Β-aminobutyric Acid Research Articles

The combined use of the antagonistic yeast Hanseniaspora uvarum with β-aminobutyric acid for the management of postharvest diseases of kiwifruit

Significant losses in harvested kiwifruit can be directly attributed to decay fungi. In the present study, the use of an antagonistic yeast, Hanseniasporauvarum, combined with β-aminobutyric acid (BABA), a non-proteinogenic amino acid, was evaluated as a treatment for controlling postharvest infections of kiwifruit, artificially-inoculated with either Botrytis cinerea or Alternaria alternata. Natural infection of treated kiwifruits was also assessed. H.uvarum or BABA as stand-alone treatment, significantly reduced gray mold (B. cinerea) and black rot (A. alternata) on kiwifruit, relative to untreated control fruit, and also reduced the level of natural infection. The combination of H.uvarum and BABA, however, provided a superior level of postharvest disease control compared to either treatment alone. The growth of H.uvarum growth in kiwifruit wounds was not affected by BABA. Treatment of kiwifruit with either H.uvarum or BABA individually or in combination induced the gene expression and enzyme activity of chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase in kiwifruit. The ability of BABA to enhance the biocontrol efficacy of H.uvarum may be partially attributed to the elicitation of defense response in kiwifruit. The combined use of H.uvarum and BABA represents a promising alternative approach to the use of synthetic fungicides for the control of postharvest diseases in kiwifruit.

β-aminobutyric acid induces disease resistance against Botrytis cinerea in grape berries by a cellular priming mechanism

The present study was performed to investigate the effect of β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) treatment on defence activation in grape berries and to analyse its cellular mechanism. The results implied that BABA treatment at an effective concentration of 20 mM significantly inhibited gray mould rot caused by Botrytis cinerea in grape berries by inducing resistance. Accordingly, 20 mM BABA triggered a priming defence in grape suspension cells, since only the BABA-treated cells exhibited an accelerated ability for augmenting defence responses upon the pathogen inoculation. The primed cellular reactions were related to an early H2O2 burst, prompt accumulation of stilbene phytoalexins and activation of PR genes. Thus, we assume that 20 mM BABA can induce resistance to B. cinerea infection in intact grape berries perhaps via intercellular priming defence. Moreover, the BABA-induced priming defence is verified, because no negative effects on cell growth, anthocyanin synthesis, and quality impairment in either grape cells or intact berries were observed under low pathogenic pressure.

Application of β-aminobutyric Acid and Spermidine Raise Drought Tolerance and Alleviate Oxidative Stress in Potted Chrysanthemum

Potted chrysanthemum is an important flower crop due to its economic value as a commercial pot ornamental plant.Chrysanthemum growth and development is drastically restricted by water deficit and the available information aboutwater stress alleviation in chrysanthemum is very limited. Although β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) and spermidine (Spd)are involved in drought tolerance, there is no reports about their applications on potted chrysanthemum. This experimentwas conducted, therefore, to study the impact of BABA or Spd application on drought tolerance of potted chrysanthemum.Two water levels were used in this experiment i.e. 100 % FC as well-watered treatment and 50 % FC as drought stresstreatment. BABA and Spd were each foliar applied at 0.2 or 0.4 mM while untreated plants were sprayed with distilledwater. Foliar application with BABA or Spd enhanced the growth characters, flower characters, relative water content(RWC), chlorophyll and proline contents of potted chrysanthemum under drought stress. Treatment of BABA or Spdreduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) content, H2O2 production and therefore maintained the membrane integrity indrought stressed plants. Additionally, the activities of catalase (CAT) and peroxidaes (POX) enzymes were improved dueto BABA or Spd foliar application in drought stressed plants. The current results suggest that BABA and Spd wereimplicated in drought stress adaptation of potted chrysanthemum through reducing lipid peroxidation, retaining the cellmembrane stability and motivating the antioxidant system

BABA-Induced DNA Methylome Adjustment to Intergenerational Defense Priming in Potato to Phytophthora infestans.

We provide evidence that alterations in DNA methylation patterns contribute to the regulation of stress-responsive gene expression for an intergenerational resistance of β-aminobutyric acid (BABA)-primed potato to Phytophthora infestans. Plants exposed to BABA rapidly modified their methylation capacity toward genome-wide DNA hypermethylation. De novo induced DNA methylation (5-mC) correlated with the up-regulation of Chromomethylase 3 (CMT3), Domains rearranged methyltransferase 2 (DRM2), and Repressor of silencing 1 (ROS1) genes in potato. BABA transiently activated DNA hypermethylation in the promoter region of the R3a resistance gene triggering its downregulation in the absence of the oomycete pathogen. However, in the successive stages of priming, an excessive DNA methylation state changed into demethylation with the active involvement of potato DNA glycosylases. Interestingly, the 5-mC–mediated changes were transmitted into the next generation in the form of intergenerational stress memory. Descendants of the primed potato, which derived from tubers or seeds carrying the less methylated R3a promoter, showed a higher transcription of R3a that associated with an augmented intergenerational resistance to virulent P. infestans when compared to the inoculated progeny of unprimed plants. Furthermore, our study revealed that enhanced transcription of some SA-dependent genes (NPR1, StWRKY1, and PR1) was not directly linked with DNA methylation changes in the promoter region of these genes, but was a consequence of methylation-dependent alterations in the transcriptional network.

β-Aminobutyric acid (BABA) priming and abiotic stresses: a review

β-Aminobutyric acid (BABA) priming and abiotic stresses: a review

Effect of immunity inductors on the structural and functional state of photosynthetic apparatus and oxidative status of cucumber plants (cucumis sativus l.) Infected by Fusarium oxysporum

The effect of inductors of the immune response of β-aminobutyric acid (BABA), β-1.3-glucan (GK), salicylic acid (SA) and their mixture on the structural and functional state of photosynthetic apparatus and the oxidative status of cucumber plants under infection by fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum was studied. It was found that the disorganizing effect of the pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxusporum in cucumber plants caused the suppression of the synthesis of photosynthetic pigments and the functional activity of the photosystem 2 in chloroplast membranes, as well as in changing the character of the redistribution of absorbed light energy, leading to a decrease in the photochemical energy conversion (qP) and enhancing non-photochemical quenching (qN) of chlorophyll. In this conditions intensification of lipid peroxidation processes was observed. The use of immunomodulators such as BABA, GK and SA promotes the improvement of the adaptive properties of the photosynthetic apparatus, and the reduction of oxidative processes activity in infected cucumber leaves, which indicates the protective role of these substances against the fusarious wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum.

β-Aminobutyric Acid Raises Salt Tolerance and Reorganises Some Physiological Characters in Calendula officinalis L. Plant

Salt stress is one of the main factors limiting plant growth and yield globally. Seed priming technique with different chemicals including β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) is found to be effective in enhancing plant growth and development under biotic and abiotic stresses. Scarce reports have been found about BABA seed priming in medicinal plants under stress conditions; however, several studies have been conducted on other crops but have not made an in-depth study to investigate biochemical and physiological changes. In current study the shoot growth, relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, nutrient content (N, P, K, Na and Cl), proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, antioxidants enzymes (CAT, SOD and POD), membrane stability index (MSI), total phenolic and flavonoids contents lipid peroxidation and membrane permeability were investigated in Calendula officinalis L. leaves due to BABA seed priming and/or salt stress treatment. Salt stress treatment significantly reduced the growth characters, inflorescence number as well as its fresh and dry weights, N, P and K contents in leaves, RWC, chlorophyll content, stomatal conductance, MSI and total phenolic and flavonoids contents of pot marigold. However, proline content, MDA accumulation, H2O2 content and antioxidant enzyme activity (CAT, SOD and POD) were increased due to salt stress. On the other hand, seed priming with BABA significantly improved the growth characters, inflorescence attributes and the previously mentioned physiological and biochemical parameters investigated relative to the control. Applying seed priming under salt stress conditions significantly mitigated the negative effects of salinity and enhanced the growth and productivity of pot marigold and therefore was suggested to be an effective technique prior to cultivation.

Developing Citrus Huanglongbing (HLB) Management Strategies Based on the Severity of Symptoms in HLB-Endemic Citrus-Producing Regions.

Citrus Huanglongbing (HLB), also known as greening, is a destructive disease caused by the fastidious, phloem-colonizing bacteria Candidatus Liberibacter spp.; 'Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus' (Las) is the most prevalent of the species causing HLB. The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP, Diaphorina citri) transmits Las. HLB is threatening citrus production worldwide, and there is no cure for infected trees. Management strategies targeting diseased trees at different stages of colonization by Las are needed for sustainable citrus production in HLB-endemic regions. We evaluated the effect of the combinations of plant defense elicitors, nitrogen (N) fertilizer, and compost on mildly diseased trees. We tested thermotherapy on severely diseased trees and assessed tree protectors to prevent feeding by ACP, thus preventing Las from being transmitted to new plantings that replaced HLB-moribund trees. After four applications over two consecutive growing seasons we found that the combination of compost, urea, and plant defense elicitors β-aminobutyric acid, plus ascorbic acid and potassium phosphite with or without salicylic acid, slowed down the progression of HLB and reduced disease severity by approximately 18%, compared with the untreated control. Our data showed no decline in fruit yield, indeed treatment resulted in a higher yield compared with the untreated control. Thermotherapy treatment (55°C for 2 min) exhibited a suppressive effect on growth of Las and progress of HLB in severely diseased trees for 2 to 3 months after treatment. The tree protectors prevented feeding by ACP, and therefore young replant trees remained healthy and free from infection by Las over the 2-year duration of the experiment. Taken together, these results may contribute to a basis for developing a targeted approach to control HLB based on stage of host colonization, application of plant defense elicitors, N fertilizer, compost, thermotherapy, and tree protectors. There is potential to implement these strategies in conjunction with other disease control measures to contribute to sustainable citrus production in HLB-endemic regions.

Kalliope Papadopoulou.

Kalliope Papadopoulou.

Single-dose β-aminobutyric acid treatment modifies tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) leaf acclimation to consecutive UV-B treatment.

β-Aminobutyric acid (BABA) pre-treatment has been shown to alter both biotic and abiotic stress responses. The present study extends this observation to acclimative UV-B-response, which has not been explored in this context so far. A single soil application of 300 ppm BABA modified the non-enzymatic antioxidant capacities and the leaf hydrogen peroxide levels in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) leaves in response to a 9-day treatment with 5.4 kJ m-2 d-1 biologically effective supplementary UV-B radiation in a model experiment that was performed in a growth chamber. BABA decreased leaf hydrogen peroxide levels both as a single factor and in combination with UV-B, but neither BABA nor UV-B affected leaf photochemistry significantly. The total antioxidant capacities were increased by either BABA or UV-B, and this response was additive in BABA pre-treated leaves. These results together with the observed changes in hydroxyl radical neutralising ability and non-enzymatic hydrogen peroxide antioxidant capacities show that BABA pre-treatment (i) has a long-term effect on leaf antioxidants even in the absence of other factors and (ii) modifies acclimative readjustment of prooxidant-antioxidant balance in response to UV-B. BABA-inducible antioxidants do not include phenolic compounds as a UV-B-induced increase in the adaxial leaf flavonoid index and total leaf extract UV absorption were unaffected by BABA.

Influence of different SAR elicitors on induction and expression of PR-proteins in Potato and Muskmelon against Oomycete pathogens

Two cultivars each of potato namely; Kufri Badshah, Kufri Jyoti and muskmelon namely; Kajri and Punjab Hybrid were treated with varying concentrations of four different elicitors for induction of systemic acquired resistance (SAR) against Phytophthora infestans causing late blight in potato and Pseudoperonospora cubensis causing downy mildew in muskmelon. Attempts were made to induce SAR with application of various SAR elicitors as spray i.e. Jasmonic acid (JA), Salicylic acid (SA), Benzothiadiazole (BTH) and Beta Amino butyric acid (BABA). These elicitors were sprayed on 3-week-old sprouts and effect on defence related proteins along with late blight and downy mildew severity was studied. Leaf samples were collected up to 7 days post treatment and used for estimation of total proteins. Sporangial solution (4.0 × 104 sporangia per ml) was sprayed after 1 week of elicitors spray. Per cent disease severity was recorded at 14 days post inoculation. SA, JA, BTH and BABA caused statistically significant (at 5% level) increase in total soluble protein in leaf samples. The best treatments for maximum induction of proteins were 500 μM each of SA, JA, and BTH and 50 mM for BABA. SDS–PAGE electrophoresis confirmed that exogenous application of JA, SA, BABA and BTH resulted in the induction of PR proteins of low molecular size along with some other proteins in both potato and muskmelon, which helped in induction of SAR against oomycete pathogens.

Resistance inducers and biochemical mechanisms in the control of anthracnose in cowpea

Different responses are observed in plants after infection by pathogens. The usage of systemic inducers, whether biotic or abiotic, has the function to increase the enzymatic production of the plant defense system. In that sense, our present research aims to evaluate the disease severity of anthracnose in the cowpea cultivar “sempre-verde” infected with Colletotrichum lindemuthianum URM 5771 and subjected to both biotic and abiotic resistance inducers, as well as evaluate the enzymatic activity of plant defense. The experiment was performed in a greenhouse with a completely randomized splitplot design with six treatments: four abiotic plant resistance inducers, acibenzolar-S-methyl, β-aminobutyric acid, chitosan, and salicylic acid; one biotic inducer, the filamentous fungi Trichoderma aureoviride URM 5158; and a control with only water. The plant leaves were sampled at four time points, 4, 8, 12 and 20 days after inoculation with the plant pathogen, to measure the enzymatic activity of β-1,3-glucanase, catalase, peroxidase, polyphenoloxidase, and protease. The abiotic inducers acibenzolar-S-methyl, β-aminobutyric acid, and chitosan and the biotic inducer presented the highest potential in reducing the anthracnose caused by C. lindemuthianum URM 5771 in cowpea plants by showing the lowest values of injury severity over time. The disease progression showed a proportionate shift in enzymatic activity in that the inducers salicylic acid and T. aureoviride URM 5158 promoted the highest enzymatic activity when compared to the other inducers. High correlations between the enzymatic activity of peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase and anthracnose severity were observed in cowpea plants. The use of abiotic and biotic resistance inducers presents high potential for anthracnose control in cowpea plants; however, more studies should be carried out covering different environments, plant cultivars and climatic conditions.

Accumulation patterns of endogenous β-aminobutyric acid during plant development and defence in Arabidopsis thaliana.

We recently discovered that β-aminobutyric acid (BABA), a molecule known for its ability to prime defences in plants, is a natural plant metabolite. However, the role played by endogenous BABA in plants is currently unknown. In this study we investigated the systemic accumulation of BABA during pathogen infection, levels of BABA during plant growth and development and analysed mutants possibly involved in BABA transport or regulation. BABA was quantified by LC-MS using an improved method adapted from a previously published protocol. Systemic accumulation of BABA was determined by analysing non-infected leaves and roots after localised infections with Plectosphaerella cucumerina or Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato (Pst) DC3000 avrRpt2. The levels of BABA were also quantified in different plant tissues and organs during normal plant growth, and in leaves during senescence. Mutants affecting amino acid transport (aap6, aap3, prot1 and gat1), γ-aminobutyric acid levels (pop2) and senescence/defence (cpr5-2) were analysed. BABA was found to accumulate only locally after bacterial or fungal infection, with no detectable increase in non-infected systemic plant parts. In leaves, BABA content increased during natural and induced senescence. Reproductive organs had the highest levels of BABA, and the mutant cpr5-2 produced constitutively high levels of BABA. Synthetic BABA is highly mobile in the receiving plant, whereas endogenous BABA appears to be produced and accumulated locally in a tissue-specific way. We discuss a possible role for BABA in age-related resistance and propose a comprehensive model for endogenous and synthetic BABA.

Plant Immunity Is Compartmentalized and Specialized in Roots.

Roots are important organs for plant survival. In recent years, clear differences between roots and shoots in their respective plant defense strategies have been highlighted. Some putative gene markers of defense responses usually used in leaves are less relevant in roots and are sometimes not even expressed. Immune responses in roots appear to be tissue-specific suggesting a compartmentalization of defense mechanisms in root systems. Furthermore, roots are able to activate specific defense mechanisms in response to various elicitors including Molecular/Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns, (MAMPs/PAMPs), signal compounds (e.g., hormones) and plant defense activator (e.g., β-aminobutyric acid, BABA). This review discusses recent findings in root defense mechanisms and illustrates the necessity to discover new root specific biomarkers. The development of new strategies to control root disease and improve crop quality will also be reviewed.

Preharvest β-aminobutyric acid treatment alleviates postharvest deterioration of ‘Bluecrop’ highbush blueberry fruit during refrigerated storage

We examined the effect of preharvest β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) treatment on postharvest quality and the softening of ‘Bluecrop’ highbush blueberry fruit during postharvest refrigerated storage. Reddish purple-colored fruit on shrubs were treated with 20 mM BABA and harvested 7 days after treatment when they turned dark purple. The harvested fruit were stored in clear polyethylene terephthalate clamshells at 2 °C for up to 20 days. Preharvest BABA treatment significantly delayed color changes, enhanced individual soluble sugars and organic acids, and reduced decay incidence. BABA-treated fruit also retained higher skin firmness throughout the storage period. Cell wall materials, closely associated with fruit softening, were significantly higher in BABA-treated fruit than in control. Moreover, preharvest BABA treatment significantly enhanced fruit pectin content at harvest and reduced activities of polygalacturonase and endo-1,4-β-xylanase, although hemicellulose content was unchanged. These results suggest that preharvest BABA treatment alleviates the deterioration of postharvest quality in ‘Bluecrop’ highbush blueberry fruit including skin firmness during refrigerated storage.

Regulation of redox status contributes to priming defense against Botrytis cinerea in grape berries treated with β-aminobutyric acid

This study aimed to determine the specific form of the disease resistance using BABA elicitation and to illustrate the involvement of an alteration of the redox status in the BABA-activated defense response in grape berries. The BABA treatment at 10 mmol L−1 primed the grape berries for efficient disease resistance against Botrytis cinerea infection, as exhibited by the significantly enhanced levels of PR genes upon the B. cinerea challenge. In addition, the priming defense was associated with the onset of the SA-dependent SAR reaction. The BABA treatment induced higher activities of key enzymes in PPP and ascorbate-glutathione cycle, thus promoting the pools of GSH and NADPH and correspondingly elevating the [NADPH]/[NADP+] and [GSH]/[GSSG] ratios, which shifted the cellular redox towards a highly reductive condition. Meanwhile, the BABA-treated fruits also showed higher contents of intercellular redox signalling molecules, such as NO and SA, than those in the controls. This increase in the redox status coincided with the enhanced expression of a series of PR genes and with lower disease incidence. In contrast, 6-AN completely diminished the increases in the NADPH and GSH pools elicited by BABA in grape berries in parallel with an inhibitory effect on induction of the PR genes transcript levels. Thus, these findings indicated that BABA can prohibit the oxidation of the redox state necessary for the induction of a priming response in grape berries against B. cinerea infection.

Starch degradation, abscisic acid and vesicular trafficking are important elements in callose priming by indole-3-carboxylic acid in response to Plectosphaerella cucumerina infection.

A fast callose accumulation has been shown to mediate defence priming in certain plant-pathogen interactions, but the events upstream of callose assembly following chemical priming are poorly understood, mainly because those steps comprise sugar transfer to the infection site. β-Amino butyric acid (BABA)-induced resistance in Arabidopsis against Plectosphaerella cucumerina is known to be mediated by callose priming. Indole-3-carboxylic acid (ICOOH, also known as I3CA) mediates BABA-induced resistance in Arabidopsis against P.cucumerina. This indolic compound is found in a common fingerprint of primed metabolites following treatments with various priming stimuli. In the present study, we show that I3CA induces resistance in Arabidopsis against P.cucumerina and primes enhancement of callose accumulation. I3CA treatment increased abscisic acid (ABA) levels before infection with P.cucumerina. An intact ABA synthesis pathway is needed to activate a starch amylase (BAM1) to trigger augmented callose deposition against P.cucumerina during I3CA-IR. To verify the relevance of the BAM1 amylase in I3CA-IR, knockdown mutants and overexpressors of the BAM1 gene were tested. The mutant bam1 was impaired to express I3CA-IR, but complemented 35S::BAM1-YFP lines in the background of bam1 restored an intact I3CA-IR and callose priming. Therefore, a more active starch metabolism is a committed step for I3CA-IR, inducing callose priming in adult plants. Additionally, I3CA treatments induced expression of the ubiquitin ligase ATL31 and syntaxin SYP131, suggesting that vesicular trafficking is relevant for callose priming. As a final element in the callose priming, an intact Powdery Mildew resistant4 (PMR4) gene is also essential to fully express I3CA-IR.

BABA-Primed Histone Modifications in Potato for Intergenerational Resistance to Phytophthora infestans.

In this paper we analyzed β-aminobutyric acid (BABA)-primed epigenetic adjustment of potato cv. “Sarpo Mira” to Phytophthora infestans. The first stress-free generation of the potato genotype obtained from BABA-primed parent plants via tubers and seeds showed pronounced resistance to the pathogen, which was tuned with the transcriptional memory of SA-responsive genes. During the early priming phase before the triggering stress, we found robust bistable deposition of histone marks (H3K4me2 and H3K27me3) on the NPR1 (Non-expressor of PR genes) and the SNI1 gene (Suppressor of NPR1, Inducible), in which transcription antagonized silencing. Switchable chromatin states of these adverse systemic acquired resistance (SAR) regulators probably reprogrammed responsiveness of the PR1 and PR2 genes and contributed to stress imprinting. The elevated levels of heritable H3K4me2 tag in the absence of transcription on SA-dependent genes in BABA-primed (F0) and its vegetative and generative progeny (F1) before pathogen challenge provided evidence for the epigenetic mark for intergenerational memory in potato. Moreover, our study revealed that histone acetylation was not critical for maintaining BABA-primed defense information until the plants were triggered with the virulent pathogen when rapid and boosted PRs gene expression probably required histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity both in F0 and F1 progeny.

Effect of β-Aminobutyric Acid on Disease Resistance Against Rhizopus Rot in Harvested Peaches.

The effect of β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) on Rhizopus rot produced by Rhizopus stolonifer in harvested peaches and the possible action modes were investigated. Treatment with 50 mmol L−1 of BABA resulted in significantly lower lesion diameter and disease incidence compared with the control. The activities of defense-related enzymes chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase were notably enhanced by this treatment. Meanwhile, BABA treatment also increased lignin accumulation and maintained higher energy status in peaches by enhancing activities of enzymes in the phenylpropanoid and energy metabolism pathways. Semiquantitative reverse transcription PCR results indicated that the transcription of four defense-related genes was substantially and rapidly enhanced only in that BABA-treated fruit upon inoculation with the pathogen. Thus, our results demonstrated that BABA was effective on controlling Rhizopus rot by inducing disease resistance, which includes the increase in gene transcription and activity of defense-related enzymes, the enhancement of cell wall strength, and the maintenance of high energy status in Prunus persica fruit. Moreover, the disease resistance induced by BABA was demonstrated through priming model rather than direct induction.

β-Aminobutyric acid treatment confers decay tolerance in strawberry fruit by warranting sufficient cellular energy providing

Abstract In this experiment, the mechanisms employed by β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) treatment to confer postharvest decay tolerance in strawberry fruit stored at 4 °C for 12 days were explored. Notably, BABA treatment at 25 mM conferred remarkably decay tolerance in strawberry fruit which was accompanied by higher membrane integrity representing by lower malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation. Strawberry fruit treated with BABA exhibited remarkably higher cellular energy providing arising from higher H+-ATPase, Ca2+-ATPase, cytochrome c oxidase (CCO), and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) enzymes activity. Additionally, strawberry fruit treated with BABA exhibited remarkably higher superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) enzymes activity resulting in lower H2O2 accumulation. Also, higher phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) enzyme activity may be accountable for higher phenols and anthocyanins accumulation in strawberry fruit treated with BABA leading to superior DPPH scavenging capacity. Finally, strawberry fruit treated with BABA exhibited remarkably lower membrane degrading enzymes phospholipase D (PLD) and lipoxygenase (LOX) activity. According to our results, postharvest 25 mM BABA applying may be considered as a favourable strategy not only for conferring decay tolerance of strawberry fruit by warranting sufficient cellular energy providing, triggering H2O2 scavenging enzymes activity, enhancing phenols and anthocyanins accumulation and hampering membrane degrading enzymes activity which not only are vital for preserving membrane integrity, but also are crucial for keeping nutritional quality of strawberry fruit during postharvest cold storage.