The Effect of Sodium Nitroprusside on Qualitative Characteristics of Pomegranate (cv. Malas Yazdi) During Storage Period

To evaluate the effect of sodium nitroprusside on antioxidant activity and qualitative characteristics of pomegranate, an experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete block design (RCBD), with three replications in 2015 at the Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Yazd, Iran. In this study, the effects of sodium nitroprusside foliar application in different concentrations (0, 10-3 and 10-4 M) were investigated and the amount of anthocyanin, vitamin C, flavonoid, phenol, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), and antioxidant activity were measured after two months of storage at 5° C. The results of this experiment showed that the effect of sodium nitroprusside on the qualitative characteristics was significant. The highest amount of anthocyanin, vitamin C, flavonoid, phenol, TA, TSS, and antioxidant activity was observed in the concentration of 10-3 M sodium nitroprusside, while the least amount of these traits was obtained in the control treatment. According to the results, sodium nitroprusside can be used to maintain the quality of pomegranate fruit during the storage period.