CHILLING INJURY ALLEVIATION AND QUALITY MAINTENANCE OF LEMON BASIL BY PREHARVEST SALICYLIC ACID TREATMENT

Suriyan Supapvanich; Rachadakorn Polpakdee; Pratumtip Wongsuwan

doi:10.9755/ejfa.2015-08-572

Authors

Suriyan Supapvanich Department of Agricultural Education, Faculty of Industrial Education, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Chalongkrung road, Ladkrabang, Bangkok 10520, Thailand
Rachadakorn Polpakdee Department of Agricultural Education, Faculty of Industrial Education, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Chalongkrung road, Ladkrabang, Bangkok 10520, Thailand
Pratumtip Wongsuwan Department of Agricultural Education, Faculty of Industrial Education, King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, Chalongkrung road, Ladkrabang, Bangkok 10520, Thailand

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.9755/ejfa.2015-08-572

Keywords:

Lemon basil, Salicylic acid, Preharvest treatment, Chilling injury, Bioactive compounds

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to alleviate chilling injury (CI) of lemon basil during storage by using preharvest salicylic acid (SA) treatment. The basil was sprayed with SA at the concentration of 0, 1, 5 or 10 mM before harvesting 24 h and was then stored at 7 °C for 4 days. Weight loss, CI score, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, electrolyte leakage (EL), superficial colour, pigments and bioactive compounds were determined. SA treatments alleviated CI and reduced the increase in EL and MDA content which the best result alleviating CI was 5 mM SA. The greenness and total chlorophyll content were maintained by SA application. After 24 h of treatment, antioxidants, total phenols and flavonoids were enhanced. During storage, SA treatment reduced the loss of bioactive compounds in the lemon basil. In conclusion, preharvest SA treatment at 5 mM alleviated CI and maintained quality of lemon basil during cold storage.