Extending Postharvest Longevity and Improving Quality of Strawberry (Fragaria Ananasa Duch Cv. ‘Gaviota’) Fruit by Postharvest Salicylic Acid Treatment

Abstract

Strawberries are an extremely perishable fruit mainly due to their soft texture and sensitivity to fungal infection. Postharvest application of conventional fungicides to fruits is prohibited. As an alternative to fungicides, salicylic acid has been found to enhance disease resistance of horticultural crops. In order to study the effect of salicylic acid as a phenolic compound on the postharvest durability and quality characteristics of strawberry fruit. ‘Gaviota’ strawberries were treated with SA at different concentrations (0, 25, 50 and 100 µlL^-1), then stored for 12 days at 4 ˚C and 75 % RH in darkness. Two different methods were applied (spray SA on fruits and paper disk method). Quality attributes such as weight loss, pH, TA, TSS, vitamin C, anthocyanin, calcium, pectin, CAT, POD, PG activity, decay percentage and sensory analyses evaluated every 3 days during storage. Results showed that, treated fruits with SA had lower weight loss, pH, TSS, POD, PG, decay and higher TA, vitamin C, anthocyanin, calcium, pectin, CAT and fruit quality compared with controls. Between two methods of treatment, paper disk method had higher effect on fruit decay and quality compared to spray method and as a general result, caused longer storability.