Melatonin Use in Post-harvest Fruit Physiology: Effect of Melatonin Treatments on Quality Properties, Primer and Seconder Metabolites Contents of Hawthorn Fruit During Cold Storage

Abstract

Hawthorn is among the fruits that come to market in autumn in Turkey and are consumed especially for health. However, it is not on the market for a long time and this brings with it the problem of maintain. In this study, the effect of melatonin (MT) during storage was examined in order to preserve the quality of hawthorn fruit and extend its market life. For this purpose, hawthorn fruits were treated with different doses (0.10, 0.25, 0.50 and 1.0 mM) of melatonin and kept in cold storage for 10, 20 and 30 days. Weight loss, soluble solids content (SSC), acidity, antioxidant amount, firmness, organic acid and phenolic compound amounts of the fruit were examined. At the end of 30 days of storage, the lowest weight loss (0.81%) and the highest fruit flesh firmness (5.80 N) and SSC amounts were obtained in 0.10 mM MT application. Total antioxidants amounts increased with melatonin applications after one month of storage. Organic acid and phenolic compounds were significantly affected by storage time and melatonin and storage interaction applications. The amount of succinic acid determined as the main acid was recorded as 11.82 mg 100 g(-1) in 0.10 mM MT application after 30 days of storage. It has been determined that the amounts of phenolic compounds increase with melatonin applications. The highest amounts of gallic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, neohesperidin and rutin were measured in 0.25 mM MT application after 30 days of storage. It was determined that the amount of vanillic acid increased by 85% with melatonin application compared to the control in one month storage. As a result, it was revealed that the fruit quality was maintained when hawthorn fruits were stored in cold weather for a month by applying melatonin.