Inhibitory Effects of Hydrogen Sulfide on Oxidative Damage and Pericarp Browning in Harvested Litchi

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Postharvest pericarp browning (PB) drastically affects acceptability and marketability of litchi fruits. This study was aimed to assess the effect of vacuum infiltrated hydrogen sulfide (H2S) (1 and 2 mM) on pericarp browning associated metabolism and overall quality of litchi fruit during cold storage. Results revealed that H2S (2 mM) significantly minimized the accumulation of quinone and MDA content with reduced weight loss, pericarp browning, disease occurrence during storage. The H2S-treated fruits maintained higher anthocyanin, total phenols, and antioxidant activity. Moreover, H2S infiltration significantly inhibited accumulation of reactive oxygen species (superoxide and hydrogen peroxide) and membrane leakage, which coincided with higher phenylalanine ammonia lyase activity and suppressed activity of polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase resulting in lower PB in litchi during storage of 16-d. H2S infiltration also prevented loss of TSS, acidity, and ascorbic acid as compared to control fruit indicating effectiveness of H2S in delaying metabolic activity. Therefore, postharvest vacuum infiltration of H2S (2 mM) could be suggested to downregulate oxidative damage and PB resulting in extended shelf life during cold storage.

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Acknowledgement

The financial support of Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, India is duly acknowledged. This article bears a BAU COMMUNICATION NO. 911/201222.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Food Science and Postharvest Technology, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, India

    Mohammed Wasim Siddiqui, Vinayak Deshi & M. A. Aftab

  2. Department of Statistics, Mathematics, and Computer Application, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, India

    Fozia Homa

  3. Department of Botany, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, India

    Tariq Aftab

Authors
  1. Mohammed Wasim Siddiqui
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  2. Vinayak Deshi
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  3. Fozia Homa
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  4. M. A. Aftab
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Contributions

Mohammed Wasim Siddiqui—Supervision, conceptualization, methodology and Writing- Original draft preparation, Reviewing, finalized manuscript. Vinayak Deshi—Experimentation, Data curation, analytical works. Fozia Homa—Experimental design, software, and statistical analyses. M. A. Aftab—Supervision, scientific advice, analyses. Tariq Aftab—Scientific advice on physiology, reviewed and edited the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Mohammed Wasim Siddiqui.

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Siddiqui, M.W., Deshi, V., Homa, F. et al. Inhibitory Effects of Hydrogen Sulfide on Oxidative Damage and Pericarp Browning in Harvested Litchi. J Plant Growth Regul (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-021-10300-x

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Keywords

  • Litchi chinensis
  • Pericarp browning
  • Oxidative metabolism
  • Vacuum infiltration
  • Hydrogen sulfide