The plant U-box E3 ubiquitin ligases-mediated ubiquitin/26S proteasome degradation system plays a key role in plant growth and development, however, it remains largely unknown how this system regulates non-climacteric fruit ripening. Yu et al. (see pp. 2043–2054) discovered that the E3 ligase VlPUB38 mediates abscisic acid (ABA) synthesis via 26S proteasome degradation and demonstrate its involvement in negatively regulating fruit ripening processes in grapes by mediating the degradation of key factor VlAAO in the ABA synthesis pathway. These findings not only provide a theoretical framework for ABA regulation of fruit ripening, but also have significant application value for extending fruit shelf life.