Effects of Preharvest Application of Salicylic Acid on Qualitative Traits and Antioxidant Activity of Two Apricot Cultivars

In order to investigate the effects of pre-harvest salicylic acid (SA) treatments on fruit quality and antioxidant activity of two apricot cultivers (Shakarpareh and Shamlou), an experiment was conducted, based on complete randomized blocks design. Apricot trees were treated with four concentrations of salicylic acid (0, 1.5, 3 and 4.5 mM) 6 days before harvesting. Fruit were harvested on physiological ripening in both cultivars and some characteristics such as fruit firmness, total soluble solid (TSS) contents, titratable acidity (TA), ascorbic acid content, total phenolic contents and total anti-oxidant activity were determined in treated and non-treated fruit. Results showed that pH and TSS were decreased in chemical-treated fruit but TA, fruit firmness, total flavonoids and total phenol were increased significantly in both cultivars. Salicylic acid treatments had no significant effect on ascorbic acid content and antioxidant activity. The highest value of fruit firmness, TA, total phenol content in Shakarpareh were observed using 4.5 mM SA but the lowest value were found in non-treated fruit. The highest flavonoid contents in this cultivar were recorded in the 3 mM SA. In Shamlou cultivar, the highest value of fruit firmness, TA and total flavonoids were observed in 3 mM SA.