Haiya Xu

Sanmen County Kedi Family Farm, Sanmen, 317108, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Plant Gene and Trait, 2026, Vol. 17, No. 2   
Received: 22 Mar., 2026    Accepted: 18 Apr., 2026    Published: 25 Apr., 2026

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Strawberry flavor quality is a pivotal factor determining its commercial value and consumer acceptance; among its attributes, sweetness and acidity serve as core sensory indicators that directly influence fruit palatability and market competitiveness. This paper systematically reviews the research progress regarding sweetness and acidity traits in strawberries. Drawing upon both sensory evaluation and physicochemical foundations, it analyzes the compositional characteristics of sugars and organic acids, as well as the dynamic patterns of their accumulation. Furthermore, the paper elucidates the metabolic pathways for carbohydrates and organic acids—including the regulatory mechanisms of key enzymes—and summarizes the genetic basis and molecular regulatory networks underlying these traits. Building upon this foundation, the study explores the impact of environmental factors and cultivation practices on sugar and acid accumulation, as well as the application of both traditional and molecular-assisted breeding techniques in quality improvement. Concurrently, through case studies of exemplary high-quality varieties, the paper reveals practical strategies and demonstrated outcomes for the improvement of sweetness and acidity traits. Finally, integrating the advancements in multi-omics technologies and precision breeding, the paper outlines future directions for research into strawberry flavor quality. This review aims to provide a theoretical basis and technical reference for the selection and breeding of high-quality, high-sweetness, and low-acidity strawberry varieties, as well as for the overall upgrading of the strawberry industry.

Strawberry; Sweetness; Acidity; Sugar-acid metabolism; Molecular breeding