Effects of Methyl Jasmonate on Quality and Phytochemical Contents of Postharvest ‘Kamphaeng Saen 42’ Mulberry Fruit

Abstract

The ‘Kamphaeng Saen 42’ mulberry fruit is consumed fresh and is rich in nutrients. However, it has a short shelf life of only 1-2 days under room temperature conditions. This research aimed to study the effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on quality and phytochemical content of postharvest 'Kamphaeng Saen 42' mulberry fruit. The fruits were fumigated with 0 (control), 10, and 20 µmolL-1 MeJA at 20 °C for 6 h, then stored at 10 ± 2 °C, 90 ± 2 relative humidity (RH) for 8 days. The results showed that fruits treated with 10 µmolL-1 MeJA were most effective in retarding weight loss, and all treated fruits tended to exhibit reduced spoilage compared to the control, although the differences were not significant. Additionally, fruit treated with 10 µmolL-1MeJA showed a significant increase in phytochemicals and antioxidant activities; their total ascorbic acid and total phenolic contents were higher than in other treatments (p<0.01). Fruit treated with 20 µmolL-1 MeJA had a significantly increased skin color change (p< 0.05), resulting in the highest anthocyanin content. These results suggested that MeJA treatment effectively maintains quality and boosts phytochemical content in postharvest 'Kamphaeng saen 42' mulberry fruit.