Effect of Preharvest Ca-chitosan Application on Postharvest Quality of ‘Garmrok’ Kiwifruit during Cold Storage
H. M. Prathibhani C. Kumarihami, Gyeong Hwan, Jin Gook Kim, Hong Lim Kim, Mockhee Lee, Yong‐Bum Kwack, Jung Gun Cho, Joonyup Kim
Abstract
We evaluated the influence of preharvest calcium chitosan (Ca-chitosan) on the physicochemical properties of 'Garmrok' kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) during postharvest cold storage at 0°C. Preharvest treatment of kiwifruit with Ca-chitosan increased the fruit weight but had no significant effects on fruit size at harvest. The Ca-chitosan-treated kiwifruit at harvest displayed a significantly lower (p < 0.05) respiration rate (11.9 mg·kg-1·h-1), possibly due to the selective permeability of Ca-chitosan for respiratory gases. In addition, preharvest treatment of Ca-chitosan delayed the loss of firmness in kiwifruit during cold storage. Furthermore, preharvest Ca-chitosan-treated kiwifruit had the significantly lowest (p < 0.05) soluble solids content (SSC) and the significantly highest (p < 0.05) titratable acidity (TA) at harvest, indicating that Ca-chitosan as a biostimulant can be used as a maturity-delaying agent to prolong the postharvest life of kiwifruit. In this study, we demonstrate that preharvest treatment of Ca-chitosan has a positive effect on the overall quality of kiwifruit during cold storage, suggesting a new way to extend the postharvest life of kiwifruit.