Abstract
Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS), derived through hydrolysis of chitosan, has been proved to be an effective plant immunity elicitor, eco-friendly, and easily soluble in water, and influenced several secondary metabolites content to improve fruit qualities. COS are widely used in agriculture to improve the defense response in plants. The purpose of this study was to investigate the pre-harvest treatment effect of COS on the quality of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa cv. qingxiang). COS was dissolved in distilled water at a concentration of 50 mg·L−1 and sprayed at four different growth stages of strawberry plants, namely seedling stage, before flowering, fruit coloring (the stage of fruit from white to red) and full bloom. Uniform size, shape, color, without any visible damage, and disease-free fruits were harvested for determining the quality. The results showed that the fruit firmness, viscosity, lignin, sugars, protein, total soluble solid, and titratable acidity content increased in COS-treated fruits compared to control. In addition, COS pre-harvest treatment had a positive effect on anthocyanin, total phenol, flavonoid, vitamin C content and DPPH(2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) scavenging activity of strawberry. Moreover, COS also increased the cell wall composition and regulated gene expression of some important enzymes involved in ethylene compound biosynthesis and cell wall degradation. The finding of this study suggests that pre-harvest application of COS is very useful for improving quality and antioxidant capacity of strawberry.
Highlights
Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa cv. qingxiang) is one of the most popular and widely consumed berries due to its taste, sweetness and healthy function
The results of the present study indicate that the pre-harvest spraying of Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) seemed to have a beneficial impact on quality improvement of strawberry
Fruit treated with COS had positive effect on fruit firmness, viscosity, lignin, vitamin C, total phenol and antioxidant activity
Summary
Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa cv. qingxiang) is one of the most popular and widely consumed berries due to its taste, sweetness and healthy function. The taste of strawberry is related to its hardness, viscosity, sugars, protein, total soluble solid, and titratable acidity content [1]. It is a good source of polyphenolic compounds such as flavanols and has antioxidant activity [2]. This, together with higher vitamin C content in strawberries, contributes beneficial effects on the maintenance of consumer health [3]. Nowadays, consumers demand more natural, environmentally friendly fruit production, with high quality and without any chemical preservatives and pesticide residues [5]. To decrease the pesticide residues and to enhance the nutritional quality of fruits and vegetables, an effective eco-friendly compound is essential
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