Articles
Preharvest potassium silicate sprays on consumer-perceived quality variables and antioxidant concentrations in cherries at harvest and after low-temperature storage
Article number
1396_60
Pages
457 – 464
Language
English
Abstract
The present study aimed to evaluate changes in quality variables of Prime Giant cherries during storage in response to foliar sprays with potassium silicate (PS). Trees were sprayed twice with 0.5% PS at the stage of the peel colour break and at the pink-colour development.
Fruit were harvested at an early commercial stage and stored in clamshells in groups of 20 in air at 1°C with 95% RH for 27 d.
Four size indicators and weight of fruit, rates of respiration and ethylene production, total soluble solids (TSS), pH and fruit dry weight values were determined only at harvest and showed no treatment effect.
In contrast, at harvest treated fruit exhibited higher values of fruit firmness (FF), and concentrations of total flavonoids (TF) and total anthocyanins (TAN). During storage, peel colour parameters and fruit firmness (FF) decreased, total flavonoids (TF) and total anthocyanins (TAN) contents and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) increased, whereas total phenolics (TP) and pedicel removal force (PRF) did not change.
However, treated fruit in store showed consistently lower colour parameter values, indicating a deeper red-colour and higher values of FF, PRF and antioxidants than controls.
WL reached approximately 6% on day 27 in both controls and treated fruit, pitting and pedicel browning exhibited no treatment effect, while no splitting was observed.
Conclusively, PS sprays, an easy and low-cost treatment, render the cherries more attractive and advance their storability potential.
Fruit were harvested at an early commercial stage and stored in clamshells in groups of 20 in air at 1°C with 95% RH for 27 d.
Four size indicators and weight of fruit, rates of respiration and ethylene production, total soluble solids (TSS), pH and fruit dry weight values were determined only at harvest and showed no treatment effect.
In contrast, at harvest treated fruit exhibited higher values of fruit firmness (FF), and concentrations of total flavonoids (TF) and total anthocyanins (TAN). During storage, peel colour parameters and fruit firmness (FF) decreased, total flavonoids (TF) and total anthocyanins (TAN) contents and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) increased, whereas total phenolics (TP) and pedicel removal force (PRF) did not change.
However, treated fruit in store showed consistently lower colour parameter values, indicating a deeper red-colour and higher values of FF, PRF and antioxidants than controls.
WL reached approximately 6% on day 27 in both controls and treated fruit, pitting and pedicel browning exhibited no treatment effect, while no splitting was observed.
Conclusively, PS sprays, an easy and low-cost treatment, render the cherries more attractive and advance their storability potential.
Authors
M.V. Christopoulos, A. Karantzi, M. Kafkaletou, P. Tsigonias, M. Dareioti, E. Tsantili
Keywords
anthocyanins, colour, firmness, pedicel removal, phenolics, Prunus avium
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