Iranian Journal of Horticultural Science

Iranian Journal of Horticultural Science

Amelioration of chilling injury and improvement of antioxidants in pomegranate by pre and postharvest methyljasmonate application

Document Type : Full Paper

Authors
Mesbah Babalar 1
Farhad Pirzad 2
Mohammad Ali Askari Sarcheshmeh 3
Alireza Talaei 1
Hossein Lessani 1
1 Professor, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
2 Former Ph.D. Student, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
3 Associate Professor, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran
10.22059/ijhs.2017.217536.1099
Abstract
Pomegranate fruit is one of the sensetive fruit to chilling injury (CI), when they are exposed to temperatures below 5 °C. This study applied a combination of pre and postharvest methyl jasmonate (MeJA) at 0 (control), 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 mM on chilling injury (CI), antioxidant capacity and fruit quality in pomegranate fruit. Fruits were stored at 4±1 °C and 90-95% relative humidity for 4 months. MeJA treatment at 0.2 mM significantly delayed the postharvest CI and increased electrolyte leakage and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation about 54, 20 and 27 percent, repectively. In these fruits, total phenolics, DPPH scavenging activity, Phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and total anthocyanine were found at higher levels in treated than control pomegranates during postharvest storage. Also, treated fruits had lower weight loss, total soluble solids (TSS), pH and higher TA and Vit C. Overall, these findings demonstrated that pre and postharvest treatments with MeJA had potential effect on enhancing tolerance of pomegranates to postharvest chilling injury, maintaining the quality and extending storability and marketing of pomegranate fruits.
Keywords
Anthocyanins
electrolyte leakage
phenylalanine ammonia-lyase
storage
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Iranian Journal of Horticultural Science
Volume 49, Issue 2
Summer 2018
Pages 335-349

  • Receive Date 22 October 2016
  • Revise Date 28 January 2017
  • Accept Date 28 January 2017