Effect of Some Postharvest Treatments on Reducing Chilling Injury of Cucumber Fruits during Cold Storage.

Abstract

Cucumber (Cucumus sativus, L.) Barakoda F1 hybrid plants were grown under plastic house condition at Experimental Farm for Central Lab. For Agri. Climate in Giza Governorate during two successive of 2017 and 2018 seasons to study the effect of hot water, chitosan, methyl jasmonate, potassium silicate and salicylic acid treatments as postharvest treatments in maintaining the quality and reducing chilling injury (CI) of cucumber fruits during cold storage for 16 days at 5o C plus two days at 15o C. Cucumber fruits dipped in methyl jasmonate, potassium silicate and salicylic acid did not develop any symptoms of chilling ingury during all storage period plus shelf life. These treatments also maintained fruit firmness, retained more green color, reduced weight loss and did not show any decay until the end of storage period plus shelf life. The onset of CI symptoms in fruits was delayed by hot water and chitosan treatments, these treatments reduced the rate of CI development. Cucumber fruits dipped in salicylic acid and potassium silicate treatments did not appear changes in their flavor till 12 days, at 5o C + 2 days at 15o C and give typical flavor cucumber fruits at the end of storage plus shelf life. Moreover, methyl jasmonate and chitosan or untreated control resulted in non-typical flavor cucumber after (16 days at 5o C + 2 days at 15o C). So, salicylic acid or potassium silicate treatments were the most effective treatments in maintaining fruit quality, give typical flavor fruits and gave fruits without decay or CI symptoms and gave good appearance till16 days at 5o C plus two days at 15o C.