Effects Of Postharvest Treatments Research Articles

The Effects of Post-Harvest Treatments on the Quality of Agastache aurantiaca Edible Flowers

Agastache spp. are used as ornamental plants for their pleasant aroma and the different colors of flowers. Nowadays, their edible flowers have become attractive for their nutraceutical properties. Post-harvest treatment appears as a crucial point to avoid impairment of the nutraceutical compounds and aroma, so different treatments were tested to analyze their effect on the bioactive metabolites and volatilome. Results indicated that freeze-drying was the best solution to prolong the shelf life of these flowers. The use of high temperatures (50, 60, 70 °C) led to altered the composition of antioxidant compounds (phenolic compounds, flavonoids, anthocyanins, carotenoids). Air-drying at 30 °C was a reasonable method, even though time consuming. Concerning the aroma profile, all samples were dominated by oxygenated monoterpene compounds. Pulegone was the main or one of the major constituents of all samples together with p-menthone. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry results showed a correlation between the temperature and the number of identified compounds. Both fresh and freeze-dried samples evidenced a lesser number (10 and 19, respectively); when the temperature raised, the number of identified constituents increased. Statistical analyses highlighted significant differences between almost all aromatic compounds, even if both Principal Component and Hierarchical Cluster analyses differed at 60 and 70 °C and from the other treatments.

Drying methods and structure-activity relationships of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives in Idesia polycarpa Maxim. Leaves.

Idesia polycarpa Maxim. leaves are an excellent source of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives and have drawn special attention due to their various biological activities. However, the effects of post-harvest treatment on the structure-activity relationships of hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives in leaves of I. polycarpa are still unknown. In the current study, we compared the contents of unstable compounds in leaves with four drying methods, namely sun-drying, freeze-drying, shade-drying, and oven-drying. We found that the four hydroxycinnamic acid derivative isomers of leaves were significantly affected after drying processing with four different drying methods. Consequently, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the variation of these compounds during the drying processes have been well elucidated: UV lighting induced the isomerization of 1-[(6'-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl)-β-d-glucopyranosyl]-oxy-2-phenol (1) and 1-[(4'-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl)-β-d-glucopyranosyl]-oxy-2-phenol (3) into 1-[(6'-O-(Z)-p-coumaroyl)-β-d-glucopyranosyl]-oxy-2-phenol (2) and 1-[(4'-O-(Z)-p-coumaroyl)-β-d-glucopyranosyl]-oxy-2-phenol (4). Also, heat (exceeding 20 °C) led to the rearrangement of the (E/Z)-p-coumaric acid moiety of compounds 3 and 4, of which the 4-O-acylglucoses changed into the 6-O-acylglucoses to generate compounds 1 and 2, respectively. Interestingly, the hepatocyte-free fatty acid accumulation in OA-induced steatosis-conditioned HepG2 cells decreased by 65.00%, 10.69%, and 47.00%, respectively, following treatment with compounds 2, 3 and 4, and compound 1 presented no lipid-lowering activity. In addition, the bioactivities of compounds 2 and 4 were substantially enhanced by 58.42% and 25.33% with the sun-drying method compared to the freeze-dying methods. Our study suggests that sun-drying processing is the best method among the four drying processing methods of I. polycarpa Maxim. leaves.

Effect of post-harvest treatments on quality attributes like total soluble solids, total sugar and reducing sugar of langra mangoes (Mangifera indica L.) during storage

The effect of calcium salts (calcium nitrate and calcium chloride) and Gibberellic acid on quality attributes and consumer’s acceptability of Langra mangoes during storage was examined. The fruits were treated with Ca(NO3)2 at the concentration of 1, 2 and 3 per cent, CaCl2 at the concentration of 1, 2 and 3 per cent and GA3 at the concentration of 50, 100 and 150 ppm. Water treated fruits were taken as control. Data were recorded in respect of TSS, reducing sugars and total sugars under influence of these treatments. All treatments were found effective in maintaining the higher level of these quality attributes of fruits during entire course of the experiment. At end of trial, Ca(NO3)2 at 2% was proved as the best treatment in respect of TSS, reducing sugars and total sugars and was able to maintain the level of these up to 24.32%, 9.00% and 20.05% respectively.

Effect of post-harvest treatments on physiological loss in weight and fungal spoilage of Langra mangoes (Mangifera Indica L.) during storage

The effect of calcium salts (calcium nitrate and calcium chloride) and Gibberellic acid on physiological loss in weight (PLW %), spoilage loss (%), economic life (days) and intensity of rotting of fruits during storage of Langra mangoes was studied. The fruits were treated with Ca(NO3)2 at the concentration of 1,2 and 3 per cent, CaCl2 at the concentration of 1,2 and 3 per cent and GA3 at the concentration of 50, 100 and 150 ppm. Untreated fruits served as the control. All treatments exhibited significant reduction in PLW and spoilage loss, increased economic life and delay in the onset of pathogenic invasion. At end of experiment, GA3 100 ppm and Ca(NO3)2 at 2 per cent proved most promising treatment in these regards and were able to restrict the PLW at 17.86and18.33, Spoilage at 12.00 and 12.65 per cent respectively which was recorded 49.87 and 38.76 per cent respectively in case of control. The economic life under these treatments was 15 and 12 days in comparison to 6 days under control. These treatments were also proved excellent in restricting the invasion of pathogen up to 12th day of storage whereas fruits under control were found heavily infected on this day. The microorganism associated with the decay was identified as Aspergillus niger.

Effect of post-harvest treatments on biochemical properties of Kinnow fruits during storage at room temperature

The present investigation was carried out in the PG Laboratory of the Department of Horticulture, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during the years 2019 and 2020. Kinnow fruits harvested from the orchard were treated with different chemicals prior to storage at room temperature. Minimum total soluble solids, total sugars, reducing sugars and non-reducing sugars were observed in Kinnow fruits treated with 1mM salicylic acid. During storage, Total soluble solids, total sugars, reducing sugars and non-reducing sugars increased with the prolongation of storage period. TSS was minimum on zero day of storage and maximum on 28th day of storage during both the years of study.

Comparative assessment of apple fruit storability during storage in different modes of the cooled medium

The article presents the research results of the effect of post-harvest treatment with Phytomag preparation of fruits of 21 apple tree varieties of domestic and foreign breeding on their storability and quality. The purpose of the research is to determine the effectiveness of the combined effect of such technological techniques as post-harvest fruit treatment with Phytomag preparation and their storage in conventional (CGD) and regulated (RGD) gas dynamics on the formation of quality and storability of apples grown in the Crimea. The data obtained showed that the treatment of fruits with an ethylene inhibitor Phytomag during storage in conventional and regulated gas dynamics reduces losses, depending on the variety, by 1.5-1.8 times. It is established that the processed fruits retain their original marketable appearance, have high quality components during the entire storage period and after opening the refrigerating chambers, selling the fruits and bringing them to the consumer. It is proved that in the conditions of the Crimea such varieties as Tavria, Krymskoye Zimnee, Krymskoye, Orion, Kimmeria, Brebern, Fuji, Idared, Pink Lady can be successfully stored in a conventional gas dynamic with post-harvest treatment with preparation inhibiting ethylene synthesis. The advantage of storage in regulated gas dynamic was shown by the varieties Aromat Kryma, Predgornoye, Golden Delicious, Crispin, Granny Smith, Glouster, Gala, Jonagold.

The Effects of Postharvest Treatments and Sunlight Exposure on the Reproductive Capability and Viability of Phyllosticta citricarpa in Citrus Black Spot Fruit Lesions.

Citrus black spot (CBS) is caused by Phyllosticta citricarpa, which is classified as a quarantine organism in certain countries whose concerns are that CBS-infected fruit may be a pathway for introduction of the pathogen. This study evaluated the reproductive capability and viability of P. citricarpa under simulated conditions in which the whole fruit, peel segments, or citrus pulp with CBS lesions were discarded. Naturally infected ‘Midknight’ Valencia orange and ‘Eureka’ lemon fruit, either treated using standard postharvest sanitation, fungicide, and wax coating treatments or untreated, were placed into cold storage for 5 weeks (oranges at 4 °C and lemons at 7 °C). Thereafter, treated and untreated fruit were incubated for a further 2 weeks at conditions conducive for CBS symptom expression and formation of pycnidia. The ability of pycnidia to secrete viable pycnidiospores after whole fruit and peel segments or peel pieces from citrus pulp were exposed to sunlight at warm temperatures (±28 °C) and ±75% relative humidity levels was then investigated. The combination of postharvest treatments and cold storage effectively controlled CBS latent infections (>83.6% control) and pycnidium formation (<1.4% of lesions formed pycnidia), and the wax coating completely inhibited pycnidiospore release in fruit and peel segments. Pycnidiospores were secreted only from lesions on untreated fruit and peel segments and at low levels (4.3–8.6%) from peel pieces from pulped treated fruit. However, spore release rapidly declined when exposed to sunlight conditions (1.4% and 0% after 2 and 3 days, respectively). The generally poor reproductive ability and viability of CBS fruit lesions on harvested fruit, particularly when exposed to sunlight conditions, supports the conclusion that citrus fruit without leaves is not an epidemiologically significant pathway for the entry, establishment, and spread of P. citricarpa.

Use of cumin and lavender essential oils to control phoma exigua var. foveata on potato during storage

The antifungal activity of essential oils against Phoma exigua var foveata, was investigated by analyzing its inhibitory effect on the gangrene of potato tubers. The results showed that mycelium growth and spore germination of Phoma was suppressed by treatment with essential oils, and the inhibitory effect strongly correlated with the concentration of essential oils used in this study. The effectiveness of post-harvest treatment with essential oils was studied for induced resistance to Phoma rot in tubers of two potato varieties (Kolobok and Sante). The results showed the fungicidal effect of cumin and lavender essential oils against phomosis at concentrations of 0.1, 0.2, and 0.4, significant inhibition of mycelium growth (18.1-100%), and viability of conidia (12.8-100%) compared to the control. Moreover, both oils at a concentration of 0.4% caused 100% inhibition of mycelium growth and spore germination. Treatment with oils at a concentration of 0.01-0.04 l/t significantly reduced the degree of damage to tubers infected with phomosis. However, cumin essential oil at a concentration of 0.04 l/t had the greatest effect 97.1% compared to lavender oil 95.4%.

Effect of post-harvest treatments on physico-chemical changes during ripening of papaya cv. red lady

Papaya fruits Cv. Red Lady treated with ethylene of different concentrations i.e. 60, 80, 100 and 120 ppm for five minutes at different temperature conditions viz., 16, 20, 24 and 28 ºC and 95% RH ripened in ripening chamber and untreated fruits kept at ambient temperature (30-35 ºC). Then the papaya fruits were analyzed for physico-chemical changes and sensory qualities. It was found that papaya fruits exposed to ethylene gas in the ripening chamber triggered the ripening process and showed that the increasing trends in L*, a*, b* values of colour, TSS (°Brix), Weight loss (%), reducing sugars (%) and decreasing trends in firmness (N), Titratable acidity (TA) during ripening in all the treatment combinations during advancement of ripening period from second day to eighth day. It was observed that papaya fruits Cv. Red Lady ripened by ethylene of 100 ppm for 5 minutes at 24 ºC, 95% RH showed better results in respect of a high overall acceptability score of 8.63.

Postharvest benzothiazole treatment enhances healing in mechanically damaged sweet potato by activating the phenylpropanoid metabolism.

Sweet potato often suffers mechanical damage during harvest, handling, and transportation. Infections, water loss, and quality changes of sweet potato caused by mechanical damage pose great financial losses. Wound healing is an effective method to alleviate such problems. In this study, the effects of postharvest treatment with benzothiazole (BTH) on wound healing of sweet potato was investigated. Postharvest BTH treatment of sweet potatoes promoted lignin accumulation in wounded tissues, and 100 mg L-1 BTH exhibited better effects than 50 mg L-1 or 150 mg L-1 BTH. The biosynthesis of lignin in wounded tissues significantly decreased the weight loss of sweet potatoes. An increase in respiration intensity after BTH treatment was observed. The total phenolic and flavonoid contents and the activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase were increased in BTH-treated sweet potatoes. This suggests that BTH increases phenylpropanoid metabolism. Postharvest 100 mg L-1 BTH treatment could promote wound healing in mechanically damaged sweet potatoes. The activation of the phenylpropanoid metabolism might be the mechanism of action of BTH in wound healing. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Research ofwintergarlic storage depending on the elements of the post-harvest refinement

The object of research is the effect of post-harvest treatment with biological products on the safety of winter garlic. One of the most problematic places is to increase the shelf life of winter garlic for food and at the same time reduce disease damage. Processing of products with biological preparations before laying them in storage, the active strains of which are able to suppress the development of plant diseases, reduce production losses during storage.During the study, varieties of Merefiansky white and Merefiansky pinkwinter garlic grown in the forest-steppe of Ukraine are used. The preparations Gliokladin and Phytosporin are used at a concentration of 2% during the growing season and before being stored. Natural losses, the number of sprouted bulbs of garlic and affected by microbiological diseases, the total losses and the yield of standard products are determined.Processing vegetable products with biological products of various actions helps to extend the shelf life and increase the yield of standard products at the end of storage. It was found that treatment with biological products reduces the incidence of garlic diseases. After 6 months of storage, the untreated bulbs defy themselves with diseases of 8.33–8.93 %. Treatment with Phytosporin reduces the damage to microorganisms to 6.28–6.88 %. The most effective is the treatment of bulbs with Glyocladine. The number of affected bulbs decreases to 2.67–2.69 %. Biological treatment most suppresses the development of fusarium and bacteriosis. The number of affected bulbs is 0.2–0.65 and 1.1–1.6 %, respectively.The safety of winter garlic has a strong direct relationship with weight loss, the number of people affected by diseases and the amount of sprouted bulbs. The processing of garlic by biological preparations for storage does not ensure complete elimination of the harmful species, but only reduces the harmfulness of microorganisms to an acceptable level.The proposed method for processing garlic bulbs with biological products before storage will reduce losses and extend the period of consumption. In the development of new, low-cost, environmentally friendly and affordable storage technologies, this is an important technique.

Effect of post harvest treatments on physico-chemical characteristics and quality of pomegranate in cold storage and ambient conditions

Freshly harvested pomegranate fruits of Bhagwa variety were treated with three types of lac based wax (SH-01, SH-02 & SH-03) developed by Indian Institute of Natural Gums and Resins, Ranchi. The fruits were dipped in five concentrations of lac based wax (0, 6, 12, 18 and 20%) and stored at room temperature (RT; 19.7 to 26.9°C and 41.0 to 70.2%RH) and in cold storage (CS; 8°C and 90.0 to 95.0% RH) with three replications in Factorial Completely Randomized Design during the years 2013–2015. Results indicated that there was an increase in total soluble solids, sugars, physiological loss in weight with corresponding decrease in aril percentage, rind percentage, juice percentage, acidity, anthocyanin and firmness irrespective of post harvest treatments. The physico-chemical changes were slower in cold storage as compared to room temperature storage. It was also observed that the shelf life of pomegranate fruits Cv. Bhagwa treated with SH-03 (20%) lac based wax could be extended upto 52 days in cold storage as compared to 12 days at room temperature storage with overall acceptability and organoleptic score of 8.71 and 7.86 in CS and RT, respectively.

Effect of postharvest treatments on shelf life and quality of litchi stored at ambient temperature

Treatments that extend the postharvest life are essential in developing countries like Bangladesh, where the infrastructure of the cold chain is often lacking. The shelf life and quality of litchi fruits treated with, calcium chloride, oxalic acid 2 mM + bavistin 0.05% + ice, ice treatment, ice + oxalic acid 2 mM + bavistin 0.05%, ice + oxalic acid 2 mM, wash with clean water and control (no treatment); and two postharvest packaging system, i.e., non-packaging and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) packaging were studied. All tested treatments indicated a significant delay in the change of disease incidence, shelf life, physiological loss in weight, firmness, pericarp browning index, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity, vitamin C content, and pH in postharvest litchi fruits compared to control. The decreased rate was lower in physiological weight loss and disease incidence in fruits coated with oxalic acid 2 mM + bavistin 0.05% + ice in combination with the use of polyethylene bags at ambient temperature.

Effect of postharvest treatments on shelf life and quality of litchi stored at ambient temperature

Effect of postharvest treatments on shelf life and quality of litchi stored at ambient temperature

Effect of post-harvest treatments on shelf life and physico-chemical changes of Guava fruits

The study was carried out at Post Harvest Laboratory, College of Agriculture, JNKVV, Jabalpur during the year 2018, on various ripening related changes in guava fruits to determine appropriate maturity stage and postharvest treatment for better quality and desirable shelf life under room storage. Effect of post harvest treatments with Calcium chloride (1and 2%), Calcium nitrate (0.5 and 1%) and Azadirachta decoction (10 and 20%) on the storage behaviour of guava fruits harvested at colour turning stages during storage at room temperature were studied. Fruits were kept in tray and dipped each for (2 or 4) minutes, storage at room temperature and evaluated after 3, 6, 9 and 12 days for various physico-chemical attributes like. The maximum physiological weight loss (23.34%) in untreated fruits and minimum (16.59%) in calcium nitrate (1%) treated, the maximum fruit length of (5.50cm) was recorded in calcium nitrate (1%) treated and the minimum (4.33cm) in control, the maximum fruit diameter (5.92cm) was recorded under calcium nitrate (1%) treatment and minimum (5.28cm) under control treatment, the maximum fruit volume was recorded (125.27ml) under calcium nitrate (1%) treated fruit treatment and the minimum (92.80ml) in control, the maximum fruit decay percent was recorded in T1 (control) 12.38 % and minimum 6.14 % was recorded in the Azadirachta decoction treatment fruits after 9th and 12th days. No decayed fruits were observed among all calcium treatments at the end of storage period (12 days), the maximum total sugar was recorded (7.09%) in calcium nitrate (1%) treated and minimum (6.23%) in untreated fruits. It was observed that PLW increased, fruits length, diameter and volume decreased during storage irrespective of maturity stages and Calcium treatments studied. Total sugar, increased upto 6 days with all the treatments except control but subsequently decreased thereafter during storage. However, mature green stage fruits exhibited longer shelf life and better fruit quality with all the Calcium treatments compared to calcium treatments stage during storage. Similarly, calcium proved beneficial in delaying the ripening related changes in guava fruits, while application of Ca(NO3)2 (1%) recorded a potential shelf life of 12 days under storage.

Blood oranges maintain bioactive compounds and nutritional quality by postharvest treatments with γ-aminobutyric acid, methyl jasmonate or methyl salicylate during cold storage

The effects of postharvest treatments with γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA) or methyl salicylate (MeSA) on antioxidant systems and sensory quality of blood oranges during cold storage were evaluated (150 days at 3 °C plus 2 days at 20 °C, shelf life). Fruit firmness, titratable acidity (TA), total antioxidant activity (TAA) and ascorbic acid (AA) decreased during cold storage, all these changes being delayed in treated fruit, with the greatest differences observed with the 50 µmol L−1 MeJA and 100 µmol L−1 MeSA treatments. Total phenolic content (TPC), total anthocyanin content (TAC) and the major individual anthocyanins, cyanidin 3-glucoside and cyanidin 3-(6″-malonylglucoside), were found at higher concentration in treated fruit than in control during the whole cold storage period. Overall, 100 µmol L−1 MeSA was the most effective for maintaining fruit quality and maintained higher anthocyanin concentration due to higher phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) and lower polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activities.

Benzo-(1, 2, 3)-thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid s-methyl ester (BTH) promotes tuber wound healing of potato by elevation of phenylpropanoid metabolism

Suberization induced by wounding is essential to the healing process decreasing pathogen infection and water loss. The effect of postharvest treatment with benzo-(1, 2, 3)-thiadiazole-7-carbothioic acid s-methyl ester (BTH) on tuber wound healing was investigated on potato (cv. Longshu No. 3). BTH treatment reduced weight loss and disease index caused by Fusarium sulphureum of the tubers, and enhanced the firmness of healing tissues. The elevated autofluorescence intensity of suberin and stained lignin thickness indicated effects of BTH dipping during healing. The contents of major substrates of suberin synthesis, cinnamic, caffeic and ferulic acids increased in BTH-treated tubers along with the phenols and lignin contents. These biochemical changes during wound healing were correlated with the increased activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, cinnamate-4-hydroxylase, 4-coumaryl-CoA ligase and cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase. The presented results suggested that BTH treatment stimulated wound-induced suberization in harvested potato tubers and reduced fungal dry rot by elevating the metabolism of phenylpropanoid pathway.

Gamma Irradiation Influences the Survival and Regrowth of Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria and Antibiotic-Resistance Genes on Romaine Lettuce.

Contamination of romaine lettuce with human pathogens, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) occurs during production. Post-harvest interventions are emplaced to mitigate pathogens, but could also mitigate ARB and ARGs on vegetables. The objective of this research was to determine changes to lettuce phyllosphere microbiota, inoculated ARB, and the resistome (profile of ARGs) following washing with a sanitizer, gamma irradiation, and cold storage. To simulate potential sources of pre-harvest contamination, romaine lettuce leaves were inoculated with compost slurry containing antibiotic-resistant strains of pathogenic (Escherichia coli O157:H7) and representative of spoilage bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Various combinations of washing with sodium hypochlorite (50 ppm free chlorine), packaging under modified atmosphere (98% nitrogen), irradiating (1.0 kGy) and storing at 4°C for 1 day versus 14 days were compared. Effects of post-harvest treatments on the resistome were profiled by shotgun metagenomic sequencing. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing was performed to determine changes to the phyllosphere microbiota. Survival and regrowth of inoculated ARB were evaluated by enumeration on selective media. Washing lettuce in water containing sanitizer was associated with reduced abundance of ARG classes that confer resistance to glycopeptides, β-lactams, phenicols, and sulfonamides (Wilcoxon, p < 0.05). Washing followed by irradiation resulted in a different resistome chiefly due to reductions in multidrug, triclosan, polymyxin, β-lactam, and quinolone ARG classes (Wilcoxon, p < 0.05). Irradiation followed by storage at 4°C for 14 days led to distinct changes to the β-diversity of the host bacteria of ARGs compared to 1 day after treatment (ANOSIM, R = 0.331; p = 0.003). Storage of washed and irradiated lettuce at 4°C for 14 days increased the relative abundance of Pseudomonadaceae and Carnobacteriaceae (Wilcoxon, p < 0.05), two groups whose presence correlated with detection of 10 ARG classes on the lettuce phyllosphere (p < 0.05). Irradiation resulted in a significant reduction (∼3.5 log CFU/g) of inoculated strains of E. coli O157:H7 and P. aeruginosa (ANOVA, p < 0.05). Results indicate that washing, irradiation and storage of modified atmosphere packaged lettuce at 4°C are effective strategies to reduce antibiotic-resistant E. coli O157:H7 and P. aeruginosa and relative abundance of various ARG classes.

Sodium silicate prime defense responses in harvested muskmelon by regulating mitochondrial energy metabolism and reactive oxygen species production

The effects of postharvest treatment with sodium silicate (Si) (100 mM) on mitochondrial ROS production and energy metabolism of the muskmelon fruits (cv. Yujinxiang) on development of defense responses to Trichothecium roseum were studied. Si treatment decreased decay severity of inoculated muskmelons, enhanced the activities of energy metabolism of key enzymes and kept the intracellular ATP at a higher level; meanwhile, Si also induced the mtROS accumulation such as H2O2 and superoxide anion. TMT-based quantitative proteomics analysis revealed that a total of 24 proteins with significant differences in abundance involved in energy metabolism, defense and stress responses, glycolytic and TCA cycle, and oxidation-reduction process. It is suggested by our study that melon fruit mitochondria, when induced by Si treatments, play a key role in priming of host resistance against T. roseum infection through the regulation of energy metabolism and ROS production in the pathogen infected muskmelon fruits.

Defense Responses, Induced by p-Coumaric Acid and Methyl p-Coumarate, of Jujube ( Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) Fruit against Black Spot Rot Caused by Alternaria alternata.

The esterified fraction of jujube ( Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) peel extract showed strong antifungal activity on Alternaria alternata. p-Coumaric acid (pCA) was found to be the most predominant individual phenolic acid that was correlated highly with the antifungal activity of the esterified fraction. Thus, effects of postharvest treatments with pCA and its simplest esterified derivative methyl p-coumarate (MeCA) against black spot rot on jujube fruit caused by A. alternata were investigated. pCA and MeCA strongly suppressed in vitro growth of the fungus and significantly reduced postharvest Alternaria rot on fresh jujubes. Biochemical and transcriptional analysis revealed that pCA and MeCA regulated the expression of some genes encoding antioxidant enzymes and their enzymatic activities, enhanced the phenylpropanoid pathway metabolism, and activated the expression of genes encoding pathogenesis-related proteins. These results suggested that, apart from its direct antifungal activity, pCA and MeCA induced defense responses in jujube fruit against postharvest Alternaria rot.