EFFECT OF SOME PRE AND POSTHARVEST TREATMENTS ON GROWTH, YIELD, QUALITY AND STORABILITY OF PARSLEY

Abstract

This investigation were carried out during the winter season of 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 at the Agriculture Research Farm, El-Kassasien Hort. Res. Station, Ismalia Governorate, Egypt, and Handling Lab., Hort. Dept., Fac. Agric., Zagazig University, Egypt, to study the effect of foliar spray with calcium chloride (CaCl2) at 0.5 and 1% and magnesium chloride (MgCl2) at 0.2 and 0.4% as well as number of cuts on root system, vegetative growth, yield and oil yield of parsley plants (Petroselinum crispum Mill.) cv. local variety grown under sandy soil conditions. It aimed also to study the effect of the abovementioned treatments and two types of packaging bags (perforated and imperforated polypropylene bags) on storability of parsley plants during cold storage periods, (at harvesting, 7, 14 and 21 days). Significant increases in root system, vegetative growth characters yield and oil yield were recorded by foliar application with CaCl2 at 1% or MgCl2 at 0.4% without significant differences between them in most cases. The third cuts gave the highest values of root system, vegetative growth characters yield and oil yield as compared to the first and second cuts. Visual appearance, vitamin C and chlorophyll content of parsley plants were decreased as the storage period increased. Packing parsley herbs in perforated polypropylene bags recorded the best values of weight loss, visual appearance, vitamin C and total chlorophyll content as well as crude fiber % as compared to imperforated polypropylene bags. Parsley herbs obtained from plants treated with CaCl2 at 1% or MgCl2 at 0.4 % recorded the best values of weight loss,crude fiber %, higher general appearance and total chlorophyll content as well as vitamin C content during storage as compared with the control or other treatments.