Poor exocarp colour development is a common postharvest problem for early harvested “Hass” avocado fruit during ripening, which affects fruit quality and consumer preference. Therefore, measures to improve “Hass” avocado fruit colour developments are of great importance in the industry. This study investigated the effectiveness of postharvest methyl jasmonate treatment to improve early matured “Hass” avocado fruit exocarp colour during ripening. The results showed that T1 (10 μmol∙L−1) and T2 (100 μmol∙L−1) MeJA treatment increased visual colour, and decreased objective colour parameters (L*, C* and h˚) during ripening when compared with control fruit. Moreover, MeJA treated “Hass” avocado fruits had lower total chlorophyll content and higher total anthocyanin and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside concentration during ripening. In conclusion, “Hass” avocado fruit post-harvest treated with either T1 (10 μmol∙L−1) or T2 (100 μmol∙L−1) MeJA concentration improved exocarp quality attributes such as colour parameters (L*, C* h˚ and visual colour) and pigments (total anthocyanin and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside) during ripening, therefore, can be recommended for avocado fruit.
References
[1]
Cox, K.A., McGhie, T.K., White, A. and Woolf, A.B. (2004) Skin Colour and Pigment Changes during Ripening of “Hass” Avocado Fruit. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 31, 287-294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2003.09.008
[2]
Mathaba, N., Mafeo, T.P. and Kruger, F.J. (2015) The Skin Colouring Problem of “Hass” Avocado Fruit During Ripening. South African Avocado Growers Association Yearbook, 38, 51-57.
[3]
Donetti, M. and Terry, L.A. (2014) Biochemical Markers Defining Growing Area and Ripening Stage of Imported Avocado Fruit cv. Hass. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 34, 90-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfca.2013.11.011
[4]
Ashton, O.B., Wong, M., McGhie, T.K., Vather, R., Wang, Y. and Requejo-Jackman, C. (2006) Pigments in Avocado Tissue and Oil. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 54, 10151-10158. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf061809j
[5]
Öztürk, B., Özkan, Y. and Yildiz, K. (2014) Methyl Jasmonate Treatments Influence Bioactive Compounds and Red Peel Color Development of Braeburn Apple. Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry, 38, 688-699. https://doi.org/10.3906/tar-1312-43
[6]
Seo, J., Yi, G., Lee, J.G., Choi, J.H. and Lee, E.J. (2020) Seed Browning in Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Fruit during Cold Storage is Inhibited by Methyl Jasmonate or Induced by Methyl Salicylate. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 166, 111-210. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2020.111210
[7]
Flores, G., Blanch, G.P., and del Castillo, M.L.R. (2015) Postharvest Treatment with (−) and (+)-Methyl Jasmonate Stimulates Anthocyanin Accumulation in Grapes. LWT-Food Science and Technology, 62, 807-812. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2014.12.033
[8]
Wang, H., Wu, Y., Yu, R., Wu, C., Fan, G. and Li, T. (2019) Effects of Postharvest Application of Methyl Jasmonate on Physicochemical Characteristics and Antioxidant System of the Blueberry Fruit. Scientia Horticulturae, 258, Article No. 108785. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2019.108785
[9]
Fan, L., Shi, J., Zuo, J., Gao, L., Lv, J. and Wang, Q. (2016) Methyl Jasmonate Delays Postharvest Ripening and Senescence in the Non-Climacteric Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) Fruit. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 120, 76-83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2016.05.010
[10]
Liu, H., Meng, F., Miao, H., Chen, S., Yin, T. and Hu, S. (2018) Effects of Postharvest Methyl Jasmonate Treatment on Main Health-Promoting Components and Volatile Organic Compounds in Cherry Tomato Fruits. Food Chemistry, 263, 194-200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2018.04.124
[11]
García-Pastor, M.E., Serrano, M., Guillén, F., Castillo, S., Martínez-Romero, D. and Valero, D. (2019) Methyl Jasmonate Effects on Table Grape Ripening, Vine Yield, Berry Quality and Bioactive Compounds Depend on Applied Concentration. Scientia Horticulturae, 247, 380-389. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2018.12.043
[12]
Wang, S.Y., Bowman, L. and Ding, M. (2008) Methyl Jasmonate Enhances Antioxidant Activity and Flavonoid Content in Blackberries (Rubus sp.) and Promotes Antiproliferation of Human Cancer Cells. Food Chemistry, 107, 1261-1269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2007.09.065
[13]
Muengkaew, R., Chaiprasart, P. and Warrington, I. (2016) Changing of Physiochemical Properties and Color Development of Mango Fruit Sprayed Methyl Jasmonate. Scientia Horticulturae, 198, 70-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2015.11.033
[14]
McGuire, R.G. (1992) Reporting of Objective Color Measurements. HortScience, 27, 1254-1255. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI.27.12.1254
[15]
Lichtenthaler, H.K. (1987) Chlorophylls and Carotenoids: Pigments of Photosynthetic Biomembranes. Methods in Enzymology, 350-382. https://doi.org/10.1016/0076-6879(87)48036-1
[16]
Giusti, M.M. and Wrolstad, R.E. (2001) Characterization and Measurement of Anthocyanins by UV-Visible Spectroscopy. Current Protocols in Food Analytical Chemistry, F1.2.1-F1.2.13. https://doi.org/10.1002/0471142913.faf0102s00
[17]
Mathaba, N., Mathe, S., Mafeo, T.P., Tesfay, S.Z. and Mlimi, J. (2017) Complexities of ‘Hass’ Avocado Skin Colour Change During Ripening South African Avocado Growers Association Yearbook, 40, 129-132.
[18]
Díaz-Mula, H., Zapata, P., Guillén, F., Martínez-Romero, D., Castillo, S. and Serrano M. (2009) Changes in Hydrophilic and Lipophilic Antioxidant Activity and Related Bioactive Compounds during Postharvest Storage of Yellow and Purple Plum Cultivars. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 51, 354-363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2008.09.007
[19]
Sayyari, M., Babalar, M., Kalantari, S., Martínez-Romero, D., Guillén, F. and Serrano, M. (2011) Vapour Treatments with Methyl Salicylate or Methyl Jasmonate Alleviated Chilling Injury and Enhanced Antioxidant Potential During Postharvest Storage of Pomegranates. Food Chemistry, 124, 964-970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2010.07.036
[20]
Saracoglu, O., Ozturk, B., Yildiz, K. and Kucuker, E. (2017) Pre-Harvest Methyl Jasmonate Treatments Delayed Ripening and Improved Quality of Sweet Cherry Fruits. Scientia Horticulturae, 226, 19-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2017.08.024
[21]
Belhadj, A., Telef, N., Saigne, C., Cluzet, S., Barrieu, F. and Hamdi, S. (2008) Effect of Methyl Jasmonate in Combination with Carbohydrates on Gene Expression of PR Proteins, Stilbene and Anthocyanin Accumulation in Grapevine Cell Cultures. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 46, 493-499. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2007.12.001
[22]
Chanjirakul, K., Wang, S.Y., Wang, C.Y. and Siriphanich, J. (2006) Effect of Natural Volatile Compounds on Antioxidant Capacity and Antioxidant Enzymes in Raspberries. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 40, 106-115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2006.01.004
[23]
Cao, S., Zheng, Y., Wang, K., Jin, P. and Rui, H. (2009) Methyl Jasmonate Reduces Chilling Injury and Enhances Antioxidant Enzyme Activity in Postharvest Loquat Fruit. Food Chemistry, 115, 1458-1463. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2009.01.082
[24]
Reyes-Díaz, M., Lobos, T., Cardemil, L., Nunes-Nesi, A., Retamales, J. and Jaakola, L. (2016) Methyl Jasmonate: An Alternative for Improving the Quality and Health Properties of Fresh Fruits. Molecules, 21, 567. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21060567
[25]
Baswal, A., Dhaliwal, H., Singh, Z., Mahajan, B. and Gill, K. (2020) Postharvest Application of Methyl Jasmonate, 1-Methylcyclopropene and Salicylic Acid Extends the Cold Storage Life and Maintain the Quality of “Kinnow” Mandarin (Citrus nobilis L. X C. deliciosa L.) Fruit. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 161, Article No. 111064. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.postharvbio.2019.111064
[26]
Wang, H., Cheng, X., Wu, C., Fan, G., Li, T. and Dong, C. (2021) Retardation of Postharvest Softening of Blueberry Fruit by Methyl Jasmonate is Correlated with Altered Cell Wall Modification and Energy Metabolism. Scientia Horticulturae, 276, Article No. 109752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2020.109752
