Effect of pre-harvest application of salicylic acid, potassium silicate, and calcium chloride, on storability and quality attributes of table grape

Abstract

Pre-harvest application of potassium silicate, calcium chloride and salicylic acid as spraying treatments is a promising strategy for the management of fruit quality and exhibits a high potential in controlling post-harvest losses of horticultural crops. The aim of this study was to investigate the storability of ‘ARAA18’ cultivar after some pre-harvest treatments that were applied during two consecutive growing seasons. The ‘ARRA 18’ table grape variety is one of the ‘ARRA’ group varieties that have been recently introduced to Egypt. Treatments were applied as foliar sprays at three different stages during the growing season before harvest. The plants were sprayed with potassium silicate (K2SiO3), salicylic acid, and calcium chloride, while untreated vine trees sprayed with water served as control. Mature clusters were harvested, then placed in carton containers and stored in cold storage at 0±1 °C to study the storability of ‘ARRA18’. Records of physical and chemical quality parameters were taken at 7-day intervals. All treatments reduced weight loss, berry softening and decay incidence comparing to control under storage conditions. K2SiO3 generally showed the highest significant effect compared to other treatments and control. Hence, the use of (K2SiO3) at both applied concentrations and (SA) at 100 ppm, significantly proved to be the most effective treatments in keeping the overall quality of stored grapes.