Metabolomics integrated with transcriptomics unveil the regulatory pathways of modified atmosphere packaging–maintained leaf quality of Chinese flowering cabbage

•MAP delayed senescence and maintained leaf quality of Chinese flowering cabbage.•A total of 575 DAMs and 12,470 DEGs were obtained.•DEGs and DAMs were enriched in metabolism of chlorophyll degradation, sugar, amino acid, phenolic acid and flavonoids.•Metabolic and regulatory pathways related to MAP modulation were illustrated. Chinese flowering cabbage has a limited shelf-life because of rapid leaf senescence and serious quality deterioration. Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) is an effective technology used to preserve fresh vegetables. However, its underpinning mechanism is largely unknown. This study found that MAP prevented the decline in chlorophyll loss and Fv/Fm ratio, and kept higher levels of soluble sugars, total phenols and flavonoids, remarkably dampening leaf senescence and maintaining quality of harvested Chinese flowering cabbage. Moreover, in total, 575 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) and 12,470 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained. Additionally, 151 transcription factors (TFs) were significantly differentially expressed. Importantly, we further developed complex regulatory networks incorporating crucial structural genes and TFs contributing to metabolism of chlorophyll, soluble sugars, amino acids, phenolic acids and flavonoids in postharvest Chinese flowering cabbage. Above all, our findings provide new insights into the regulatory pathways of MAP-maintained leaf quality in postharvest Chinese flowering cabbage.