Effect of preharvest melatonin applications at dusk on quality and bioactive compounds content of early sweet cherries.

Background: Early sweet cherries have a high economic impact on cherry growers but have poorer quality characteristics and shorter shelf-life than late cherries. Melatonin has been proposed as a biostimulant that regulates plant and fruit growth and increases fruit quality and shelf-life but, in general in fruit and vegetables, there is controversy about its effects. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the impact of exogenous preharvest melatonin applications at dusk on the quality and bioactive compounds of two early sweet cherry cultivars.

Impact of Pre-Storage Melatonin Application on the Standard, Sensory, and Bioactive Quality of Early Sweet Cherry.

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is involved in multiple functions in plants. However, its role in some metabolic pathways and exogenous application's effect on fruits is still unclear. Furthermore, the effects of pre-storage melatonin treatment on sensory traits and consumer acceptance of cherries have yet to be studied.

In vitro assays of the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of aqueous leaf extracts from different Prunus salicina Lindl. cultivars.

The growing interest in the substitution of synthetic food antioxidants and antimicrobial additives by natural ones has fostered research on vegetable sources and on the screening of raw materials, for identifying new antioxidants and antimicrobial natural agents. The aim of the present study was to assess total phenolic contents and determine polyphenolic composition, related antioxidative and antimicrobial properties of plum leaves extracts from six cultivars. It was observed that the content of total phenolic compounds was cultivar dependent.