Abstract
Chilling injury (CI) is a major postharvest limitation for tropical and subtropical crops such as bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.), reducing marketability and shelf life under low-temperature storage. This study assessed the effects of preharvest foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) at concentrations of 0, 1, 5, 10, and 15 mM on reducing CI and maintaining the postharvest quality of red bell pepper fruit (cv. 'Westland, 2090') stored at 4 °C. Results showed that CI symptoms progressively worsened during storage in untreated fruit, whereas SA treatments, at 5 mM, reduced CI index incidence and preserved superior visual and physicochemical quality. The 5 mM SA treatment lowered the CI index by 76 % (The CI index decreased from 4.60 to 3.06) after 24 d and extended shelf life by 9 d compared to controls. This concentration also reduced weight loss, electrolyte leakage, and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radicals) and malondialdehyde, indicating improved membrane integrity and reduced oxidative damage. Additionally, 5 mM SA-treated fruit maintained higher firmness, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, vitamin C, antioxidant capacity, and total phenolic content. These benefits correlated with enhanced activities of key antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and guaiacol peroxidase, and suppression of lipid-degrading enzymes such as lipoxygenase, phospholipase D, and polyphenol oxidase. Notably, SA treatment stimulated an increase in phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity and endogenous SA levels, amplifying defense signaling pathways. Increased accumulation of osmoprotectants γ-aminobutyric acid and proline further supported improved cold stress tolerance. Together, these findings demonstrate that preharvest application of 5 mM SA is a practical and effective strategy to mitigate CI and preserve postharvest quality in red bell pepper during cold storage.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Untreated fruit developed worsening chilling injury during storage.
Verbatim
e0“CI symptoms progressively worsened during storage in untreated fruit”
t0“red bell pepper fruit”
Claim · model-written summary
5 mM SA lowered chilling injury index by 76% after 24 days versus controls.
Verbatim
e0“The 5 mM SA treatment lowered the CI index by 76 % (The CI index decreased from 4.60 to 3.06) after 24 d and extended shelf life by 9 d compared to controls.”
t0“red bell pepper fruit”
Claim · model-written summary
5 mM SA extended shelf life by 9 days versus controls.
Verbatim
e0“The 5 mM SA treatment lowered the CI index by 76 % (The CI index decreased from 4.60 to 3.06) after 24 d and extended shelf life by 9 d compared to controls.”
t0“red bell pepper fruit”
Claim · model-written summary
5 mM SA reduced weight loss and electrolyte leakage.
- Taxon
- bell peppert0
- Treatment
- This concentratione0
- Outcome
- weight loss, electrolyte leakagee0
- Direction
- reducede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“This concentration also reduced weight loss, electrolyte leakage, and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radicals) and malondialdehyde”
t0“red bell pepper fruit”
Claim · model-written summary
5 mM SA reduced reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde accumulation.
- Taxon
- bell peppert0
- Treatment
- This concentratione0
- Outcome
- accumulation of reactive oxygen species (hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radicals) and malondialdehydee0
- Direction
- reducede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“This concentration also reduced weight loss, electrolyte leakage, and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (hydrogen peroxide and superoxide radicals) and malondialdehyde”
t0“red bell pepper fruit”
Claim · model-written summary
SA-treated fruit maintained higher firmness, titratable acidity and soluble solids.
- Taxon
- bell peppert0
- Treatment
- 5 mM SA-treatede0
- Outcome
- firmness, titratable acidity, total soluble solidse0
- Direction
- highere0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“5 mM SA-treated fruit maintained higher firmness, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, vitamin C, antioxidant capacity, and total phenolic content.”
t0“red bell pepper fruit”
Claim · model-written summary
SA-treated fruit maintained higher vitamin C, antioxidant capacity and phenolic content.
- Taxon
- bell peppert0
- Treatment
- 5 mM SA-treatede0
- Outcome
- vitamin C, antioxidant capacity, and total phenolic contente0
- Direction
- highere0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“5 mM SA-treated fruit maintained higher firmness, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, vitamin C, antioxidant capacity, and total phenolic content.”
t0“red bell pepper fruit”
Claim · model-written summary
Benefits correlated with increased antioxidant enzyme activity.
Verbatim
e0“These benefits correlated with enhanced activities of key antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, and guaiacol peroxidase”
t0“red bell pepper fruit”
Claim · model-written summary
Benefits correlated with suppressed lipid-degrading enzyme activity.
Verbatim
e0“suppression of lipid-degrading enzymes such as lipoxygenase, phospholipase D, and polyphenol oxidase”
t0“red bell pepper fruit”
Claim · model-written summary
SA treatment increased phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity and endogenous SA levels.
- Taxon
- bell peppert0
- Treatment
- SA treatmente0
- Outcome
- phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity and endogenous SA levelse0
- Direction
- increasee0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“SA treatment stimulated an increase in phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity and endogenous SA levels”
t0“red bell pepper fruit”
Claim · model-written summary
SA treatment increased γ-aminobutyric acid and proline accumulation.
- Taxon
- bell peppert0
- Treatment
- SAt0
- Outcome
- accumulation of osmoprotectants γ-aminobutyric acid and prolinee0
- Direction
- Increasede0
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e0“Increased accumulation of osmoprotectants γ-aminobutyric acid and proline further supported improved cold stress tolerance.”
t0“Exogenous salicylic acid induces endogenous SA biosynthesis, enhances osmolyte accumulation, antioxidant defense, and free radical scavenging to alleviate chilling injury in red bell pepper fruit”
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See all 5 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.