Comparison of the expression of chlorophyll-degradation-related genes during ripening between stay-green and yellow-pear cultivars

•We examine the molecular mechanism of chlorophyll degradation of pear fruit.•‘Le Lectier’ pears turned yellow with concomitant loss of chlorophylls.•Chlorophyll content in ‘La France’ pears did not change significantly.•Several genes might be related to the stay-green characteristics.