Effect of salicylic acid on maintaining post-harvest quality of apple cv.، Golabe-Kohanz

Fruit browning and tissue softening due to damages during handling, quality losses and water loss are the major limiting factors reducing postharvest life of early ripening apples. In this study, the effect of salicylic acid (SA) on fruit quality of apple cv ‘Golabe-Kohanz’ during postharvest life were investigated. Harvested fruits were immersed in zero, one, two and four mM SA and were maintained for 43 days at zero ºC. SA decreased the soluble solids content at last stages of storage. In addition, SA reduced softening rate and water loss. At the end of storage, the highest firmness was observed in one and two mM SA treated fruits and the highest water loss was measured in control. Treatment of fruits by all three concentrations of SA showed a little browning. The highest browning was observed in those of control. Also SA delayed reduction of the total phenolic. The results demonstrate that SA postharvest treatment of apple cv.، Golabe-Kohanz, through reducing browning and maintaining fruit quality increased postharvest life.