Enhancing the storage life and marketability of orange cape gooseberry fruit: Melatonin treatment boosts the enzymatic antioxidant system

The cape gooseberry fruit (Physalis peruviana L.) is a climacteric fruit that experiences significant color and texture changes during storage due to increased ethylene synthesis. While its storage life with its calyx is one month, it only lasts 4 to 5 days without it. Therefore, strategies to reduc...

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Main Authors: Taghipour Leila, Hayati Parisa, Hosseinifarahi Mehdi, Assar Pedram
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Belgrade - Faculty of Agriculture, Belgrade 2025-01-01
Series:Journal of Agricultural Sciences (Belgrade)
Subjects:
Online Access:https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/1450-8109/2025/1450-81092501077T.pdf
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author Taghipour Leila
Hayati Parisa
Hosseinifarahi Mehdi
Assar Pedram
author_facet Taghipour Leila
Hayati Parisa
Hosseinifarahi Mehdi
Assar Pedram
author_sort Taghipour Leila
collection DOAJ
description The cape gooseberry fruit (Physalis peruviana L.) is a climacteric fruit that experiences significant color and texture changes during storage due to increased ethylene synthesis. While its storage life with its calyx is one month, it only lasts 4 to 5 days without it. Therefore, strategies to reduce postharvest losses and extend storage life are essential. In this study, entirely ripe orange cape gooseberry fruits with yellow calyces were harvested and transferred to the laboratory. After washing, the fruits were immersed in melatonin solutions at concentrations of 100, 200, and 300 µM for 5 minutes, with distilled water as a control. The fruits were stored at 10°C and 90 ± 5% relative humidity for 21 days and evaluated weekly. The results showed that all melatonin treatments significantly controlled weight loss and fruit softening. Melatonin-treated fruits also had a comparable taste index and performed better than the controls. Melatonin treatment improved the antioxidant enzymatic system, with fruits treated with 300 µM melatonin showing the highest activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and peroxidase enzymes, and the lowest hydrogen peroxide content, indicating reduced oxidative stress. Additionally, the lowest decay (17.4%) was observed in fruits treated with 300 µM melatonin, while the highest decay (43.83%) occurred in control fruits. Melatonin treatment proved to be effective in improving the quality and extending the shelf life of cape gooseberry fruits, acting as a valuable and environmentally friendly postharvest preservation method by delaying ripening, enhancing enzymatic antioxidant activity, and preserving taste index.
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spelling doaj-art-fe64a942d52b48c49596e15e33cdeaf12025-08-20T02:25:07ZengUniversity of Belgrade - Faculty of Agriculture, BelgradeJournal of Agricultural Sciences (Belgrade)1450-81092406-09682025-01-01701779110.2298/JAS2501077T1450-81092501077TEnhancing the storage life and marketability of orange cape gooseberry fruit: Melatonin treatment boosts the enzymatic antioxidant systemTaghipour Leila0Hayati Parisa1Hosseinifarahi Mehdi2Assar Pedram3Jahrom University, College of Agriculture, Department of Horticultural Science, Jahrom, IranIslamic Azad University, Department of Horticultural Science, Yasuj Branch, Yasuj, IranIslamic Azad University, Department of Horticultural Science, Yasuj Branch, Yasuj, IranJahrom University, College of Agriculture, Department of Horticultural Science, Jahrom, IranThe cape gooseberry fruit (Physalis peruviana L.) is a climacteric fruit that experiences significant color and texture changes during storage due to increased ethylene synthesis. While its storage life with its calyx is one month, it only lasts 4 to 5 days without it. Therefore, strategies to reduce postharvest losses and extend storage life are essential. In this study, entirely ripe orange cape gooseberry fruits with yellow calyces were harvested and transferred to the laboratory. After washing, the fruits were immersed in melatonin solutions at concentrations of 100, 200, and 300 µM for 5 minutes, with distilled water as a control. The fruits were stored at 10°C and 90 ± 5% relative humidity for 21 days and evaluated weekly. The results showed that all melatonin treatments significantly controlled weight loss and fruit softening. Melatonin-treated fruits also had a comparable taste index and performed better than the controls. Melatonin treatment improved the antioxidant enzymatic system, with fruits treated with 300 µM melatonin showing the highest activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and peroxidase enzymes, and the lowest hydrogen peroxide content, indicating reduced oxidative stress. Additionally, the lowest decay (17.4%) was observed in fruits treated with 300 µM melatonin, while the highest decay (43.83%) occurred in control fruits. Melatonin treatment proved to be effective in improving the quality and extending the shelf life of cape gooseberry fruits, acting as a valuable and environmentally friendly postharvest preservation method by delaying ripening, enhancing enzymatic antioxidant activity, and preserving taste index.https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/1450-8109/2025/1450-81092501077T.pdfascorbate peroxidasecape gooseberryfree radicalsmelatonin treatmenttaste indextissue firmnessweight loss
spellingShingle Taghipour Leila
Hayati Parisa
Hosseinifarahi Mehdi
Assar Pedram
Enhancing the storage life and marketability of orange cape gooseberry fruit: Melatonin treatment boosts the enzymatic antioxidant system
Journal of Agricultural Sciences (Belgrade)
ascorbate peroxidase
cape gooseberry
free radicals
melatonin treatment
taste index
tissue firmness
weight loss
title Enhancing the storage life and marketability of orange cape gooseberry fruit: Melatonin treatment boosts the enzymatic antioxidant system
title_full Enhancing the storage life and marketability of orange cape gooseberry fruit: Melatonin treatment boosts the enzymatic antioxidant system
title_fullStr Enhancing the storage life and marketability of orange cape gooseberry fruit: Melatonin treatment boosts the enzymatic antioxidant system
title_full_unstemmed Enhancing the storage life and marketability of orange cape gooseberry fruit: Melatonin treatment boosts the enzymatic antioxidant system
title_short Enhancing the storage life and marketability of orange cape gooseberry fruit: Melatonin treatment boosts the enzymatic antioxidant system
title_sort enhancing the storage life and marketability of orange cape gooseberry fruit melatonin treatment boosts the enzymatic antioxidant system
topic ascorbate peroxidase
cape gooseberry
free radicals
melatonin treatment
taste index
tissue firmness
weight loss
url https://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/1450-8109/2025/1450-81092501077T.pdf
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