Melatonin extends shelf life in postharvest okra via delaying fruit softening and reducing weight loss.

Background: Melatonin, a hormone present in animals and some plants, has garnered attention for its potential in preserving harvested produce. Softening due to changes in cell wall composition and wilting caused by weight loss are the major reasons for the loss of commercial value in postharvest okra. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of melatonin on the softening and weight loss of postharvest okra.

Melatonin delayed senescence by modulating the contents of plant signalling molecules in postharvest okras.

Okra has been widely cultivated worldwide. Consumers appreciate its nutritional value and delicious taste. However, okra is very perishable after harvest because of rapid senescence and high susceptibility to mechanical injuries, which limits its storage life and reduces consumer acceptance.

Hydrogen-rich water treatment increased several phytohormones and prolonged the shelf life in postharvest okras.

Hydrogen-rich water (HRW) treatment has been reported to delay the softening and senescence of postharvest okras, but its regulatory mechanism remains unclear. In this paper, we investigated the effects of HRW treatment on the metabolism of several phytohormones in postharvest okras, which act as regulatory molecules in fruit ripening and senescence processes. The results showed that HRW treatment delayed okra senescence and maintained fruit quality during storage.

γ-Aminobutyric acid treatment induced chilling tolerance in postharvest peach fruit by upregulating ascorbic acid and glutathione contents at the molecular level.

Peach fruit was treated with 5 mM γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to further investigate the mechanism by which GABA induced chilling tolerance. Here, we found that GABA not only inhibited the occurrence of chilling injury in peach fruit during cold storage but also maintained fruit quality. Most of the ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH) biosynthetic genes were up-regulated by GABA treatment, and their levels were increased accordingly, thus reducing chilling damage in treated peaches.

γ-Aminobutyric acid treatment induced chilling tolerance in postharvest kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis cv. Hongyang) via regulating ascorbic acid metabolism.

The effect of γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) treatment on ascorbic acid (AsA) metabolism and chilling injury in postharvest kiwifruit was studied. The results revealed that kiwifruit treated with GABA displayed higher chilling tolerance and better quality maintenance as compared to the controls. Higher AsA was observed in GABA-treated fruit which was beneficial to cell membrane protection and damage alleviation against chilling mediated oxidative stress.

Hydrogen-rich water delays fruit softening and prolongs shelf life of postharvest okras.

The effect of hydrogen-rich water (HRW) treatment on softening, cell wall components and cell wall metabolic genes in okras after harvest was studied. The results showed that HRW treatment could maintain fruit firmness and delay softening, thereby prolonging shelf life in okras during storage. The treated okras displayed significantly lower levels water- and chelate-soluble pectins while higher contents of NaCO-soluble pectin, hemicellulose and cellulose.