Document Type : Research paper
Authors
1
King Mongkut's Insitute of Technology Ladkrabang Branch, King Mongkut's Insitute of Technology Ladkrabang, Chalongkrung Road, Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand
2
Department of Agricultural Technolgy, Prince of Chumphon Campus, King Mongkut's Insitute of Technology Ladkrabang, Pathio, Chumphon Province, Thailand
3
Department of Agricultural Technology, Prince of Chumphon Campus, King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Pathio, Chumphon Province, Thailand
4
Department of Food Science and Technology Management, Faculty of Science and Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi, Klongluang, Prathumthani Province, Thailand
5
Department of Agricultural Technology, Prince of Chumphon Campus, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang , Pathio District, Chumphon Province, Thailand
6
King Mongkut's Insitute of Technology Ladkrabang Branch, King Mongkut's Insitute of Technology Ladkrabang, Chalongkrung Road, Ladkrabang, Bangkok, Thailand
10.22059/ijhst.2025.384161.945
Abstract
The impacts of preharvest salicylic acid (SA), calcium chloride (CaCl₂), and SA incorporated with CaCl₂ (SA+CaCl₂) sprays on the quality of mulberries were investigated. In the preliminary experiment, the mulberries were sprayed with SA (0, 1, and 2 mM) or CaCl₂ (0, 0.5, and 1%) before harvest for 5 days. The results indicated that the preharvest application of 1 mM SA or 0.5% CaCl₂ resulted in the deceleration of the BrimA (a ripening index) increase and hindered fruit softening during storage at 5 °C for 6 days. In the major experiment, the effects of preharvest sprays of 1 mM SA, 0.5% CaCl₂, and SA+CaCl₂ for 5 days prior to harvest were investigated. All preharvest treatments delayed fruit darkening and acidity reduction compared to the untreated fruits and did not affect redness. The SA+CaCl₂ spray delayed fruit darkening and enhanced firmness compared to the individual sprays. The total soluble solids content and BrimA value of treated mulberries were lower than those of untreated fruits. All treatments improved the antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds compared to the untreated fruits. The ferric-reducing antioxidant potential, DPPH radical scavenging activity, total anthocyanin, and total phenol content were all higher with the SA+CaCl₂ preharvest spray than with SA or CaCl₂ spray alone. The preharvest SA+CaCl₂ spray is a promising approach for improving Thai dwarf mulberry postharvest quality.
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