postharvest decay

“Plants are constantly challenged by stressors, and they cannot actively escape. Therefore, they have developed sophisticated structures and mechanisms to survive,” says Ngakoana Raletsena.

Raletsena has been studying one of these mechanisms for her MSc.
“Plant cuticles cover the non-woody aerial plant organs,” she elaborates. “The cuticle consists of cutin and cuticular waxes, which are the main focus of my work.”