Postharvest Salicylic Acid Treatment Affects Weight Loss, Spoilage and Biochemical Attributes of Bartlett Pear Fruits
Angrej Ali *
Division of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Wadura Campus, Sopore - 193201, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
K. Rasool
Division of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Wadura Campus, Sopore - 193201, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
N. A. Ganai
Division of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Wadura Campus, Sopore - 193201, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
I. A. Lone
Division of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Wadura Campus, Sopore - 193201, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
A. H. Wani
Division of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Wadura Campus, Sopore - 193201, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
K. M. Malik
Division of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Wadura Campus, Sopore - 193201, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
S. Parveen
Division of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Wadura Campus, Sopore - 193201, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
R. Anayat
Division of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Wadura Campus, Sopore - 193201, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
K. Javeed
Division of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Wadura Campus, Sopore - 193201, Jammu and Kashmir, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The present study aimed to determine the effect of postharvest salicylic acid (SA) treatments on storability and biochemical quality of Bartlett pear fruits at ambient storage conditions. Freshly harvested fruits were treated with salicylic acid solution at 0 (control), 0.5, 1 or 2 mM and fruits were stored at ambient conditions (room temperature) for 21 days storage studies. Data on physiological loss in weight (PLW), fruit spoilage and biochemical quality of fruits (total soluble soils, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, reducing and total sugars) were recorded. Results revealed that the salicylic acid treatments significantly minimized the PLW and fruit spoilage. At 21 days of storage at ambient conditions, the lowest PLW (13.76 %) and fruit spoilage (21.70 %) was noted with SA at 2 mM. All three SA treatments effectively retained the biochemical attributes of fruits i.e. total soluble soils, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, reducing and total sugars as compared to control fruits. In conclusion, Salicylic acid at 2 mM treatment to the Bartlett pear fruits after harvest can be useful in minimizing the PLW and fruit spoilage and also maintaining the biochemical quality of fruits during ambient storage conditions.
Keywords: Ambient storage, bartlett, fruit quality, salicylic acid, pear, Pyrus spp, storability