or seasoning. However, decay poses considerable losses of fresh peppers after harvest. In this study, difference of resistance against postharvest decay of six cultivar fresh hot peppers was evaluated, and causing pathogenic fungi were identified. Epiphytic and endophytic fungal communities, and volatile organic compounds of pepper cultivars were characterized by microbiomics integrated with metabolomics. Results indicated that 'Xiaomijiao' and 'Erjingtiao', identified as disease-resistant cultivars, exhibit distinct microbial community compositions compared to susceptible cultivars, with differences in community evenness and co-occurrence patterns. Cultivar-depending correlation of key volatile substances to disease resistance of fresh peppers was comprehensively profiled. (E)-2-hexenal was proved highly associated with the resistance of cultivars, but negatively correlated the infections by Colletotrichum jasminigenum and Colletotrichum truncatum. The results association novel insights into understanding fruit resistance and would provide a promising approach for the control of postharvest decay of fresh hot peppers.