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Enhancing antioxidant systems by preharvest treatments with methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid leads to maintain lemon quality during cold storage
Abstract
The effects of preharvest treatments with 0.1 mM methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and 0.5 mM salicylic acid (SA) on quality parameters of lemon fruit and their relationship with antioxidant systems, gene expression and bioactive compounds at harvest and during cold storage were evaluated. Results showed that total antioxidant activity, total phenolic content and the major individual phenolics (hesperidin and eriocitrin) were always higher in treated fruit than in controls. The activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase, peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase was also increased at harvest by SA and MeJA treatments, especially the last enzyme, for which the expression of its codifying gene was also enhanced. In addition, treated fruit had lower weight and firmness losses, respiration rate and production of ethylene than controls. Moreover, sugars and organic acids were maintained at higher concentration in flavedo and juice as a consequence of preharvest SA and MeJA treatments, showing an effect on maintaining fruit quality properties.
... Fruits have an internal antioxidant defence mechanism to maintain a fine-tuned balance between the generation and scavenging of ROS. Available evidence suggests that naturally occurring non-enzymatic antioxidants including ascorbic acid (AsA), and glutathione (GSH) as well as enzymatic antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), and monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR), can play a vital role in improving the capacity of the fruit to withstand stress, scavenging free radicals and preventing lipid oxidation (Serna-Escolano et al. 2021;Zhu et al. 2022). ...
... Antioxidant enzymes have a key role in scavenging ROS, and free radicals, thereby reducing lipid peroxidation. SOD enzyme is responsible for dismutation of superoxide anions into hydrogen peroxide and oxygen, while CAT directly converts Serna-Escolano et al. 2021). It may be argued here that lower H 2 O 2 radical production could contribute to higher activity of SOD, and CAT in MeJAtreated jackfruit bulbs. ...
... Therefore, higher activities of APX, GR, DHAR, and MDHAR may be due to higher levels of AsA and GSH in MeJA-treated bulbs (Fig. 3). Higher APX activity in MeJA-treated bulbs may be due to enhanced expressions of the associated genes as reported previously in lemon fruit (Serna-Escolano et al. 2021). ...
Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) is widely studied for maintaining fruit quality during storage, but its effects on jackfruit remain unexplored. The efficacy of postharvest MeJA dip application (0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 mM) in maintaining postharvest quality of cold stored jackfruit bulbs was evaluated over 20 d cold storage duration at 6 °C and 85–90% relative humidity. Bulbs treated with 1.0 mM MeJA did not exhibit any disease symptoms over the entire cold storage duration. Compared with the control, 1.0 mM MeJA-treated bulbs maintained higher carotenoids (17.3%), phenolics (18.12%), flavonoids (22.3%), and ascorbic acid (28.6%) content at the end of cold storage period. Bulbs treated with 0.5 mM MeJA exhibited significantly lower fruit weight loss (49.9%) and higher bulb firmness (59%) as compared to control at 20d cold storage period. In addition, MeJA (0.5 and 1.0 mM) maintained higher levels of cell wall polysaccharides, and lower activity of fruit softening enzymes. Postharvest dip application of MeJA (0.5 mM and 1.0 mM) could be an effective strategy for maintaining fruit quality of jackfruit as it aids in lowering disease symptoms, and oxidative stress, as well as maintaining higher antioxidant potential and cell wall integrity.
... This colour change occurs due to the degradation of chlorophylls present in the peel and the synthesis of carotenoids, which provide the yellow colour to citrus fruits (Manera et al., 2012). In lemon, the relationship between the concentration of sugars and organic acids is the main cause of its flavour (Serna-Escolano et al., 2021). Total soluble solids (TSS), pH, and total titratable acidity (TA) of the lemons grown under conventional and organic farming were analysed by Perez-Lopez et al. (2007). ...
... Similarly, organic acids such as malic acid (0.27 g/L), citric acid (5.45 g/L), and succinic acid (0.56 g/L) were higher under conventional cultivation (malic acid, 0.48 g/L; citric acid, 6.04 g/L; succinic acid, 0.65 g/L). Serna-Escolano et al. (2021) also opined that the relationship between the concentration of sugars and organic acids is the main cause of the flavor in lemon.Similar patterns were observed for citric acid and tartaric acid in lemon "Lisbon" by Duarte et al. (2010). However, it was contradictory with regards to malic acid, ascorbic acid, melonic acid, and oxalic acid, which were higher under the organic system than the conventional system in Lemon "Lisbon". ...
Organic Cultivation of Citrus (Citrus spp.)
Organic Culture of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit Plants
... The application of exogenous SA to fresh-cut taro (Colocasia esculenta) was found to upregulate PAL gene expression, leading to increased chlorogenic acid content and improved chilling tolerance (Lin et al., 2024). Similarly, during the cold storage of lemons (Citrus limon), exogenous SA increased total phenolic content, activated the ROS defense system, and prevented MDA accumulation (Serna-Escolano et al., 2021). In this study, the initial upregulation of PAL expression in roots stored at 4 • C is likely to have contributed to the elevated SA levels observed during the early stage of storage ( Fig. 7 and Fig. 8B). ...
Chilling injury (CI) poses a significant challenge to postharvest storage of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.), particularly at temperatures below 10 • C. Despite of its importance, the mechanisms underlying CI, especially from a phytohormonal perspective, remain poorly understood. This study investigated the 'Beni Haruka' cultivar stored for 28 d at 13 • C (optimal), and 4 • C (chilling). CI symptoms were observed exclusively in roots stored at 4 • C, with symptoms first appearing on 21 d. CI severity correlated with increased oxidative damage. The amyloplast area decreased in roots stored at 4 • C, accompanied by increased amylase activity and reducing sugar accumulation. Glycine, serine, and leucine accumulated at 4 • C, along with phenolic compounds such as vanillic and chlorogenic acids. Phytohormonal analysis of roots stored at 4 • C revealed a continuous decline in abscisic acid (ABA) content, while salicylic acid (SA) content increased during the initial stages of storage. Similar phytohormonal patterns were observed in the 'Kara Yutaka' cultivar, which was stored under the same conditions as the 'Beni Haruka' cultivar. At 4 • C, genes involved in ABA biosynthesis was downregulated, while those associated with ABA catabolism were upregulated. In contrast, SA content increased, accompanied by the upregulation of genes linked to its biosynthesis and signaling. This study reveals the phytohormonal and metabolic mechanisms underlying the chilling response in postharvest sweet potato roots, emphasizing the critical roles in ABA and SA.
... The nonenzymatic antioxidant mechanism in plants heavily relied on a range of intrinsic antioxidant compounds, including TPC, flavonoids, and ASA. Together, these compounds formed an essential defense system against oxidative stress in plant tissues [40]. This study revealed that TP treatment effectively slowed the reduction in phenolic content, a result is consistent with the findings reported by [11], who reported that the degradation rate of total phenolics in apple products fortified with green tea was significantly slower than in standard apple products. ...
Leaf-vegetable sweet potatoes incurred significant losses during storage, which resulted in a shortened shelf life and reduced commercial value. This study investigated the effects of tea polyphenols (TPs) fumigation and microporous packaging (MP) during 10 days at 10 °C and 90–95% RH. The results indicated that the preservation effects followed the order TP + MP > MP > TP > CK, with the TP + MP treatment effectively controlling the degradation rate of chlorophyll and delaying leaf yellowing. In addition, TP + MP treatment increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes, especially catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and also enhanced non-enzymatic systems (flavonoids, total phenolics, and ascorbic acid). Pearson’s correlation analysis showed a positive correlation between the decline in postharvest quality of leaf-vegetable sweet potatoes and the increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. This study provided a robust theoretical and technical foundation for the development of effective postharvest preservation strategies for leaf-vegetable sweet potatoes.
... The effect of SA treatment on activating the antioxidant enzymes activity at harvest has been demonstrated in the present study and results show that this plant growth regulator could have a potential effect modulating the antioxidant enzymes-gene expression. These results propose that the enzymatic antioxidants can offset the damaging effects of ROS metabolism on cell structure (Gomes et al., 2021;Serna-Escolano et al., 2021), which results in a slowdown in ripening process and an increase on quality traits at harvest (Figure 1). In fact, the ripening index (RI) was deeply correlated (negatively, Pearson) with firmness, color, TSS, TA, chlorophylls, phenolics, antioxidant capacity and antioxidant enzymatic system, except with the carotenoids content which also showed a similar correlation pattern ( Figure 8A). ...
Introduction
The systematic investigation of the biochemical and molecular bases of salicylic acid (SA) in the postharvest physiological process of green pepper fruit remains unclear.
Methods
Accordingly, this study aims to analyze the effects of 0.5 mM-SA preharvest treatments, applied by foliar spraying or irrigation, on the ripening and senescence of green pepper fruit for 28 days of storage at 7 °C.
Results
The study revealed that the preharvest application of SA, either by foliar spraying or irrigation, significantly delayed losses of weight, firmness and color during postharvest. Additionally, both treatments increased the total soluble solids and total acidity content, which lead to a significantly reduced ripening index after storage. These results were evidenced by a slowing down of the ripening and senescence processes, accompanied by the stimulation of the antioxidant enzymes in those SA-treated green pepper fruits. Furthermore, a significant increase in chlorophylls, phenolics, ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid content was observed. The SA treatments also enhanced the total antioxidant activity, in both hydrophilic and lipophilic phases. These positive effects were mediated by the upregulation of the relative response of the CaAPX, CaPOD, CaPAL, CaDHAR2 genes at harvest.
Discussion
These findings reinforce the existing knowledge gap regarding the impact of foliar spraying or irrigation SA on the intricate interplay between metabolites and genes related to the antioxidant system in regulating the bell pepper fruit ripening and senescence. The impact of both applications exhibited comparable results; however, the irrigation was identified as the most advantageous due to its ease applicability and cost effectiveness in comparison.
... For several decades, only few studies have been conducted to demonstrate how several pre-harvest factors [23][24][25], seasonal changes [26], plant hormone regulator [27] and abscisic acid (ABA) [24,28] affects chilling injury in citrus. Rarely, the impact of differences in major pre-harvest factors such as genetic variability, orchards, maturity stages, and weather between production regions are accounted for. ...
... Moreover, preharvest treatments with methyl-jasmonate and salicylic acid have been reported to enhance the antioxidant systems in lemons, leading to improved quality during cold storage. These treatments resulted in higher levels of total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, which are vital for maintaining the freshness and flavor of citrus fruits [99]. The role of antioxidants is further emphasized in studies showing that exogenous treatments can significantly reduce decay rates and maintain firmness in citrus fruits, thereby improving their mastication traits [100]. ...
The mastication trait of citrus fruit is a key determinant of consumer preference and market value, which is influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental, and postharvest factors. This review focuses on analyzing these factors and their impacts on citrus fruit quality, with a particular emphasis on masticatory properties. The biochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying mastication traits are examined, focusing on cell wall metabolism (pectin, cellulose, lignin), cytoplasmic and intercellular matrix changes, and molecular regulation. Strategies for improving citrus quality and mastication traits are discussed, emphasizing varietal improvement through gene editing technologies, optimized cultivation practices, and advanced postharvest handling techniques. Despite significant progress, challenges remain in elucidating the complex genetic and environmental interactions governing these traits and developing sustainable management practices. Future research should integrate multiomics approaches, gene–environment interaction studies, and precision agriculture to address these challenges. This review provides a comprehensive synthesis of the current knowledge and prospective directions, aiming to guide the development of high-quality citrus varieties with enhanced mastication traits.
... For several decades, only few studies have been conducted to demonstrate how several pre-harvest factors (Holland et al., 1999;Lafuente et al., 1997;Lo'ay and Dawood, 2019), seasonal changes (Gonzalez-Aguilar et al., 2000), plant hormone regulator (Serna-Escolano et al., 2021) and abscisic acid (ABA) (Lafuente et al., 1997;Manzi et al., 2022) affects chilling injury in citrus. Rarely, the impact of differences in major pre-harvest factors such as genetic variability, orchards, maturity stages and weather between production regions are accounted for. ...
Chilling injury (CI) is a physiological rind disorder that commonly occurs during the long-time cold storage of citrus. The occurrence of CI on citrus reduces fruit quality and shelf-life, leading to market rejection. The susceptibility of citrus to CI during long cold storage period depends on the variability of several pre-harvest factors. However, the impact of pre-harvest variability on the postharvest occurrence of CI for citrus remains largely unknown. To address this, the impact of the variability in production area, cultivar, orchards and fruit harvest maturity on CI of citrus was investigated over two growing seasons. Four main citrus production regions in South Africa were considered, namely, Citrusdal, Nelspruit, Letsitele and Sundays River Valley (SRV). Five cultivars representing the main citrus subgroups were selected; 'Turkey' and 'Midknight' Valencia oranges, 'Nova' and 'Nadorcott' mandarins, and 'Star Ruby' grapefruit. For the variability in harvest maturity, fruit were harvested with two week harvest intervals from 8 weeks before commercial harvest until 6 weeks after. Our result revealed that differences in production area, cultivar, orchards, and fruit maturity have a significant impact on CI susceptibility. However, among these factors, orchard variability had the lowest impact on CI susceptibility, while the regional weather variability between production areas had the most significant impact. Fruit from the SRV, a coastal region, showed the highest risk of CI for all cultivars. They were up to 70 % more susceptible than those from Citrusdal, Nelspruit, and Letsitele. The CI susceptibility of 'Turkey' and 'Midknight' Valencias is ~60 % more than those of mandarins and grapefruit. Fruit harvested early in the season (e.g., 8 weeks before commercial harvest) have a very high risk of CI, while those at the commercial maturity stage will have the highest CI tolerance. This study provides insight into which major pre-harvest factors affect the quality of citrus postharvest.
... Similarly, preharvest application of MeJA has been reported to influence phenolic metabolism and exhibit higher TPC, as well as activities of shikimate dehydrogenase (SKDH), and PAL enzymes in 'Yoho' and 'Jiro' persimmon fruit (Table 3). Furthermore, MeJA spray application has shown great potential for increasing ascorbic acid levels, total antioxidant capacity, activities of antioxidant enzymes and different organic acids (Karaman et al., 2013;Rehman et al., 2021;Serna-Escolano et al., 2021;Serna-Escolano et al., 2019) (Table 2). Further, postharvest fumigation with MeJA (10 − 5 and 10 − 4 mol L − 1 ) has been reported to significantly increase the amount of the strong anti-carcinogenic compound 'lupeol' in the pulp and/or peel of 'Kensington Pride' mangoes (Vithana et al., 2019). ...
Jasmonic acid (JA) and its methyl ester, methyl jasmonate (MeJA), are increasingly being recognised as unique phytohormones, linked to a variety of physiological and molecular functions. Endogenous concentrations of jasmonates (JAs) vary among plant parts, stages of fruit development, maturity, ripening and during the post-harvest period. MeJA expresses prime cellular responses, where as an elicitor of secondary metabolite production , aids in inter-plant communications, regulates the biosynthesis of associated phytohormones, supports plant defence systems against pathogenic infections, and helps in abiotic stress conditions. The potential of MeJA has been extensively studied in modulating fruit ripening, enhancing colour development, and improving the phytochemical profile, particularly for antioxidants in fruit crops. Preharvest application of MeJA regulates ethylene biosynthesis during fruit maturation and ripening. Preharvest MeJA sprays have been shown to significantly increase the biosynthesis of phytochemicals such as phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins, caroten-oids, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, as well as essential nutrients. Preharvest MeJA application also upregulates the production of aroma volatiles in fruits. Preharvest spray of MeJA is reported to alleviate chilling injury in cold-stored fruits. This review explores: the biosynthesis of JAs, their influence on tree growth; fruit ripening physiology; colour development; regulation of biosynthesis of pigments; fruit firmness and modulation of biochemical attributes, including antioxidant compounds, during the ripening process, at harvest, and during postharvest periods; therby bridging gaps towards a more comprehensive understanding.
... This is possibly due to a decrease in the content of organic acids such as citric acid, which is responsible for acidity (Garganese et al., 2019). As the days of storage pass, these acids are metabolized or degraded, leading to a decrease in their concentration (Serna-Escolano et al., 2021;Zhang et al., 2021) (Fig. 1B). However, on the third and seventh days of storage, the pH variations observed at 4℃ compared to RT and 2℃ are possibly due to the limes' stage of maturity. ...
The loss of nutrients from sweet lime (Citrus limetta) by poor postharvest storage represents a significant problem today, damaging these fruits’ quality and market value. This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical properties of sweet limes during storage at different temperatures (RT-21°C, 2°C, and 4°C). The limes were harvested at full physiological maturity. Water activity (Aw), pH, color index, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, and ripeness index were determined during 15 days of storage. In addition, antioxidant activity and phenolic content were determined. The results indicate that keeping the sweet lime at a temperature of 4°C is the most favorable condition for optimal conservation, as reflected by the reduction in Aw, titratable acidity, total soluble solids and ripeness index of the fruit. The values obtained indicate slower decomposition and conservation of freshness and flavor. In addition, it was found that at this temperature, the fruit’s antioxidant activity and phenolic content were significantly increased. In addition, total polyphenols were better preserved at 2°C compared to room temperature (RT) and 4°C. However, ABTS and DPPH levels remained constant at 4°C and 2°C throughout the study time and were higher than at RT.
... Citric acid is the primary organic acid found in lemons. The results are displayed in Figure 2E, where TA gradually decreased, which is consistent with the findings of Serna-Escolano et al. [57]. The difference in the TA change between the MT and CA groups was not significant, but it was significantly different from the other two groups, with only a 0.75% decrease in MT + CA. ...
Antioxidant capacity is one of the most important biological activities in fruits and vegetables and is closely related to human health. In this study, ‘Eureka’ lemons were used as experimental materials and stored at 7–8 °C MT (melatonin, 200 μmol, soaked for 15 min) and CA (controlled atmosphere, 2–3% O2 + 15–16% CO2) individually or in combination for 30 d. The changes in lemon fruits’ basic physicochemical properties, enzyme activities, and antioxidant capacities were studied. Comparing the combined treatment to the control, the outcomes demonstrated a significant reduction in weight loss, firmness, stomatal opening, and inhibition of polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activities. Additionally, the combined treatment maintained high levels of titratable acidity (TA), vitamin C (VC), total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant capacity and preserved the lemon aroma. Meanwhile, the correlation between fruit color, aroma compounds, and antioxidant capacity was revealed, providing valuable insights into the postharvest preservation of lemons. In conclusion, the combined treatment (MT + CA) was effective in maintaining the quality and antioxidant capacity of lemons.
... Referring to previous studies, phytohormone concentrations were set at 0.1, 1, and 10 mM. 14,28,29 Lanolin with the same volume of methanol was used as a control. The lanolin was transferred to a 1-mL sterile syringe and stored at −20°C until use. ...
BACKGROUND
Jasmonic acid (JA) is an important phytohormone used to defend against herbivores, but it does not respond to whitefly feeding. Conversely, another phytohormone, salicylic acid (SA), is induced when plants are fed upon by whiteflies. JA has a better anti‐whitefly effect than SA; however, there is limited research on how to effectively improve plant resistance by utilizing the different responses of these phytohormones to whitefly feeding.
RESULTS
We discovered that protease inhibitors 8 (PI8) and terpene synthase 10 (TPS10) located downstream of the JA‐regulated pathway in plants have anti‐whitefly effects, but these two genes were not induced by whitefly feeding. To identify whitefly‐inducible promoters, we compared the transcriptome data of tobacco fed upon by Bemisia tabaci with the control. We focused on pathogenesis‐related (PR) genes because they are known to be induced by SA. Among these PR genes, we found that expression levels of pathogenes‐related protein 1C‐like (PR1) and glucose endo‐1,3‐beta‐glucosidase (BGL) can be significantly induced by whitefly feeding and regulated by SA. We then engineered the whitefly‐inducible promoters of BGL and PR1 to drive the expression of PI8 and TPS10. We found that compared with control plants that did not induce the expression of PI8 or TPS10, transformed plants expressing PI8 or TPS10 under the PR1 or BGL promoter showed a significant increase in the expression levels of PI8 and TPS10 after whitefly infection, significantly improving their resistance to whiteflies.
CONCLUSION
Our findings suggest that using SA‐inducible promoters as tools to drive the expression of JA‐regulated defense genes can enhance plant resistance to whiteflies. Our study provides a novel pathway for the enhancement of plant resistance against insects. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
... El limón (Citrus limon L. Burm.f.) es una fruta cuyo zumo es muy apreciado por los consumidores de todo el mundo debido a su sabor único, alto valor nutricional y compuestos bioactivos [1]. Los consumidores exigen altos estándares de calidad en el limón que afectan en gran medida a sus preferencias de compra. ...
Los productores de limón demandan estrategias y herramientas que les permitan mejorar la gestión de los frutos. En este sentido, la posición del limón ‘Fino’ en el árbol puede determinar la calidad del fruto en el momento de la recolección, mientras que el sistema de conservación aplicado en post-cosecha colabora en mantener estables dichas características iniciales. Por lo tanto, en este trabajo se ha estudiado el efecto de la posición del limón en el árbol (fuera y dentro) conservado durante 15 días a 10 ºC. Los resultados tras 15 días de almacenamiento refrigerado mostraron que la tasa de respiración y las pérdidas de peso fueron menores en los frutos recolectados en las zonas internas del árbol. En cambio, color (a*), sólidos solubles totales y acidez titulable fueron superiores en los frutos de las zonas externas. Respecto al contenido en fenoles totales y actividad antioxidante total, los resultados mostraron una mayor concentración en la zona inferior del árbol. Por lo tanto, un manejo adecuado de los frutos durante la recolección y la aplicación de estrategias de frío colaborarían en mantener unos parámetros de calidad óptima del limón durante su comercialización.
... Rasouli et al.'s study is similar to our findings, which suggest that SA can maintain the firmness of citrus fruit by affecting cell turgor pressure and morphology [22]. Serna-Escolano et al. [23] indicated that suppression of fruit respiratory metabolism was effective in retarding the increase in substrate consumption and weight loss rate, hence sustaining the cellular morphology and firmness of the fruit. Therefore, we concluded that SA could mitigate postharvest softening and weight loss by impeding the respiratory rate of 'France' prune fruit. ...
The potential of salicylic acid (SA) in delaying postharvest fruit senescence has been extensively documented; nevertheless, its effect on antioxidant activity and quality of ‘France’ prune fruit is largely unknown. The study investigated the effects of SA (0.5 mM) on postharvest quality deterioration of ‘France’ prune fruit. Results indicated that SA impeded the increase in respiration rate and weight loss, and mitigated the decrease of soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA) content, firmness, and hue angle. SA sustained the ascorbate-glutathione cycle by inducing the production of ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) and attenuates flavonoids, total phenols, and anthocyanins degradation by inhibiting polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and PdPPO. Moreover, SA significantly improved superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), peroxidase (POD), and glutathione reductase (GR) activities and gene expression levels, sustained higher 2,2′-Azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging capacity, ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and hydroxyl radical (·OH) inhibition capacity, and impeded the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide anion (O2•−). Overall, SA improved the antioxidant capacity by inducing the synthesis of defense response-related substances and promoting antioxidant enzyme activities to sustain the storage quality of ‘France’ prune fruit.
... Fruits and vegetables typically require the involvement of enzyme systems and antioxidant molecules to preserve optimum quality [30]. Under a variety of abiotic stressors, phenolics, essential non-enzymatic antioxidants in plants, can mediate the elimination of damaging reactive oxygen species from plants [31]. ...
Olecranon peach, a significant economic crop in southern China, faces quality degradation due to pests, diseases, and pesticide residues. Melatonin (MT) and nano-selenium (Nano-Se) applied individually have been found to improve crop growth and abiotic stress resistance. However, the impact of different Nano-Se and MT ratios on olecranon peach quality remains uncertain. Plants were foliar sprayed with varying Nano-Se and MT ratios during the fruit set phase. A combined 5 mg/L Nano-Se and 10 mg/L MT (Nano-Se5 + MT10) effect outperformed individual treatments and the control in enhancing fruit quality. Nano-Se5 + MT10 notably increased peroxidase (190.3%) and superoxide dismutase (112.2%) activities, and reduced polyphenol oxidase activity (-13.2%), raised total sugars (33.3%), soluble protein (18.5%), and phenolic contents like apigenin (51.9%), vanillic acid (21.4%), ferulic acid (29.4%), and p -hydroxybenzoic acid (317.2%) compared to the control. Correlation analysis linked antioxidant enzymes and phenolics in olecranon peach fruits to nutrient accumulation. Nano-Se5 + MT10 improves sweetness and quality by enhancing antioxidant ability (increased peroxidase and superoxide dismutase, decreased polyphenol oxidase and phenolics), and promoting soluble protein, total sugar, and phenolic accumulation. In conclusion, Nano-Se5 + MT10 application shows promise in enhancing olecranon peach quality and antioxidant attributes.
Graphical Abstract
... The exogenous application of phytohormones and their analogs to tobacco: The methanol-dissolved compound solution was diluted twice in the lanolin, a carrier for dissolving phytohormones, and then fully mixed. Building on prior research concerning the exogenous application of phytohormones (Klessig et al. 2000;González-Herranz et al. 2009;Serna-Escolano et al. 2021), we implemented a gradient concentration of phytohormone treatments, encompassing concentrations of 0.1 mM, 1 mM, and 10 mM. The lanolin with the same volume of methanol was used as the control. ...
Plants face an array of insect herbivores and have evolved complex defense approaches against various insect feeding strategies. However, little is known about how plants respond to successive attacks by herbivores with different feeding modes and coordinate their diverse defense mechanisms. In this study, we unveil that inducible jasmonic acid (JA) accumulation in response to leaf-chewing insects augments plant resistance and repellence to sequential leaf-chewing insect (caterpillar) and phloem-feeding insect (whitefly) infestations. Conversely, constitutive and whitefly inducible salicylic acid (SA) accumulation exclusively bolsters defense against later-stage whitefly invasion. Through assessments of herbivore performance and preferences on wild-type, JA-deficient, and SA-deficient plants, we show that JA/SA levels regulate plant resistance to both initial and sequential herbivores. Notably, JA or SA accumulation due to caterpillar or whitefly attacks does not substantially affect constitutive levels of the other compound, despite their antagonistic crosstalk. Furthermore, exogenous JA application in tobacco elicits efficient defense against successive caterpillar and whitefly assaults, surpassing SA's efficacy, albeit with associated growth penalties. Our discoveries demonstrate that plants can tailor their defense strategies against initial and sequential insects with different feeding modes. This customized defense is facilitated by JA/SA responses and their intricate cross-talk while taking account of the growth-defense trade-off.
... The increase in SSC of MJ treated fruits could be due to the starch degradation and production of fructose and glucose . Our results show increased SSC in MJ treated persimmons, as also evident from PCA correlation (Fig. 8E), are in agreement with previous findings in studies involving plums (Ozturk et al., 2015), and lemon fruit (Serna-Escolano et al., 2021). ...
Methyl jasmonate (MJ) has potential to regulate fruit ripening and quality. ‘Yoho’ and ‘Jiro’ persimmons were sprayed with MJ (0, 2, 4, and 6 mM), four weeks before anticipated harvest to evaluate its effects on fruit colour and bioactive compounds. Preharvest MJ application significantly improved fruit colour with increased a*, b*, chroma, and colour index. The MJ 6 mM application had significantly enhanced soluble solids content (SSC), reduced total chlorophyll content in peel and pulp, and soluble and total tannins in persimmons. MJ treatments exhibited higher contents of total phenolics, flavonoids, carotenoids, and antioxidant activities. Additionally, MJ treatments enhanced the activities of shikimate dehydrogenase (SKDH), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD) and lipoxygenase (LOX) enzymes. Overall, pre-harvest MJ application at 6 mM four weeks before anticipated harvest could be useful for advancing colour and improving bioactive compounds in ‘Yoho’ and ‘Jiro’ persimmons.
... Therefore, enhancing the cold tolerance of J. sambac is a crucial aspect of efficient cultivation techniques. MeJA plays an important role in regulating signal transduction in plant defense genes and has been proven to improve cold tolerance in Malus × domestica, Olea europaea, Citrus limon, and other plants [30][31][32]. In this study, different concentrations of MeJA were applied to J. sambac leaves, and the effect of MeJA on cold resistance was evaluated by measuring the trends of changes in physiological indexes in the leaves at different time points under low-temperature stress. ...
Jasminum sambac is an excellent ornamental species that is renowned worldwide for its pure white flowers and strong fragrance. However, its intolerance to low temperatures limits its cultivation range. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA), an essential plant growth regulator, plays a significant role in assisting plants to resist various stresses. Hence, this study was carried out to decipher the capabilities of diverse concentrations of MeJA in helping J. sambac to resist cold stress by measuring different physiological indexes. A normal temperature (15 °C/10 °C) and low temperature (7 °C/2 °C) were applied to J. sambac seedlings, and a one-way analysis of variance followed by a Duncan’s multiple range test was adopted to compare the differences between the indicators under 5 μmol·L−1, 10 μmol·L−1 and 20 μmol·L−1 of MeJA treatments. The results showed that cold stress significantly decreased the contents of soluble sugar and soluble protein, while the application of MeJA at 10 μmol·L−1 and 20 μmol·L−1 resulted in a partial recovery. In addition, cold stress dramatically hindered the accumulation of total chlorophyll in leaves. Exogenous MeJA elevated the total chlorophyll content during the whole sampling period. The hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde levels generally increased in response to low temperatures, and they caused adverse effects on J. sambac, whereas this was effectively alleviated through the application of MeJA. MeJA was also able to improve the resistance of J. sambac by boosting the activity of antioxidant enzymes to remove the excess of reactive oxygen species. In conclusion, we highlighted that exogenous MeJA could attenuate the negative consequences of cold stress for J. sambac, and 10 μmol·L−1 of MeJA treatment could be a feasible strategy for enhancing the resistance of J. sambac to low temperatures and promoting its growth.
... After the spectral acquisition, TSS and TA were measured in the juice of each lemon sample. TSS were measured with a digital refractometer (Hanna Instruments, Rhode Island, USA), and TA by titration of 0.5 mL of juice with NaOH 0.1 mM until pH 8.1 using an automatic titrator (785 DMP Titrino; Metrohm, Herisau, Switzerland), and results were expressed as % and g of citric acid equivalents per 100 mL − 1 of juice, respectively (Serna-Escolano et al., 2021). ...
The lemon industry has the challenge of providing fruits with high-quality standards worldwide. Replacing the subjective fruit quality assessment methods with objective and non-destructive techniques. Total soluble solids (TSS) and titratable acidity (TA) have been revealed as important ripening markers in lemons. Therefore, this study proposes, for the first time, using near-infra-red spectroscopy (NIRS) as a rapid and non-destructive alternative to evaluate these quality traits in 'Fino' lemons (Citrus limon L. Burm) during ripeness. NIR spectra (950-1700 nm) of intact lemons collected from two different orchards at three ripening stages were acquired, while standard destructive methods were used to determine TSS and TA in the juice of each fruit. The prediction of the quality parameters was carried out using partial least squares regression (PLS-R) models. Three approaches were followed to validate the models: internal, external, and recalibrated external validation. The results following the first approach presented a good predictive performance for both quality parameters (TSS: R 2 = 0.84, RMSEP = 0.42 and RPD = 2.5; TA: R 2 = 0.72, RMSEP = 0.45 and RPD = 2.0). When the external validation was performed, the best results were obtained for the TSS prediction using recalibrated models, maintaining good predictive performance accuracy (R 2 = 0.74 and 0.67, RMSEP = 0.42 and 0.58, and RPD = 2.4 and 1.7). Regarding distinguishing different origins, models based on partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were externally validated, achieving 66.4% correct classification, respectively. Thus, applying NIR technology in the lemon fruit packinghouses is a promising alternative to improve fruit management and meet consumer demands.
... MeJA is involved in physiological processes (Wang et al. 2019a;Pan et al. 2020) and improves the post-harvest quality of pomegranate fruit (Wang et al. 2021;Serna-Escolano et al. 2021). ...
Punica granatum belongs to the Lythraceae family is one of the most important subtropical fruits native to Iran. Although the production of fruit has increased recently, there is still a gap between demand and supply. Improper handling, transportation , packaging and storage, mechanical damage, and susceptibility to chilling injury and its related physiological disorders during long-term storage are the most important causes of pomegranate postharvest losses. Fruit quality is lost with visible symptoms such as weight loss, shriveling, husk scald, fungal rot, aril color degradation, and off-flavor during long-term storage. Preserving the quality is the most important goal of the postharvest physiology industry. To minimize both qualitative and quantitative postharvest losses, it is crucial to apply appropriate knowledge and technologies during both the harvest and postharvest stages of pomegranate production. This helps to maintain the quality and shelf life of the fruit. This paper reviewed recent studies that used simple, eco-friendly, synthetic and organic plant growth regulator treatments in underdeveloped and developing countries, including proper packaging according to consumer demand and safe preservative application, which significantly reduces postharvest losses and improves the overall quality of pomegranate fruit and arils.
... Several studies have indicated that MeJA and ET accelerate senescence in broccoli florets after harvest, whereas CK and SA delay it (Gapper et al., 2005;Hu et al., 2017;Serna-Escolano et al., 2021). However, the role of ABA in senescence remains ambiguous, with conflicting reports suggesting that ABA can promote or delay post-harvest senescence (Zhao et al., 2016;Miret et al., 2018;Tan et al., 2019). ...
STAY-GREEN (SGR) is a crucial regulator of post-harvest senescence owing to its involvement in chlorophyll (Chl) degradation. In this study, six members of the BoSGR family in broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) were identified. Phylogenetic analysis was used to categorize the genes into three subfamilies: SGR, SGRL, and independent genes. In a transient overexpression experiment conducted on tobacco leaves, all BoSGR members except BoSGR3-2 exhibited the same ability to promote yellowing. Examination of the transcript levels of all six BoSGRs during post-harvest senescence revealed that three genes (BoSGR1, BoSGR3-1, BoSGR7) were significantly upregulated during post-harvest senescence in broccoli florets. Furthermore, after exposure to five different hormones-salicylic acid (SA), methyl jasmonate (MeJA), abscisic acid (ABA), 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP; a synthetic cytokinin), and ethylene-releasing ethephon (ETH), the expression profiles of the three genes were similarly induced by ABA, ETH, and MeJA, but not by SA or BAP. Yellowing and reduction in Chl content in broccoli florets were also promoted by the application of ABA, ETH, and MeJA, but not by SA and BAP. This study offers valuable insights into the roles and expression patterns of BoSGRs in post-harvest senescence and Chl degradation in broccoli florets. These results present potential avenues for enhancing the post-harvest quality of broccoli florets.
... Furthermore, it has been observed that SA acts as a potent scavenger of free radicals, effectively preventing the oxidation of cell membranes and reducing the levels of malondialdehyde in gladiolus petals (Rahmani et al. 2015). Such observations have been evidenced in several studies pertaining to the postharvest storage of fruits such as Citrus (Serna-Escolano et al. 2021), Pyrus (Sinha et al. 2022), Prunus (Li et al. 2022a), Ziziphus (Sang et al. 2022), Capsicum (Ge et al. 2020) Dimocarpus (Chen et al. 2020) and pummelo . The preservation of the postharvest quality of these fruits on the application of jasmonates and SA was associated with high antioxidant enzyme activity and energy metabolism, besides minimal oxidative stress in tissues . ...
The fine-tuning of the intricate network of plant growth hormones empowers the balanced responses of plants to environmental and developmental signals. Salicylic acid and jasmonates are emerging as advanced hormones that provide plants with resistance to environmental stresses. Senescence is characterized by coordinated and systematic crosstalk between phytohormones that remodels the biochemical and physiological mechanisms in plants, resulting in cell death. The present investigation examines the role of jasmonates (methyl jasmonate and jasmonic acid) and salicylic acid (SA) in regulating the petal senescence of detached stalks of Cosmos sulphureus. Based on our results, it was revealed that SA and jasmonic acid (JA) at 40 μM and methyl jasmonate (MJ) at 0.75 μM concentration delayed the senescence of detached flowers of C. sulphureus considerably. These growth regulators improved the membrane stability, reinforced the antioxidant enzyme activities and averted the upsurge of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content in the petals. Additionally, SA and jasmonates preserved higher content of total phenols, reducing sugars and soluble proteins in the petals, besides impeding the bacterial growth in testing solutions which corroborated with the maximum solution uptake. The elevated soluble protein content was found to be associated with low specific protease activity (SPA) and α-amino acid content in the petal tissues. Our study concluded that SA and jasmonates delayed flower senescence by averting oxidative stress and maintaining the nutritional status of the petals.
... MeJA is involved in physiological processes (Wang et al. 2019a;Pan et al. 2020) and improves the post-harvest quality of pomegranate fruit (Wang et al. 2021;Serna-Escolano et al. 2021). ...
Punica granatum belongs to the Lythraceae family is one of the most important subtropical fruits native to Iran. Although the production of fruit has increased recently, there is still a gap between demand and supply. Improper handling, transportation, packaging and storage, mechanical damage, and susceptibility to chilling injury and its related physiological disorders during long-term storage are the most important causes of pomegranate postharvest losses. Fruit quality is lost with visible symptoms such as weight loss, shriveling, husk scald, fungal rot, aril color degradation, and off-flavor during long-term storage. Preserving the quality is the most important goal of the postharvest physiology industry. To minimize both qualitative and quantitative postharvest losses, it is crucial to apply appropriate knowledge and technologies during both the harvest and postharvest stages of pomegranate production. This helps to maintain the quality and shelf life of the fruit. This paper reviewed recent studies that used simple, eco-friendly, synthetic and organic plant growth regulator treatments in underdeveloped and developing countries, including proper packaging according to consumer demand and safe preservatives application, which significantly reduces postharvest losses and improves overall quality of pomegranate fruit and arils.
... The lemon fruit is rich in phenolic compounds, especially flavonoids [51], and therefore, they have an important role in the prevention of diseases such as some types of cancer, diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disorders [20]. Therefore, it is not surprising that the results showed a high concentration of flavonoids. ...
Organic farming is growing rapidly worldwide since it is perceived as more respectful of the environment than conventional farming. In this sense, organic agriculture is highly appreciated by consumers since consumers around the world believe that organic food has a higher content of beneficial compounds for health and consider it of higher quality. For that reason, the objective of this research was to evaluate the nutritional, sensorial, and functional quality of the ‘Fino 49’ lemon grafted on Citrus macrophylla in conventional and organic cultivation. Fatty acids, amino acids, total phenol, and polyphenols were quantified, antioxidant activity was measured, and sensory descriptive analysis was performed. Conventional farming led to an increase in amino acid content (641 mg L−1) and an increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids (254 mg 100 g−1) and monounsaturated fatty acids (37.61 mg 100 g−1). On the other hand, organically produced lemon fruits had better sensory profile (highlighting overall aroma (6.5), lemon odor (6.8), sourness (5.8), floral (0.6), and fresh lemon flavor (9.8)), and lower thrombogenicity index (0.15). The type of cultivation (organic and conventional) had no influence on the antioxidant activity (~1.60, ~3.08, and ~4.16 mmol Trolox L−1 for ABTS+, DPPH•, and FRAP, respectively) and polyphenols content (85.51 and 86.69 conventional and organic, respectively). However, to establish the advantages and disadvantages of different types of cultivation on lemon quality more studies are needed.
... Results were expressed as mg of gallic acid equivalent to 100 g of FW. The antioxidant activity was measured in the hydrophobic and hydrophilic phases using the ABTS-peroxidase system as described [25]. The total antioxidant activity (TAA) was the sum of both phases, and results were expressed as mg of Trolox equivalent to 100 g FW. ...
The quality of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L.) is determined by the presence of decay caused by phytopathogenic fungi. This can develop in the field and rapidly spread among oranges during postharvest storage. Currently, the conventional treatments applied to control this problem are chemical fungicides. However, consumers demand eco-friendly and non-polluting alternatives with low chemical residues. Therefore, the aim of this work is the preharvest application of sodium bicarbonate (SB) and potassium silicate (PS) solutions at 0.1 and 1% to Navel and Valencia oranges to elucidate the effect on fruit quality and fungal decay at harvest and after 42 days of storage at 8 °C. Results showed that oranges treated with SB 0.1%, PS 0.1, and PS 1% maintained quality traits at similar levels to the control ones. However, SB 1% reduced firmness and increased weight loss, respiration rate, maturity index, and citrus color index. The total carotenoid content significantly increased in oranges treated with SB 1%, and no differences were observed in the other treatments compared to the control. Total antioxidant activity and total phenolic content decreased in oranges treated with SB at 0.1 and 1%, contrary to the results observed in oranges treated with PS, where both parameters increased. Regarding fungal decay, the best results were obtained in oranges treated with the highest doses of SB and PS. Therefore, the use of SB and PS in preharvest sprays could be an alternative to control fungal decay without affecting orange quality.
... Post-or pre-harvest application of MeJA has been shown to have positive effects on increasing fruit bioactive compounds with antioxidant potential (Serna-Escolano et al., 2019). In previous studies, pre-storage application of MeJA has been suggested to enhance antioxidant activity in blueberry , maintain lemon quality during cold storage (Serna-Escolano et al., 2021), promote fruit coloring and softening, and achieve early fruit ripening (Han et al., 2019), delay pericarp browning in litchi (Deshi et al., 2022), and alleviate chilling injury of peach fruit (Duan et al., 2022). These findings suggested that MeJA has the potential to be an eco-safe and natural option to positively modulate physiological processes to maintain the quality of postharvest fruit. ...
Pear fruits are usually harvested in the midsummer and need to be stored at low temperatures to prevent deterioration and extend their shelf-life. However, low temperature induces lignin deposition and increases stone cell numbers, impairing fruit quality and decreasing consumer satisfaction. In this study, we found that post-harvest application of MeJA could efficiently inhibit lignification in pear fruit 'Xinli No.7′ and 'Zaosu' under low-temperature storage (4 • C). Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses indicated that MeJA application may inhibit lignin polymerization and aggregation by repressing the expression of genes encoding enzymes in the late stage of the lignin biosynthesis pathway. Also, MeJA may alleviate ROS-mediated lignification by promoting flavonoids accumulation. Moreover, the inhibition of the lignification process by MeJA likely depends on the activation of endogenous JA biosynthesis and its signaling pathway. Our findings shed light on the lignification process and the role of MeJA in its regulation in pear fruit under low-temperature storage, and provide a means of alleviating deleterious lignification during storage.
... Multiple and combined effects of different hormones, including pharmacological synthesis inhibitors or genetically engineered plants (knockdown or knock out), should be discussed in experimental layouts, to demonstrate the impact of each of them, including other hormones such as salicylic or jasmonic acids (Miao and Zentgraf 2007;Ji et al. 2016). It is fear to say that the technological effects of this combination have been recently discovered in a non-climacteric fruit (Serna-Escolano et al. 2021), but the role in this hormone-regulated process coupled with an exhaustive study of the enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants systems in leaves remains uncompleted. ...
Volatile molecules such as ethylene, nitric oxide (NO), and isoprene have important functions in plant growth and development. Under stress conditions, these compounds interact with each other and with the reactive oxygen species (ROS) processing systems, to undergo stressful situations. The coordination of several processes such as leaf senescence, fruit ripening, or growth under challenging scenarios requires a multilevel study, coupled with the study of the antioxidant systems that are able to maintain the redox balance within the plant cell. In this chapter, the authors emphasize the complex network that integrates volatile signaling molecules with ROS under hormonal control and the possible implications in the crop technology that will probably be an input in future genetic engineering programs.
... Pre-harvest MeJA treatments have been shown to enhance the functionality of antioxidant enzymes in plums [45] and pomegranates [45] during storage. Serna-Escolano et al. [46] reported that administering MeJA during the developmental stage of 'Verna' and 'Fino' lemons resulted in increased levels of phenolics and activity of CAT and POD enzymes in the juice and flavedo upon harvesting. Rabiei et al. [47] observed an increase in the functionality of ROS scavenging enzymes, including CAT, in cherry fruits treated with GABA. ...
Orlando tangelo fruits, originating from tropical and subtropical regions, have demonstrated a tendency to be susceptible to chilling injury when subjected to cold storage conditions. This study investigated the effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) (50 µM), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (5 mM), and MeJA (50 µM) + GABA (5 mM) on chilling injury of Orlando tangelo fruits throughout cold storage (90 days at 3 ± 0.5 °C plus 5 days at 20 °C, shelf life). The findings demonstrated that all treatments considerably decreased fruit weight loss. Although all treatments significantly decreased chilling injury, MeJA treatment resulted in the least amount of chilling injury. Malonaldehyde was also significantly lower in the treated fruits in comparison to the control. Maximum phenol and flavonoid were observed in the MeJA treatment, which was 1.47 and 1.63 times higher than the control fruit, respectively. On average, the antioxidant activity of the treatments was 1.33 times higher than that of the control. The treatments increased the activity of catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) enzymes in fruit juice and peel. Whereas, the highest activity of CAT and POD enzymes in the peel was observed in the treatments of MeJA and MeJA + GABA, respectively. Compared to other treatments, MeJA significantly increased the activity of the CAT enzyme in the fruit peel. Even though MeJA exhibited a more pronounced positive effect, the overall results indicate that both individual treatments and MeJA + GABA could be utilized to enhance the cold tolerance of Orlando tangelo fruit during extended periods of cold storage.
Graphical abstract
Soft rot is an important postharvest disease of kiwifruit, and MeJA can induce kiwifruit to resist soft rot. However, the treatment timing of preharvest MeJA and the mechanism of inducing kiwifruit resistance are still unclear. In this study, we compared the effects of preharvest MeJA and postharvest MeJA on the shelf quality of kiwifruit after cold storage. We investigated the impact of soaked in MeJA for 10 s at 32 d after full bloom (DAFB) and/or sprayed with MeJA at 141 DAFB alone or simultaneously on the shelf quality of kiwifruit after cold storage, also the resistance of kiwifruit to B. dothidea. The results showed that both preharvest and postharvest MeJA inhibited the incidence of soft rot in postharvest kiwifruit by regulating antioxidant capacity, while preharvest MeJA was more effective compared to postharvest MeJA. Compared to the control, both preharvest MeJA at 32D or/and 141S kept the shelf quality of kiwifruit after cold storage, and the preharvest MeJA at 32D and 141S is optimal. Preharvest MeJA at 32D and 141S maintained the volatile aroma in kiwifruit during shelf quality by regulating the enzyme related to aroma metabolism, kept shelf quality by regulating the ROS homeostasis and glutathione-ascorbic acid (GSH-ASA) cycle, and improving the activities of disease-resistant enzymes. Further data from the kiwifruit inoculated with B. dothidea indicate that preharvest MeJA keeps the kiwifruit quality and induces its disease resistance during shelf life after cold storage by regulating the antioxidant system. Overall, these findings showed that preharvest MeJA kept the kiwifruit shelf quality after cold storage by regulating the antioxidant system.
Blackberry deteriorates rapidly after harvest due to its sensitive structure, limiting their storage time to about a week and resulting in significant economic losses. The study was conducted to determine the effects of salicylic acid applications on postharvest fruit quality in blackberries, the harvested fruit was immersed in salicylic acid solutions prepared at concentrations of 0.5, 1, and 1.5 mM for 15 min. Measurements and analyses such as weight loss, decay rate, soluble solids contents (SSC), pH, acidity, respiration rate, vitamin C, organic acids, and phenolic compounds were performed on fruits stored for 12 days with intervals of 4 days. Applying salicylic acid to fruits resulted in significantly less weight loss and decay rate. Salicylic acid application was effective in increasing SSC rate and decreasing titratable acidity with increasing storage time, and lower SSC and higher titratable acidity were measured with this application. Salicylic acid maintained organic acids and vitamin C postharvest. The decreases in individual phenolic compound levels occurred with extended storage time. Salicylic acid application generally was effective in maintaining concentrations of phenolic compounds during storage, and it was found to be effective on fruit quality, with effectiveness varying depending on application dosage. The study identified 1.5 mM as the most effective dosage of salicylic acid, which could be utilized to maintain postharvest quality and extend cold storage in blackberries.
The effects of preharvest methyl jasmonate (MeJA) spray application on the physicochemical quality, metabolism of phenolics, cell wall components in raspberries were investigated during a 10-day cold storage period. MeJA spray reduced firmness loss, decay incidence, and weight loss, while maintained higher levels of soluble solids content, ascorbic acid, anthocyanins and flavonoids in raspberries. Furthermore, MeJA application resulted in increased total pectin and protopectin levels, as well as lowered water-soluble pectin, activities of pectin methyl esterase, polygalacturonase and cellulase enzymes. Additionally, MeJA treatment upregulated the phenylpropanoid pathway, leading to higher endogenous phenolics and activities of phenylalanine-ammonia lyase and shikimate dehydrogenase. In conclusion, preharvest MeJA spray application could be adopted to enhance the storage potential of cold-stored raspberries for 10 days by maintaining higher firmness, assuring better physicochemical quality, and increasing phenolic metabolism, while reducing cell wall hydrolysis.
The blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) fruit is characterized by its antioxidant properties due to its content of phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, and other compounds. However, it is susceptible to deterioration, loss of its quality and shelf life. In order to preserve its physicochemical properties and quality, the use of the combined treatment of chitosan and salicylic acid is proposed as the main objective. The research was carried out during 2022, in which the preservation of blueberry fruits in the postharvest stage was evaluated through the application of a combined treatment of chitosan and salicylic acid. The evaluation of the quality parameters showed that the application of the combined treatment maintained the firmness of the fruits for longer and reduced physiological weight loss by up to 11%. Changes in blueberry total soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, and color were delayed for more days, but postharvest fruit quality was maintained. The respiration rate of the blueberries decreased by the application of chitosan plus salicylic acid and there was an induction of the phenylalanine ammonia lyase enzyme during the first 24 h of storage of the blueberries due to the effect of chitosan combined with salicylic acid. Through this research, it was concluded that chitosan and salicylic acid as a combined treatment can be a sustainable alternative to the use of fungicides to preserve blueberry fruits in the postharvest stage.
The exogenous application of bioregulators, such as salicylic acid (SA), has exhibited promising outcomes in alleviating drought stress. Nevertheless, its impact on culantro (Eryngium foetidum L.) remains unexplored. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess how SA impacts the growth, morphophysiology, and essential oil composition of culantro when subjected to drought. To achieve this, culantro plants were grown under three different watering regimes: well-watered, drought-stressed, and re-watered. Additionally, they were either treated with SA (100 µM) or left untreated, with water serving as the control. SA application did not mitigate the effects of drought in biomass production but increased biomass, leaf number, leaf area, and photosynthetic pigments under well-irrigated and re-watered conditions. After a drought period followed by re-watering, plants recovered membrane integrity independently of SA application. Water stress and the exogenous application of SA also modulated the profile of essential oils. This is the first report about SA and drought affecting growth and essential oil composition in culantro.
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of spraying plants with 0.03% salicylic acid (SA), 0.7% calcium nitrate (Ca), and 0.03% salicylic acid together with 0.7% calcium nitrate (SA + Ca) on plant growth, yield, and fruit quality of peppers grown in a mineral wool substrate. The control plants were sprayed with water (C). Two red-fruited sweet pepper cultivars were used in the study: ‘Aifos’, and ‘Palermo’, which produce fruits characterized by different shapes. Biometric measurements of the plants showed a higher growth rate of pepper plants when SA and Ca were applied foliarly compared to the control. Plants treated simultaneously with SA and Ca were characterized by the highest steady-state fluorescence yield [Fs]. The relative chlorophyll content of pepper leaves was also higher in plants sprayed with SA, Ca, and SA + Ca than in plants in the control. The analysis of pepper yield showed in both cultivars the effect of foliar treatment of plants with SA and Ca and SA + Ca on increasing pepper resistance to the occurrence of Ca deficiency on pepper fruit (Blossom end rot). Pepper fruits harvested from plants treated with SA, Ca, and SA + Ca had more juicy flesh.
In the present research two experiments were performed to evaluate the effect of pre-harvest salicylic acid (SA), acetyl salicylic acid (ASA), and methyl salicylate (MeSa), applied as a foliar spray to pomegranate “Mollar de Elche,” on crop yield, fruit quality parameters, and bioactive compounds at harvest and during storage. In the 2017 experiment, trees were treated with SA, ASA, and MeSa at 1, 5, and 10 mM and a higher crop yield (kg tree–1 and number of harvested fruit tree–1) and quality parameters (firmness, aril color, and individual sugars and organic acids) at harvest were obtained, as well as a higher concentration of phenolics, anthocyanins, and ascorbic acid. The best results were achieved with 10 mM dose of the three assayed compounds, which was chosen for the 2018 experiment, and results for crop yield and fruit quality attributes were confirmed. These quality traits and the concentration of phenolics, anthocyanins, and ascorbic acid were maintained at higher levels in pomegranate fruit from treated trees than in controls during prolonged storage at 10°C. In addition, the effects of salicylate treatments on increasing total and individual anthocyanin concentration in pomegranate arils led to arils with a deeper red color (Graphical Abstract) and, in turn, fruit that would be more appreciated in the international market. This fact, together with the increased crop yield, would contribute to the increased profit of this crop. Thus, pre-harvest treatment with salicylates, and especially SA at 10 mM concentration, could be a safe, natural, and new tool to improve fruit quality and its content on antioxidant compounds with health beneficial effects (namely, ascorbic acid, phenolics, and anthocyanins) at harvest and during storage.
This review presents important botanical, chemical and pharmacological characteristics of Citrus limon (lemon)—a species with valuable pharmaceutical, cosmetic and culinary (healthy food) properties. A short description of the genus Citrus is followed by information on the chemical composition, metabolomic studies and biological activities of the main raw materials obtained from C. limon (fruit extract, juice, essential oil). The valuable biological activity of C. limon is determined by its high content of phenolic compounds, mainly flavonoids (e.g., diosmin, hesperidin, limocitrin) and phenolic acids (e.g., ferulic, synapic, p-hydroxybenzoic acids). The essential oil is rich in bioactive monoterpenoids such as D-limonene, β-pinene, γ-terpinene. Recently scientifically proven therapeutic activities of C. limon include anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticancer and antiparasitic activities. The review pays particular attention, with references to published scientific research, to the use of C. limon in the food industry and cosmetology. It also addresses the safety of use and potential phototoxicity of the raw materials. Lastly, the review emphasizes the significance of biotechnological studies on C. limon.
This study aimed to compare the flavonoid accumulation between ozone-treated and untreated Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) fruits. The fruits exposed to gaseous ozone were found to have higher antioxidant activities and content of flavonoid during the storage period by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). To reveal the molecular regulation of flavonoid accumulation by ozone, chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI), β-1,3-glucanase (GLU), chitinase (CHT), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), and peroxidase (POD) were identified and their expression was examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR). These results support the promising application of ozone treatment as a safe food preservation technique for controlling postharvest disease and extending shelf-life of harvested Satsuma mandarin.
BACKGROUND
Previous reports have addressed the effectiveness of postharvest methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatments on maintaining quality properties of pomegranate fruit during storage. However, there is no literature regarding the effects of preharvest MeJA treatments on pomegranate ‘Mollar de Elche’ crop yield, fruit ripening, quality attributes and bioactive compounds content (at harvest or after long‐term storage), which were evaluated in this research.
RESULTS
Preharvest MeJA treatments (1, 5, and 10 mmol L‐1) increased pomegranate crop yield. MeJA at 1 and 5 mmol L‐1 accelerated the on‐tree ripening process, while it was delayed with 10 mmol L‐1. Losses in fruit weight, firmness and organic acids during storage at 10 °C were delayed in MeJA treated fruit, leading to quality maintenance. In addition, MeJA treatments improved arils colour due to increased concentration of total and individual anthocyanins, at harvest and during storage. Total phenolic and ascorbic acid contents and total antioxidant activity [hydrophilic (H‐TAA) and lipophilic (L‐TAA) fractions] were also higher in arils from treated pomegranate fruits than in controls.
CONCLUSION
Preharvest treatments with MeJA could be a promising tool to improve pomegranate crop yield, fruit quality and its content in bioactive compounds at harvest and during storage. The higher effects were obtained with MeJA at 5 mmol L‐1 dose, which could be the selected treatment for practical application purposes. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
‘Eureka’ lemon fruits were stored under four controlled atmosphere- (CA-) combinations at 8°C for 20 days to investigate the effects on weight loss (WL), total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), vitamin C (VC), total phenolic content (TPC), sodium carbonate-soluble pectin (SSP), malondialdehyde (MDA), and volatile compounds. Results showed that the contents of TSS, TA, VC, and SSP in the stored fruits reduced during the storage period, while the WL and MDA increased. Fruit stored under CA2-combination (6 % O 2 +8 % CO 2 ) showed the lower contents of WL and MDA and the higher content of TSS, TA, TPC, and VC than that of other treated fruits. The main volatile compounds present in the lemons were terpenoids, aldehydes, alcohols, and esters. In addition, both the terpenoid and aldehyde content are substantially higher in lemons exposed to CA2 conditions. In contrast, the alcohols and esters displayed elevated levels in the regular air (RA) stored fruit. In conclusion, CA with the suitable conditions proves to be better than RA as a storage regimen to keep the quality of lemons. These results indicated that the application of 6% O 2 +8% CO 2 CA conditions could maintain the quality of ‘Eureka’ lemon fruit during the storage time of 20 days and should be the optimal storage environment for postharvest Eureka lemons.
BACKGROUND
Jasmonic acid (JA) and its volatile derivative methyl jasmonate (MeJA) are hormones involved in the regulation of many processes in plants and act (when applied as a post‐ or pre‐harvest treatment) to increase fruit bioactive compounds with antioxidant potential. However, there is no literature available regarding the effect of pre‐harvest MeJA treatment on lemon fruit antioxidant systems, which was the aim of the present study.
RESULTS
MeJA treatment (0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 mmol L–1) increased antioxidant compounds, such as phenolics, in the juice and flavedo of ‘Fino’ and ‘Verna’ lemons at harvest, with the most effective concentration being 0.1 mmol L–1 in both cultivars. In addition, catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities were also increased by MeJA treatment, with the highest increases being also found with 0.1 mmol L–1. The increases in APX and CAT were maintained from one treatment to another during fruit development on the tree, whereas the increase on POD disappeared after 8–10 days of each treatment. For both antioxidant systems, the highest increases were found in lemon harvested at the commercial ripening stage. By contrast, crop yield, fruit ripening process and quality parameters were generally not affected by MeJA treatment.
CONCLUSION
Preharvest MeJA treatment could be a useful tool for increasing antioxidant potential and the health beneficial effects of lemon fruit consumption, given the relationship between these properties and phenolic content. Moreover, the increased concentration of phenolics and the activity of antioxidant enzymes in the flavedo of MeJA treated fruit could increase lemon tolerance to chilling injury and decay during postharvest storage. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Peach trees were treated with salicylic acid at 0 (control) and 1.5 mM at 15 days before harvest to study the impacts of salicylic acid on nutritional quality of peach fruits at harvest and during storage at 1°C for 28 days. Total phenols, flavonoids, and ascorbic acid contents were significantly higher in salicylic acid treated peach fruits after cold storage, leading to fruits with higher DPPH• and FRAP radicals scavenging capacity. In addition, peach fruits treated with salicylic acid exhibited higher antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity after storage at 1°C for 2-4 week, leading to fruits with higher firmness and lower weight loss. Thus, salicylic acid treatment of peach trees could increase nutritional quality of peach fruits consumption, due to its effect on increasing antioxidant molecules, with additional effect on delaying the fruit postharvest senescence by increasing the ROS scavenging enzymes activity.
The knowledge of the beneficial health properties of underutilised varieties of fruits is very valuable for the conservation of plant genetic diversity and agricultural development. The colour, weight, morphological parameters and total antioxidant activity (TAA) of the edible tissues of nine traditional Citrus fruits, three mandarin varieties, three lemon varieties, ‘Dulce’ lime, ‘Cimboba’ and ‘Blanco’ grapefruit was quantified. In addition, other fruit quality properties, such as organic acids and sugar concentrations in the Citrus juices were analysed, and the evaluation of organoleptic attributes, such as sweetness, aroma, firmness, lack of bitterness, overall impression and notable feature of fruits, was performed by a sensory panel. Results show significant differences among Citrus species and varieties of the analysed parameters. Analysis of the weight of the whole fruit and its edible tissues showed that the relative proportion of each fruit tissue was similar for all the studied Citrus species and varieties. on the other hand, ‘Autóctona’ mandarin and ‘Fino’ and ‘Sanguino’ lemons showed the highest TAA, while the ones most appreciated by consumers according to the sensory panel results were ‘Dulce’ lime followed by ‘Sanguino’ lemon, which could be due to their high fructose concentration and original colour, respectively. The utilisation of certain traditional Citrus species and varieties, such as’Mandarin’ and ‘Autoctona’ mandarins, ‘Sanguino’ lemon and ‘Dulce’ lime, of the south-east of Spain in future breeding programmes to increase agricultural biodiversity. In addition, the consumption of traditional varieties of Citrus fruits with high antioxidant activity would improve the beneficial effect of fruits in human health.
Chilling injury is one of the most important problems of tropical and subtropical fruits during storage that can occur if the temperature falls below 5°C. Polyamines and methyl jasmonate (MJ) are believed to prevent and inhibit chilling injury (CI) during storage. In order to find a suitable treatment to reduce CI of oranges (Citrus sinensis) during cold storage, a research was conducted with two concentrations of MJ and two concentrations of spermidine (Spd) and putrescine (Put) (1 and 1.5 mgL⁻¹), applied as pre-storage treatments and fruits were stored at 2°C for 1.5 months. Application of MJ and PAs reduced percentages of CI, decay, pitting, physiological decay (PHD), ion leakage, potassium leakage, and weight loss (WL) and firmness in the fruit as compared to control after the storage period. Put at 1 mgL⁻¹ had significantly lower percentage ion leakage and pH although CI in this treatment was similar to other treatments. Fruit juice density was not affected by any of the treatments. © 2016, Society for Advancement of Horticulture. All rights reserved.
In this research the effect of salicylic acid (SA), acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), and methylsalicylate (MeSA) treatments, applied as a foliar spray during on-tree plum development, on fruit quality attributes, bioactive compounds, antioxidant activity, and the activity of the antioxidant enzymes at harvest and after long-term cold storage was evaluated in two plum cultivars (“Black Splendor”, BS, and “Royal Rosa”, RR). At harvest, plum quality parameters, such as weight, total phenolics (including anthocyanins, in BS), total carotenoids, and antioxidant activity, in both hydrophilic and lipophilic compounds were found at higher levels in plums from SA-, ASA-, and MeSA-treated trees than in those from control trees. During storage, fruit firmness, total acidity, and antioxidant compounds were at higher levels in treated, than in control, plums, which show an effect of salicylate treatments on delaying the plum postharvest ripening process. In addition, the activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were also enhanced at the time of harvest in salicylate-treated plums as compared with plums from control trees. The activity of these antioxidant enzymes was also found at higher levels in salicylate-treated plums during storage. Thus, preharvest treatment with salicylates could be a safe, eco-friendly, and new tool to improve and maintain plum quality attributes, and especially their content of antioxidant compounds, with an additional effect on delaying the postharvest ripening process through increasing the levels of antioxidant compounds and the activity of the antioxidant enzymes.
Phenolic composition and antioxidant capacity of different fruit part including peel, pulp, juice, whole fruit and seed from five lemon cultivars (Feiminailao, Cuningmeng Limeng, Pangdelusaningmeng, Beijingningmeng) were investigated. Caffeic acid (9.31–741.4 μg/g FW) and chlorogenic acid (2.7–527.5 μg/g FW) were the dominant phenolic acid in fruit tested, Pangdelusaningmeng (PD) and Limeng peels with the highest contents, respectively. Hesperidin was the predominant flavanone (10.27–3315 μg/g FW), Cuningmeng (CN) peels with the highest level. PD peels had rich rutin, CN seeds had rich eriocitrin. Nobiletin was the main polymethoxylated flavonoids identified, PD with the highest level. CN peels contained rich tangeretin. Overall, peels and whole fruit had significantly higher level of phenolics than other fruit parts, and seeds were good source of flavonoids. PD and CN not only contained higher level of phenolic, but also presented higher antioxidant capacity than other cultivars tested, and are of great value for human nutrition.
Fruits are one of the most important sources of polyphenols for humans, whether they are consumed fresh or as processed products. To improve the phenolic content of fruits, a novel field of interest is based on results obtained using elicitors, agrochemicals which were primarily designed to improve resistance to plant pathogens. Although elicitors do not kill pathogens, they trigger plant defense mechanisms, one of which is to increase the levels of phenolic compounds. Therefore, their application not only allows us to control plant disease but also to increase the phenolic content of plant foodstuffs. Pre- or post-harvest application of the most commonly used elicitors to several fruits is discussed in this review.
Introduction. Longkong (Aglaia dookkoo Griff.) fruit is a non-climacteric tropical fruit and grows widely in the South-East Asia. It has a unique taste and nutritional properties that make it more valuable to export. However, longkong exhibits a shorter shelf life at ambient (25 °C for 3−5 days) and low temperature (13 °C for 10 days) storage. Therefore, there is an urgent need to extend its shelf life and marketability by using an inexpensive and proficient technique. Materials and methods. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatments with different concentrations (10, 20 and 30 μMol L-1) were used to control physiological and biochemical quality changes of longkong fruit stored at 13 °C and 85% relative humidity. Fruit with no MeJA treatment served as control. The physiological and biochemical quality analyses were carried out at every four days of the interval. Results and discussion. Longkong pericarp chilling injury (CI) index and ion leakage severely increased in the control fruits as compared with MeJA treated fruit. The increased of pericarp phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and peroxidase (POD) activities were well controlled by MeJA treatments. Fruit polygalacturonase (PG), pectin methyl esterase (PME) and lipoxygenase (LOX) activities were significantly controlled in MeJA treated fruit. Fruit superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities found higher level in the MeJA treated fruit. Conclusion. The different concentrations of MeJA treatment effectively reduced the severity of physiological and biochemical quality changes in longkong fruit under prolonged low temperature storage.
Interest in the postharvest behavior of fruits and vegetables has a history as long as mankind's. Once we moved past mere survival, the goal of postharvest preservation research became learning how to balance consumer satisfaction with quantity and quality while also preserving nutritional quality. A comprehensive overview of new postharvest technologies, Postharvest Biology and Technology for Preserving Fruit Quality examines the physical, chemical, and nutritional changes that occur during the ripening process. The book chronicles the changes in postharvest technology during the past three decades, highlighting the advances made possible through a deeper understanding of the postharvest physiology of raw produce. It focuses on how to maintain both sensorial and nutritional fruit quality parameters while also extending shelf life. The authors present a wide range of technological applications for postharvest strategies, including heat treatments, naturally-occurring compounds, modified atmosphere packaging, non-toxic chemical compounds, and active packaging. The text also discusses the advantages and disadvantages of using cold temperatures during handling, packaging, and storage. Although each chapter constitutes a separate unit, which could be used in a stand-alone fashion, the order and continuity of the chapters provide a more complete understanding of the subject. Exploring future directions, the book concludes with coverage of emerging technologies such as atmospheres with high O2, biological control, and the use of UV-light. It offers a firm grounding in the basic knowledge of postharvest research, technology, and applications. The text illustrates a broad range of approaches, based on years of research, and brings them together in a convenient, easily accessible resource.
This study was conducted to investigate the effect of postharvest salicylic acid (SA) treatment on alleviating chilling injury (CI), preserving bioactive compounds and extending shelf life of mango fruit during low-temperature storage. Physiologically mature mango fruit (cv. Chausa) were immersed in 1 mM and 2 mM SA solutions for 5 min and then stored at 8±0.5ºC temperature and 90±5% relative humidity. Before taking observations, the fruit were subjected to exposure at 25±2ºC temperature for 3 days to simulate shelf life. The results showed that SA treatments were highly effective in alleviating CI (11-25% lower) in mango fruit. Among the treatments, 2 mM SA proved best in lowering weight loss, fruit softening, disease incidence, pectin methylesterase and polygalacturonase activities over control. Bioactive compounds like carotenoids, phenolics and antioxidant capacity were also maintained higher in SA-treated fruit. The findings confirmed that, SA (2 mM) can be potentially used as a pre-storage treatment during low-temperature storage of mango fruit. © 2014, The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. All rights reserved.
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.
In the present research the effect of preharvest metyil jasmonate (MeJA) treatment on the ripening process and fruit quality parameters at harvest was evaluated, for the first time, in two table grape cultivars, ‘Magenta’ and ‘Crimson’ during two years, 2016 and 2017. MeJA treatments (applied when berry volume was ca. 40% of its final one, at veraison and 3 days before the first harvest date) affected grape ripening process and vine yield differently depending on applied concentration. Thus, MeJA at 5 and 10 mM delayed berry ripening and decreased berry weight and volume as well as vine yield, in a dose-dependent way, in both cultivars, although the effect on ‘Crimson’ was more dramatic than in ‘Magenta’. However, treatments with MeJA at 1, 0.1 and 0.01 mM accelerated ripening and increased total phenolics and individual anthocyanin concentrations, the major effects being obtained with 0.1 mM concentration. In addition, total soluble solids (TSS) and firmness levels were also increased by these MeJA treatments. These results might have a great agronomic and commercial importance since fruit with higher size and harvested earlier would reach higher prizes at markets and berries with higher firmness and TSS would be more appreciated by consumers. Moreover, MeJA treatments increased the content of antioxidant compounds, such as phenolics and individual anthocyanins, leading to enhance the homogeneous pigmentation of the whole cluster, with additional effects on increasing the health beneficial effects of grape consumption.
Lemon fruits are well-known for their economic, nutrition and health values. In this study, the maturity degree, phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of Eureka lemon [Citrus limon (L.) Burm. f.] fruits harvested at different months of the year were investigated. We found that the fruits harvested in November outperformed others in terms of weight, total sugar and soluble solid content (SSC). The ρ-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, eriocitrin and hesperidin were the predominant phenolic compounds in lemon fruits. The highest total phenolic content (TPC, 3.49 ± 0.05 mg GAE g⁻¹ FW), total flavonoid content (TFC, 1.46 ± 0.05 mg RE g⁻¹ FW), sum of individual phenolic acids content (269.36 μg g⁻¹ FW) and their antioxidant potency composite (APC) index (100.00%) were found in the pulps of April fruits. The maximum of sum of individual flavonoids content (3098.42 μg g⁻¹ FW) exhibited in August. For the peels, the highest TFC (6.35 ± 0.24 mg RE g⁻¹ FW) and APC (95.14%) appeared in April fruits, while the highest TPC (7.96 ± 0.17 mg GAE g⁻¹ FW) and sum of individual flavonoids content (9003.91 μg g⁻¹ FW) occurred in the August. However, the maximum of sum of individual phenolic acids content (769.28 μg g⁻¹ FW) was detected in June fruits. We also found that soluble solid content (SSC) of the pulps of lemon fruits were negatively correlated with their TPC and APC. TPC also decreased with the increase in SSC of peels. Most importantly, our study indicated that the contents of phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of lemon fruits varied significantly with their maturity degrees depending on different harvest time, and this information is essential for a better use of different lemons fruits resources.
Effects of salicylic acid (SA) and Aloe vera gel (AV) on microbial load, quality and chilling injury of ‘Thomson Navel’ oranges (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) stored at 4 ± 1 °C and 80 ± 5% RH were evaluated. Fruit were treated by immersion in distilled water (control), SA 2 mM, AV 30% and the combination of SA + AV. Decay index, microbiological analysis, weight loss, firmness, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, vitamin C, total phenol, chilling injury, electrolyte leakage, malondialdehyde and sensory evaluation were measured at 0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 days of storage. Results showed that treated fruit had lower decay index, total yeasts + molds count, total aerobic mesophilic bacteria, weight loss and higher firmness, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, vitamin C, and total phenol content. The treatment with SA and AV gel coating reduced malondialdehyde, electrolyte leakage and chilling injury. Fruit odor attributes was not affected by treatments but skin appearance, sweetness, juiciness and intention to buy in treated fruit were higher than control. SA + AV was more effective than SA and AV solely in maintaining fruit quality and reducing microbial load and chilling injury. It could be concluded that the combination of SA with AV might leads to increased oranges fruit shelf-life.
Usually several environmental stresses occur in nature simultaneously causing a unique plant response. However, most of the studies until now have focused in individually-applied abiotic stress conditions. Carrizo citrange (Poncirus trifoliata L. Raf. X Citrus sinensis L. Osb.) and Cleopatra mandarin (Citrus reshni Hort. ex Tan.) are two citrus rootstocks with contrasting tolerance to drought and heat stress and have been used in this work as a model for the study of plant tolerance to the combination of drought and high temperatures. According to our results, leaf integrity and photosynthetic machinery are less affected in Carrizo than in Cleopatra under combined conditions of drought and heat stress. The pattern of accumulation of three proteins (APX, HSP101 and HSP17.6) involved in abiotic stress tolerance shows that they do not accumulate under water stress conditions individually applied. However, contents of APX and HSP101 are higher in Carrizo than in Cleopatra under stress combination whereas HSP17.6 has a similar behavior in both types of plants. This, together with a better stomatal control and a higher APX activity of Carrizo, contributes to the higher tolerance of Carrizo plants to the combination of stresses and point to it as a better rootstock than Cleopatra (traditionally used in areas with scare water supplies) under the predictable future climatic conditions with frequent periods of drought combined with high temperatures. This work also provides the basis for testing the tolerance of different citrus varieties grafted on these rootstocks and growing under different field conditions.
Citrus is one of the main fruit crops in the world and widely recognized by their organoleptic, nutritional and health-related properties of both fresh fruit and juice. The genetic diversity among the genus and the autonomous and independent changes in peel and pulp, make the definition of standard maturity indexes of fruit quality difficult. Commercial maturity indexes in the citrus industry are usually based on peel coloration, percentage of juice, soluble solids/acidity ratio but their relevance may differ among varieties and the specific requirements of the markets. There is also a marked influence of environmental and agronomic conditions such as light and temperature, rootstock selection and plant nutrition, among others. Besides commercial requirements, a more comprehensive definition of fruit quality should also consider organoleptic and nutritional properties that are determined by a complex interaction among a number of bioactive components. Citrus fruit are an excellent source of many phytochemical, including ascorbic acid, carotenoids (antioxidant and pro-vitamin A), polyphenols, flavonoids, limonoids, terpenoids, etc., which greatly contribute to the health-related benefits of these fruits. Criteria and definition of the main maturity indexes for citrus fruit worldwide are described, as well as changes during fruit maturation in key components affecting organoleptic and nutritional properties. Moreover, the involvement of hormonal and nutritional signals and their interaction in the regulation of external and internal maturation of citrus fruit, as well as the influence of environmental and agronomic factors are also critically revised and discussed.
Citrus is one of the largest and most popular fruit crops commercially grown across the globe. It is not only important in terms of economy but is also popular for its nutritional benefits to human and farm animals. Citrus is available in several varieties, all with attractive colors. It is consumed either fresh or in processed form. After processing, approximately 50% of the fruit remains unconsumed and discarded as waste. The latter includes fruit pith residue, peels and seeds. Direct disposal of these wastes to the environment causes serious problems as these contain bioactive compounds. Release of these bioactive compounds to the open landfills cause bad odor and spread of diseases, and disposal to water bodies or seepage to the underground water table deteriorates water quality and harms aquatic life. In this regard, a number of research are being focused on the development of better reuse methods to obtain value-added phytochemicals as well as for safe disposal. The important phytochemicals obtained from citrus include essential oils, flavonoids, citric acid, pectin, etc., which have now become popular topics in industrial research, food and synthetic chemistry. The present article reviews recent advances in exploring the effects of flavonoids obtained from citrus wastes, the extraction procedure and their usage in view of various health benefits.
Background:
Previous reports have addressed the effectiveness of salicylic acid (SA), acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and methylsalicylate (MeSA) postharvest treatments on maintaining quality properties along storage in several commodities. However, there is no literature regarding the effect of preharvest treatments with salicylates on plum quality attributes (at harvest or after long term cold storage), which was evaluated on this research.
Results:
At harvest, weight, firmness, individual organic acids, sugars, phenolics, anthocyanins and total carotenoids were found at higher levels in plums from SA, ASA and MeSA treated trees than in those from controls. Along storage, softening, colour changes and acidity losses were delayed in treated fruits as compared to controls. In addition, organic acids and antioxidant compounds were still found at higher levels in treated than in control plums after 40 days of storage. Results show a delay on the postharvest ripening process due to salicylate treatments, which could be attributed to their effect on delaying and decreasing ethylene production.
Conclusion:
Preharvest treatment with salicylates could be a safety, eco-friendly and new tool to improve (at harvest) and maintain (along storage) plum quality and especially its content on bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties, increasing the health effects of plum consumption.
Physiological and pathological disorders of lemons (Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck) are the main causes of quality losses during shelf life leading to high economic losses. This experiment studied the effect of innovative postharvest chemical treatments [Fortisol Ca (1%; FoCa), Fortisol CaPlus (1.5%; FoCaPlus), Philabuster (0.2%; PHI) and Ortocil (1%; ORT)], and their combinations, by immersion (30. s), to control decay, chilling injury and red blotch in lemon fruit. The influence of a preharvest application of Fortisol Ca (1%) over the trees was also studied. Lemons washed with tap water were used as control fruit (CTRL). Lemons were stored for 33 d at 7. °C, which simulated a long storage and transportation period, followed by 5 d at 22. °C of retail sale period, simulating then a prolonged shelf life. The PHI + ORT treatment completely avoided pathological disorders after both shelf life periods. FoCa and FoCaPlus reduced chilling injury and red blotch. The incidence of such physiological disorders was even highly reduced when combined FoCa and FoCaPlus with PHI + ORT treatments were used. In particular, the combination of PHI + ORT + FoCaPlus completely avoided the incidence of chilling injury and red blotch. In conclusion, a combined postharvest treatment of PHI + ORT with FoCa/FoCaPlus highly reduced, or even avoided, physiological disorders (chilling injury and red blotch), minimizing mass losses, in lemon fruit during long storage and transportation, and retail sale periods extending its shelf life.
To prevent excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as typically occurs during cold storage, fruit have evolved antioxidant defence mechanisms, such as the production of heat shock proteins (HSPs), that reduce chilling injury (CI). It was hypothesised that treatments with methyl jasmonate (MJ) and salicylic acid (SA) may enhance chilling tolerance in lemon fruit by inducing the production of enzymatic antioxidants. Fully mature lemon fruit were sourced from three production sites with varying climate: moderate subtropical (New Venture Farm), warm temperate (Tala Valley Citrus Estate) and cool subtropical conditions (Sun Valley Estate). The fruit were treated with MJ and SA, waxed and stored at −0.5, 2, or 4.5 °C for 28 days plus 7 days at 23 °C. The manifestation of CI and changes in ROS, as well as in enzymatic antioxidant systems, such as catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR), as well as HSPs were investigated in lemon flavedo. Symptoms of CI were more severe in control fruit stored at 4.5 °C than at 2 or −0.5 °C. Fruit sourced from the moderate subtropical and warm temperate locations had higher enzymatic antioxidant activities (CAT, APX and GR), a higher HSPs expression and a lower accumulation of ROS than those sourced from the cool subtropical location. Treatment with 10 μM MJ plus 2 mM SA reduced CI, suppressed ROS production, increased CAT, APX and GR activity, and enhanced the accumulation of HSPs, suggesting that enzymatic antioxidants and HSPs are involved in conveying chilling tolerance to MJ- and SA-treated lemon fruit. The increase in activity of these antioxidant enzymes, together with HSPs, could be part of the mode of action by which MJ and SA convey chilling tolerance to lemon fruit.
Background:
Sweet cherries are very appreciated by consumers due to its organoleptic quality attributes and antioxidant properties, although they deteriorate rapidly after harvest. Different preharvest strategies have been carried out to increase their quality at time of harvest. We present data for the first time regarding the effect of preharvest salicylic acid (SA) and acetyl salicylic acid (ASA) treatments on sweet cherry quality during postharvest storage.
Results:
At harvest and during postharvest storage sweet cherry fruits ('Sweet Heart', 'Sweet Late' and 'Lapins') from SA (0.5 mM) and ASA (1 mM) treated trees had higher colour (lower chroma index), firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), total phenolics, total anthocyanins and hydrophilic total antioxidant activity (H-TAA). In addition, the activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and ascorbate peroxidase was also enhanced in SA- and ASA-treated cherries.
Conclusion:
Both SA and ASA preharvest treatments could be promising tools for improving sweet cherry quality at harvest and after storage, with an additional effect on delaying the postharvest ripening process throughout increasing the levels of antioxidant compounds and the activity of the antioxidant enzymes.
The effects of postharvest calcium (Ca) treatments on respiration and quality attributes in `Maglino' lemons,
harvested at the yellow-green or light yellow state, were investigated during storage for up to 60.d. Lemons were immersed in solutions of calcium chloride (CaCl2) at concentrations up to 0.36.M, for 25 min. Weight loss (WL) during storage was not affected by Ca treatment in either colour state of fruit. In yellow-green fruit, Ca treatment prevented decreases in ®rmness and the highest ®rmness retention was achieved with 0.09.M CaCl2 after 40.d of storage. However, light yellow fruit did not exhibit changes in ®rmness in relation to storage time or to Ca treatment. In light yellow lemons, Ca treatment promoted the decreases in carbon dioxide (CO2) production by the fruit and prevented decreases in hue angle values in ¯avedo, but had no effect on the decreased oxygen (O2) consumption by the fruit, on the decreased L* and increased chroma values in ¯avedo, and on the unchanged pH values, on the increased ascorbic acid concentration (AA), soluble solids content (SSC) and titratable acidity (TA) of juice during storage. Hue angle decreases in ¯avedo were best prevented with 0.09 M CaCl2.
Lemon (Citrus limon) and lime (Citrus aurantifolia) juices are used in folk medicine for the management of hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases, but the mechanism of action by which they exert their therapeutic action is unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of lemon and lime juices on angiotensin-1-converting enzyme (ACE) activity in vitro and investigate the hypocholesterolemic properties of the juices in a high-cholesterol diet rat model. The phenolic content and antioxidant properties of the manually squeezed juices were also determined. Lemon juice had higher total phenol content (64.5 mg/l), while lime juice had higher total flavonoid content (29.5 mg/l). Both juices inhibited ACE activity in a dose-dependent manner and also exhibited antioxidant activities as typified by their ferric reducing power, and radicals (DPPH·, ABTS·, OH·, and NO·) scavenging abilities, as well as inhibition of Fe2+- and sodium nitroprusside-induced lipid peroxidation in rat’s liver in vitro. Administration of the juices to rats fed with a high-cholesterol diet caused a significant reduction in plasma total cholesterol, triglyceride, and LDL-cholesterol levels and an increase in plasma HDL-cholesterol levels. The inhibition of ACE activity in vitro and in vivo hypocholesterolemic effect of the juices could explain the use of the juices in the management of cardiovascular diseases.
The aim of this work was to design new isotonic drinks with lemon juice and berries: maqui (Aristotelia chilensis (Molina) Stuntz), açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) and blackthorn (Prunus spinosa L.), following previous research. Quality parameters, sensorial attributes, antioxidant activities (ABTS(+) , DPPH(•) and O2 (•-) assays) and biological capacities (α-glucosidase and lipase inhibitory assays) were evaluated over 70 days of shelf-life period.
Maqui isotonic-blends were the most active in all antioxidant assays (8.35 and 3.07 mM Trolox for ABTS(+) and DPPH(•) ), in the lipase inhibitory assay (43.19 U/L), and showed the highest TPC by Folin Ciocalteau (80.97 mg/100mL gallic acid), as a result of its higher content in total anthocyanins (42.42 mg/100mL). Berry-mixtures were also the most potent inhibitors of α-glucosidase between all samples, and displayed an attractive red colour and good sensorial attributes.
All the studied parameters remained quite stable during preservation, in general, and the new isotonic drinks can be useful to equilibrate redox balance in acute and intense exercise, and support weight loss programs, avoiding the triglyceride absorption and hyperglicemia, involved in obesity and Diabetes Mellitus, respectively. Further research in vivo is necessary to verify their beneficial effects for sports, nutrition, and health.
In this work the antifungal efficacy of thymol, carvacrol and the mixture of both pure essential oils has been proved against Penicillium digitatum and Penicillium italicum, by using in vitro (liquid media, PDA plates and disk growth) and in vivo (lemon) tests. Results indicated that both essential oils were effective in inhibiting fungal growth in all in vitro tests, with the highest efficacy displayed by thymol. In addition, the application of wax with thymol and carvacrol to lemons inoculated with P. digitatum demonstrated the reduction of decay (expressed as percentage of infected fruit surface) in a concentration dependent manner, as well as reduced respiration rate, ethylene production and total acidity losses. Thus, the application of these essential oils together with wax in the citrus packing lines could be considered as good alternatives to reduce the use of synthetic fungicides.
The susceptibility of Fortune (Citrus clementina × Citrus reticulata), Citrus paradisi and Citrus limon fruits to Alternaria alternata pv. citri was investigated using different artificial inoculation methods. The results obtained reveal that the C. paradisi and C. limon fruits are less susceptible to A. alternata pv. citri than Fortune fruits, although all showed symptoms of Alternaria brown spot when the cuticle was broken and the flavedo or flavedo + albedo was removed. Furthermore, it was seen that susceptibility to the fungus decreased as the age of the fruit increased. There was a positive correlation between the susceptibility of the different Citrus fruits to A. alternata pv. citri and their “in vivo” ethylene levels, the most susceptible fruit (Fortune) producing more ethylene during growth than the less susceptible C. limon and C. paradisi. This suggests that ethylene may well be considered as a possible marker of Citrus fruit susceptibility to A. alternata pv. citri. Disease development increased when the Fortune fruits were treated with 1 mM ACC (a precursor of ethylene biosynthesis) or 1 mM Ethephon (an ethylene-releasing compound) prior to inoculation with A. alternata pv. citri. The role of ethylene as a factor involved in disease development is discussed.
Some of the medicinal properties of lemons are due to the flavonoids they contain since they are involved in many biological activities and have many health-related functions. The levels of the principal flavanones and flavone found in different cultivars of Citrus limon, are analysed in an attempt to identify the most interesting as regards the content of such secondary compounds. The results show that the immature fruits from cultivars Lisbon and Fino-49 are ideal for obtaining the flavanone hesperidin, while the mature fruits of cultivar Fino-49 and the leaves of cultivar Eureka are the most interesting for obtaining the flavone diosmin and the flavanone eriocitrin.
Citrus genus is the most important fruit tree crop in the world and lemon is the third most important Citrus species. Several studies highlighted lemon as an important health-promoting fruit rich in phenolic compounds as well as vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, essential oils and carotenoids. Lemon fruit has a strong commercial value for the fresh products market and food industry. Moreover, lemon productive networks generate high amounts of wastes and by-products that constitute an important source of bioactive compounds with potential for animal feed, manufactured foods, and health care. This review focuses on the phytochemistry and the analytical aspects of lemon compounds as well as on the importance for food industry and the relevance of Citrus limon for nutrition and health, bringing an overview of what is published on the bioactive compounds of this fruit.
Production statistics Available in: Accessed
- Faostat
Faostat. (2018). Production statistics Available in: Accessed 30 april, 2020 http://faostat.
fao.org/site/567/DesktopDefault.aspx?PageID=567#ancor.
Salicylic acid treatment of peach trees maintains nutritional quality of fruits during cold storage
- Razavi