EFFECT OF AMINOETHOXYVINYLGLYCINE (AVG) ON THE QUALITY OF JAPANESE PLUM (Prunus salicina Lindell cv. Fortune) FRUITS

Abstract

The role of pre-harvest aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) treatments on bioactive compounds, fruit ripening and quality of Japanese plum fruits (Prunus salicina Lindell cv. 'Fortune') were investigated in this study. Whole trees were sprayed once with an aqueous solution containing AVG (0, 100 and 200 mg L-1) two weeks before the anticipated commercial harvest. Compared to control treatment, AVG applications retarded fruit ripening and peel red color formation of fortune plum fruits. Respiration rate and ethylene production in fruit were decreased by AVG applications. Respiration rate and ethylene production in control fruit were 57% and 60% higher than those in 200 mg L-1 AVG-treated fruit at the last harvest date respectively. The total phenolics and total antioxidant activity were significantly reduced by AVG treatments. Antioxidant activities of fruits treated at the date with AVG were approximate 2 fold higher than those of control fruits at the last harvest date. The chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, rutin and kaempferol contents decreased with both AVG concentrations at all harvest dates.