Effects of pre-harvest calcium compounds sprays on quality and antioxidant properties of pear cv.“Dargazi”

Nowadays, application of chemical compounds is limited due to their harmful effects on human health and environmental. Therefore, it is required to find safe compound that utilized in postharvest technology of fruit and vegetable. Calcium is regarded as a safe and potentially effective element for increasing the quality and storage life of several fruit. Pre and postharvest treatments with different calcium salts have been effective in maintaining cell wall stabilization and integrity, enhancing antioxidant capacity, delaying the ripening process, alleviating chilling injury, controlling postharvest decay and reducing physiological disorders of horticultural crops. However, there is little information about the effects of different calcium sources on bioactive components, antioxidant properties and quality attribution in pear fruits. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pre-harvest application of calcium acetate, calcium chloride, calcium lactate and calcium lignosulphonate on important quality characteristics, antioxidant properties and storage life of pear fruits. The experiment was carried out on 8-year-old pear [Pyrus communis (L.) ‘Dargazi’] trees, in a commercial orchard located in the Zanjan (Abhar). The results showed that treatment with different calcium sources significantly maintained content of total soluble solids, firmness, vitamin C, total phenolics and antioxidant capacity. The experiment conducted here indicated that a preharvest application of calcium salts increased calcium content of pear fruits.