Abstract
The short shelf-life and loss of bioactive compounds of strawberry fruit are the most important problems during strawberry refrigerated storage. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of the pre-harvest foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) (2 and 4 mM), abscisic acid (ABA) (0.25 and 0.50 mM), and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) (0.25 and 0.50 mM) three times, 10 d apart, at fruit development and ripening stages on storage ability and bioactive compounds of strawberry fruit (cv. Festival) stored at 4 °C for 12 d. Our results showed that fruit obtained from both concentrations of ABA and 0.25 mM MeJA was firmer and had higher total soluble solids (TSS) than fruit from non-treated plants. However, all previous applications had no significant effect on weight loss, pH, or color. Applications of 4 mM SA and 0.25 mM MeJA conserved fruit from ascorbic acid (AsA) loss compared to control at the end of the storage period. In addition, all pre-harvest applications remained higher in total phenolic compounds (TPC) and anthocyanin contents compared to controls at the last storage period. Hence, the pre-harvest application of SA, ABA, and MeJA could be used to conserve TPC and anthocyanin as well as the quality of strawberry fruits during refrigerated storage.
Highlights
Strawberry (Fragaria × anannasa Duch) is the most important cultivated crop belonging to the Rosaceae family
The firmness of strawberry fruit decreased with increasing storage time (Supplementary Table S1), ranging from 2.63 N to 3.27 N and from 1.27 to 1.57 N at harvest time and after 12 d of storage, respectively
Our results showed that fruits treated with 0.25 mM methyl jasmonate (MeJA) had a positive role in conserving firmness after 8 and 12 d of refrigerated storage
Summary
Strawberry (Fragaria × anannasa Duch) is the most important cultivated crop belonging to the Rosaceae family. It is a highly nutritious and health-promoting food due to its high vitamin (C and E), mineral, and phytochemical content, including anthocyanins and phenolic compounds [1]. The storability of strawberry fruit is very limited due to its high water content, high respiration rate, and water loss rate [3]. Strawberry fruit is classified as a non-climacteric and highly perishable fruit. The fruits should be harvested at the fully mature stage to obtain the best visual and nutritional quality. High fruit loss percentages were recorded during post-harvest operations and refrigerated storage.
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