Postharvest Applications of 1-Methylcyclopropene and Salicylic Acid for Maintaining Quality and Enhancing Antioxidant Enzyme Activity of Apricot Fruits cv. ‘Canino’ During Cold Storage

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Tanta university, Tanta , Egypt

2 Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Tanta University, 31527. Egypt.

Abstract

A  PRICOT is one of a fragile and climacteric fruit that ripens very quickly after harvest resulting in very short storage life. 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) and salicylic acid (SA) are widely used because it inhibits the action of ethylene receptors. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of pre-storage application with either 1-MCP or SA immediately after harvest on quality, storability and shelf life of apricot fruits cv. ‘Canino’ during the two seasons 2015 and 2016. Apricot fruits divided into three equal groups and exposed to 1-MCP at 0, 0.5 or 1 ppm for 24 hours at room temperature (~25). After the duration of 1-MCP treatments, the fruits divided into three equal subgroups and the apricot fruits in each subgroup were dipped into aqueous solutions of SA at 0, 0.5 or 1 mM concentration for five minutes. All treatments of ‘Canino’ apricot fruits stored at 0±1°C and 90±5% relative humidity for 28 days followed by 3 days shelf life at ~25 as a simulation marketing period. The changes in physical and chemical properties as well as the activities of antioxidant and cell wall hydrolytic enzymes of apricot fruits were determined at weekly intervals throughout the cold storage period at 0°C as well as after end of cold storage plus 3 days shelf life at ~25. All pre-storage studied treatments of ‘Canino’ apricot fruits significantly improved fruit quality characteristics than control treatment during cold storage and shelf life. Combinations treatments of 1-MCP at 0.5 or 1 ppm plus SA at 0.5 or 1 mM were superior to 1-MCP or SA alone. Canino apricots fruits treated with the combinations of exposure to 0.5 ppm of 1-MCP plus 0.5 or 1 mM SA dipping had less weight loss and decay percentage with higher marketable fruit percentage and fruit firmness. In addition, these treatments had the lowest deterioration rate in titratable acidity (TA) and ascorbic acid contents as well as slowed the increase in total soluble solids (TSS) content and TSS/TA ratio. Moreover, these treatments delayed fruit colour development, increased fruit total phenolic content and reduced the activity of pectin methylesterase (PME) enzyme as well as enhanced the activities of antioxidant enzymes of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) as compared to the other treated and untreated (control) apricot fruits.

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