Preharvest Application with Oxalic Acid and Calcium Nitrate Maintains the Quality of Cold-Stored 'Swelling' Peach Fruits

Abd El-Khalek, Ahmed Fathy; Farhan, Shimaa; Shalaby, Mohamed

doi:10.21608/jsaes.2023.243305.1057

Preharvest Application with Oxalic Acid and Calcium Nitrate Maintains the Quality of Cold-Stored 'Swelling' Peach Fruits

Document Type : Original research paper

Authors

¹ Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Tanta University

² Department of Deciduous Fruits Research, Horticulture Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza

³ Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Tanta University,

10.21608/jsaes.2023.243305.1057

Abstract

Peach is a climacteric fruit suffering from rapid over-ripening and softening as well as quality deterioration after harvesting as a result having short storage period and shelf life. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of preharvest spray applications of 5 mM oxalic acid (OA) and 2% calcium nitrate (CaNi) on quality attributes of peach fruit cv. Swelling during 30 days of cold storage at 0±1ºC and 90-95% RH. The results showed that preharvest treatments of fruit with 5 mM OA recorded the significantly highest marketable percentage and visual appearance score, restricted the increase in total soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio and was more effective in maintaining the maximum content of ascorbic acid followed by 2% CaNi as compared to control. Therefore, it could be recommended to use OA at 5 mM and CaNi at 2% as safe preharvest treatments to maintain quality attributes of 'Swelling' peach fruits during cold storage.

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