Articles
The effect of the postharvest red and blue LED light exposure on the quality of cherry tomato
Article number
1329_22
Pages
181 – 187
Language
English
Abstract
As a climacteric fruit, tomato continues to ripen, even if detached from the mother plant.
During ripening of tomatoes, carotenoid synthesis is accompanied by the degradation of the green chlorophyll pigments.
Lycopene and β-carotene are the major carotenoids in ripe tomato and represent the primary components of ripe fruit pigmentation.
Colour and quality are the most vital tomato fruit quality parameters from the consumer’s perspective.
The use of light emitting diodes (LEDs) has been proven to induce colour and improve quality of tomatoes; however, little or no information is available on the effect of postharvest LED lighting on various cherry tomatoes cultivars.
Hence, in this study the effects of postharvest red and blue light treatment on colour, ripening, carotenoid concentration and quality of two greenhouse-grown tomato cultivars, treated at the mature green stage was evaluated.
Postharvest light treatments significantly enhanced colour development, as well as carotenoid and total soluble solid (TSS) concentrations in both red and yellow cherry tomatoes treated at the mature green stage.
At full maturity, the yellow cultivar had a lower lycopene concentration than the red cultivar; however, there was no significant difference in β-carotene concentration between yellow and red cultivar.
Light treatments did not have a significant effect (P<0.05) in firmness and mass of control fruit and those that received red or blue light.
Treating tomato fruit at the mature green stage postharvest with LED lights could become a method to enhance colour development and, thereby, phytonutrient quality.
During ripening of tomatoes, carotenoid synthesis is accompanied by the degradation of the green chlorophyll pigments.
Lycopene and β-carotene are the major carotenoids in ripe tomato and represent the primary components of ripe fruit pigmentation.
Colour and quality are the most vital tomato fruit quality parameters from the consumer’s perspective.
The use of light emitting diodes (LEDs) has been proven to induce colour and improve quality of tomatoes; however, little or no information is available on the effect of postharvest LED lighting on various cherry tomatoes cultivars.
Hence, in this study the effects of postharvest red and blue light treatment on colour, ripening, carotenoid concentration and quality of two greenhouse-grown tomato cultivars, treated at the mature green stage was evaluated.
Postharvest light treatments significantly enhanced colour development, as well as carotenoid and total soluble solid (TSS) concentrations in both red and yellow cherry tomatoes treated at the mature green stage.
At full maturity, the yellow cultivar had a lower lycopene concentration than the red cultivar; however, there was no significant difference in β-carotene concentration between yellow and red cultivar.
Light treatments did not have a significant effect (P<0.05) in firmness and mass of control fruit and those that received red or blue light.
Treating tomato fruit at the mature green stage postharvest with LED lights could become a method to enhance colour development and, thereby, phytonutrient quality.
Publication
Authors
B.L. Ngcobo, I. Bertling
Keywords
carotenoids, cherry tomato, green mature stage, light, postharvest, quality
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