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Fruit fungal infection: Effects on sugar metabolism A study by researchers in China provides insights into changes to sugar metabolism during fungal infection in post-harvest peaches. Fungal infections and associated disease development can alter sugar metabolism in post-harvest fruits, leading to rapid decay and a short shelf life. However, little is known about the mechanisms behind these fungal infections. Xingfeng Shao and Yingying Wei at Ningbo University and co-workers examined the effect of brown rot, caused by a fungus called Monilinia fructicola, on sugar metabolism in two peach cultivars kept under chilled conditions. As the disease progressed, the fruit increased its energy supply by decomposing sucrose and generating more glucose. The team uncovered the major enzymes responsible for this sucrose decomposition. The increased glucose stimulated the Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway, which in turn helped the peaches fight infection.