Cold is one of the main abiotic stresses in temperate fruit crops, affecting the yield and fruit quality of apple in China and European countries. The plant receptor-like kinase FERONIA is widely reported to be involved in regulating resistance to abiotic stresses. However, its function in apple cold resistance remains unknown. Modification of cell wall components and accumulation of soluble sugars and amino acids are important strategies by which plants cope with cold.

In this study, expression of the apple FERONIA receptor-like kinase gene MdMRLK2 was rapidly induced by cold. Apple plants overexpressing MdMRLK2 (35S:MdMRLK2) showed enhanced cold resistance relative to the wild type. Under cold conditions, 35S:MdMRLK2 apple plants had higher contents of water insoluble pectin, lignin, cellulose, and hemicellulose which may have resulted from reduced activities of polygalacturonase, pectinate lyase, pectinesterase, and cellulase. More soluble sugars and free amino acids and less photosystem damage were also observed in 35S:MdMRLK2 apple plants.

Intriguingly, MdMRLK2 interacted with the transcription factor MdMYBPA1 and promoted its binding to MdANS and MdUFGT promoters, leading to more anthocyanin biosynthesis, especially under cold conditions. These findings complemented the function of apple FERONIA MdMRLK2 in the regulation of cold resistance.