The effect of gamma irradiation on qualitative characteristics of pomegranate fruit during cold storage

The carob moth, Ectomyelois ceratoniae (Zeller) and various diseases are the main limiting factors in postharvest life of pomegranate fruit. Including effective treatment to reduce pests and diseases of agricultural crops is gamma radiation. The effect of this treatment in reducing postharvest pests and diseases of pomegranate fruit has been also shown; however, its effect on fruit quality during cold storage has not been investigated. In order to study the effect of gamma irradiation on pomegranate quality this study, as factorial in frame of CRD, was conducted at Shahed University and Nuclear Agriculture Research School in 2015. For that pomegranate fruits cv. ‘Malas Saveh’ were harvested at maturity stage and treated with gamma radiation at doses of 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7 kGy and were stored at 6°C with 80% RH, and then were taken on 1, 2 and 3 months of storage. Results showed that application of gamma radiation in comparison to control increased weight loss and electrolyte leakage, and reduced soluble solid, total phenol, anthocyanin and vitamin C contents as well as antioxidant capacity. Nevertheless the effects of treatments at low doses, especially at 1 kGy, were not considerable, but fruit quality decreased more with increasing doses. Therefore low doses of this treatment can be effectively use in increasing postharvest life of pomegranate fruit.