The Effect of Some Growth Regulators, Chitosan and Cinnamon Essential Oil on Improving Nutritional Quality and Postharvest Life of Thomson Navel Cultivar

The use of natural and compatible compounds with nature and humans in order to produce products free of chemicals and harmful substances with higher nutritional and medicinal value, which is accompanied by a reduction in food waste, seems necessary. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different treatments jasmonic acid (20, 10, 5 µg/l), epibrasinolide (10, 7, 4, 1 µm/l), cinnamon essential oil (750,1000, 500, 250 ppm), and chitosan (10, 7.5, 5, 2.5 g/ l) on physicochemical sensory properties and shelf life of Thomson Navel oranges. Evaluation of physicochemical and sensory properties and shelf life of treated fruits during 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 days after harvest was performed. The results of this study showed that in general, the most effective treatment to maintain fruit quality characteristics such as (total acidity: 3.24, soluble solids: 16.39ºBrix, vitamin C: 48.94 mg/100 g FW, carotenoids: 61.10 mg/100 g FW) was obtained with Jasmonic acid treatment at a concentration of 40 μl / l. Chitosan at concentration of 10 g/ l with of 57.6 days had the highest fruit shelf life. According to the obtained results, 40 μl / l of jasmonic acid seems to be effective in order to maintain valuable nutritional properties and 10 g / l of chitosan to increase storage life.