Effects of planting practices and postharvest strategies on fruit quality: a systematic review of the literature

This literature review addresses research questions that explore emerging trends and prospective knowledge areas within fruit quality; the findings guide suggestions for new fields of research. The article presents results based on a systematic literature review methodology supported by text-mining-based inquiry techniques and scientific rigor to minimize bias. The search spanned the period from 2019 to 2025, drawing on data from reputable scientific databases such as Scopus and Web of Science. For this study, 1,146 articles were selected and analyzed under inclusion and exclusion criteria using the PRISMA methodology. The findings indicate that harvesting practices that enhance fruit quality are associated with the application of phytohormones such as methyl jasmonate (MeJA), salicylic acid (SA), and hexanal. During the postharvest stage, the application of 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and salicylic acid is recommended. The analyzed technologies are not applied simultaneously and depend on the crop type and its phenological development stage. This review highlights current research trends aimed at ensuring fruit quality and encourages further research to advance integrated fields of knowledge within a scientific agenda focused on sustainability.