Abstract
This study evaluated the effect of preharvest treatments with salicylates (salicylic acid (SA), methyl salicylic acid (MeSA) and acetyl salicylic acid (ASA)) on fruit quality parameters and primary and secondary metabolites during ripening at five sampling dates. The results showed that salicylates affect overall fruit quality, and some very desirable and important properties of strawberry fruits were acquired by the treatments, such as a deeper red colour (decreased hue angle), delayed ripening process with maintenance of higher fruit firmness, and higher sugar and ascorbic acid content. HPLC-MS analysis of the phenolic contents showed at almost all sampling dates that treatment with salicylates increased the content of some phenolic groups, the contents of the hydroxycinnamic acids (SA: up to 18%; MeSA: up to 13% increase), flavanols (SA: up to 27%, MeSA: up to 36% and ASA: up to 24% increase), anthocyanins (SA: up to 51%, MeSA: up to 33% and ASA: up to 28% increase) and also flavonol glycosides such as flavones. Total phenolics in fruits also increased-up to 27% with SA and up to 28% with MeSA. In general, better fruit quality and higher metabolite content were obtained with SA.
Highlights
Fruit firmness (Table 1) was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in most strawberry fruits treated with Salicylic Acid (SA), Acetyl Salicylic Acid (ASA) and Methyl Salicylic Acid (MeSA) than in controls at all sampling dates except 7 days after salicylate treatments
When sampled 72 h after treatment with salicylates, a significantly lower (p < 0.05) hue angle was observed in fruits treated with SA compared to all other treatments
The increased total anthocyanin content in treated fruits resulted in a deeper red colour, which was confirmed by the measured decreasing hue angle. This is a very desirable and important property that the strawberries acquired by treatment with salicylates, since such strawberries are more appreciated by consumers [25]. The results of this one-year study suggest that salicylates may improve some highly desirable and important characteristics of strawberries, such as a deeper red colour, delayed ripening by maintaining fruit firmness, and a higher content of sugars, ascorbic acid and phenolics
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) fruits are appreciated worldwide for their juicy texture, red colour, sweet taste and good source of ascorbic acid, minerals and antioxidative compounds [1,2]. Susceptibility to fungal diseases and short postharvest life are the most undesirable characteristics of strawberry fruit. Scientists are looking for various means of improving the shelf life and quality of strawberry fruit [3]
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