Work

Effect of Melatonin Treatment on Antioxidant Metabolism and Storage Quality of “Fengtang” Plum

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: “Fengtang” plum, renowned in Guizhou for its distinct flavor and significant economic worth, experiences accelerated fruit senescence due to postharvest respiration climacteric. Melatonin (MT), an emerging endogenous plant hormone, holds promise in enhancing the storability of fruit. This study illustrated the effects of exogenous MT on the storability and antioxidant capacity of ripe plum fruits. The results of this study indicated that fruit soaking in 250 μmol·L−1 MT could inhibit respiration rate, delay fruit firmness and weight loss rate, improve total soluble solids (TSS), decrease titratable acid (TA) and increase TSS/TA, effectively delay fruit softening and maintain fruit quality. MT maintained the quality of plum fruit in terms of inhibition of the increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) content, maintenance the content of total phenol (TP) and flavonoid (TF) compounds and anthocyanins, and enhancement the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) to reduce the oxidative damage of fruits. MT inhibited ROS metabolites (O2.- and H2O2) accumulation via enhancement of non-enzymatic antioxidants (ascorbic acid (AsA), glutathione (GSH), and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) contents) and enzymatic antioxidants (ascorbic acid peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), monodehydroascorbic acid reductase (MDHAR) and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) activities), and thus delaying quality deterioration and extending storage life. These findings demonstrated that MT treatment delayed senescence in “Fengtang” plums through enhanced antioxidant mechanisms, thereby maintaining postharvest quality.

Source: International Journal of Fruit Science

DOI: 10.1080/15538362.2025.2514111