Effects of Preharvest Application of Salicylic acid and Gibberellic acid on Qualitative Characteristics and Postharvest Life of Kinnow Mandarin

Kinnow is one of the most important cultivars of mandarin with a special economic importance in Iran. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of preharvest applications of salicylic acid and gibberellic acid on the storage quality of Citrus reticulate Blanco cv. Kinnow fruit. A factorial experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications in 2017. The six-year-old trees of mandarin were sprayed in two stages before harvest and fruits were harvested at the end of February and kept at 5 °C and 85% relative humidity for 60 days. Based on the results obtained, at the end of the storage, the lowest levels of acidity were observed at 50 mg L-1 gibberellic acid plus 1 mM salicylic acid. The highest and the lowest TSS levels were observed in non-treated fruits along with 50 mg L-1 gibberellic acid plus 1 mM salicylic acid. All treatments, with the exception of salicylic acid 2 mM, showed a significant role in preventing weight loss.Gibberellic acid treatment has a significant role in preserving the vitamin C of the fruit. The highest L* value (lightness) was observed in gibberellic acid treatment with 50 mg L-1 with 1 mM salicylic acid. The highest a* (21.9) (redness) was observed in salicylic acid 2 mM.