Linalool synthesis related PpTPS1 and PpTPS3 are activated by transcription factor PpERF61 whose expression is associated with DNA methylation during peach fruit ripening

•PpERF61 binds to the promoters of PpTPS1 and PpTPS3 and activated their transcription.•Overexpressing PpERF61 in peach fruit significantly promoted linalool accumulation.•PpERF61 expression correlated with linalool contents during peach fruit ripening and across 30 cultivars.•Demethylation of PpERF61 accompanied with increased linalool contents during peach fruit ripening.