Methyl jasmonate reduces chilling injury and maintains postharvest quality of mango fruit.
González-Aguilar G. A., Fortiz J., Cruz R., Baez R., Wang C. Y.
Author Affiliation: Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, AC, Dirección de Tecnología de Alimentos de Origen Vegetal, A.P. 1735, Hermosillo, Sonora (83000), Mexico.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 48 : 515-519
Abstract : Exposure of mango (cv. Tommy Atkins) fruits to methyl jasmonate (MJ) vapours (10-4 M) for 24 h at 25°C reduced chilling injury during subsequent storage for 21 days at 7°C and after 5 days of shelf life at 20°C. The chilling tolerance induced by MJ was positively correlated with the reduction in the percentage ion leakage of mango tissue. The overall quality of MJ-treated fruits was also better than that of control fruits. MJ treatment increased the total soluble solids but did not affect titratable acidity or pH. MJ also did not change the normal climacteric rise in respiration, water loss, and softening rates. The efficacy of MJ in reducing chilling injury and decay of mango could be related to the tolerance induced at low temperature. It was concluded that MJ treatment may prevent chilling injury symptoms of mango without altering the ripening process.