Oxalic acid preharvest treatment increases antioxidant systems and improves plum quality at harvest and during postharvest storage

• Published in: Journal of the science of food and agriculture 2019-01, Vol.99 (1), p.235-243
• Main Authors: Martínez‐Esplá, Alejandra, Serrano, María, Martínez‐Romero, Domingo, Valero, Daniel, Zapata, Pedro J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acidity; Anthocyanins; antioxidant activity; antioxidant enzymes; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - chemistry; Bioactive compounds; Carotenoids; Cold storage; Crop yield; Cultivars; Delay; Ethylene; Firmness; Food Preservation - methods; Food Preservatives - pharmacology; Food Storage; Fruit - chemistry; Fruit - drug effects; Fruit - growth & development; Fruits; Organic chemistry; Oxalic acid; Oxalic Acid - pharmacology; phenolics; Plums; Prunus domestica - chemistry; Prunus domestica - drug effects; Prunus domestica - growth & development; Prunus salicina; Quality management; Reactive oxygen species; Ripening; Scavenging; Storage life; Trees; Weight
• ISSN: 0022-5142; 1097-0010
• DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.9165

BACKGROUND Plums are much appreciated by consumers as fresh fruit but have a limited storage life. Since reactive oxygen species (ROS) are associated with fruit ripening, an increase in ROS scavenging antioxidant systems could lead to a delay in postharvest plum ripening and in maintaining fruit quality after long cold storage. RESULTS Results showed that crop yield (kg per tree) and fruit weight were enhanced by preharvest oxalic acid (OA) treatment of plum cultivars (‘Black Splendor’ and ‘Royal Rosa’), although the on‐tree ripening process was delayed. In addition, the ripening process during cold storage was delayed in plums from OA‐treated tress, manifested by lower firmness and acidity losses and reduced ethylene production, as compared with fruits from control trees. Antioxidant compounds (phenolics, anthocyanins and carotenoids) and the activity of antioxidant enzymes were higher in plums from OA‐treated trees than in controls, at harvest and during 50 days of cold storage. CONCLUSION OA preharvest treatment could be a useful tool to maintain plum quality properties during long‐term storage, by delaying the postharvest ripening process through a delay in ethylene production, with an additional effect on increasing bioactive compounds with health beneficial effects. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry