The Effect of Various Cytokinin Doses on Storage of White Button Mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus)

In this study, the effects of modified atmosphere conditions and cytokinin applications were studied on postharvest physiology of mushroom (Agaricus bisporus). Mushroom caps (Agaricus bisporus) harvested at the same maturity levels were maintained at cold storage having 0°C temperature and 90-95 % moisture conditions in the open, stretch and polyethylene (PE) packaging materials after immersing the caps with Nitrozyne (0, 5, 10, 15 ppm as nitrozyne) for 9 days. The weight loss, color (L*, C* and H*), vitamin C, total phenolics (TP) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) levels of the samples were determined at the harvest period and at 3 day intervals in cold storage conditions. In the study, for weight loss, cap color, vitamin C loss, total phenolic compounds loss and PPO enzyme activity decrease, modified atmosphere storage conditions and cytokinin applications were found to be more effective compared to the control and open stored conditions. At the end of the storage, it was observed that there were decrease in total phenolic compounds, vitamin C and L values while there were increase in weight loss and PPO activity. As a result of this study, it was concluded that Agaricus bisporus can be successfully stored for 9 days with PE and stretch coating