Effects of Postharvest Salicylic Acid Treatment on Some Quality Parameters of Sour Cherry (Prunus cerasus) Fruits during Cold Storage

The rising demand for sour cherry fruit is attributed to its nutritional benefits and economic significance. Given its perishable nature, preserving its quality and extending storage life are crucial for ensuring a sustainable supply of fresh fruits to consumers and processors. The current study examined effects of post-harvest salicylic acid (SA) treatments on quality parameters (respiration rate, soluble solid contents (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), total bioactive compounds such as phenolic contents, anthocyanin contents and antioxidant activity, and weight loss) of sour cherry 'Kütahya' variety during cold storage and shelf life period. In this research, three treatments (0, 1 & 2 mM salicylic acid concentrations) and three replications in completely randomized design were used. Mature harvested sour cherries were treated for 10 minutes at room temperature, thereafter stored at 0±1°C and 85-90% relative humidity for 42 days. Fruit quality parameters were assessed on weekly basis in the fruit taken at each analysis date and retained at 20 ± 1°C for 1 and 4 days. SA resulted in lower respiration rate (25.41 mL CO2 kg−1 h−1 for 1 mM SA), decreased TA (2.204±0.028 % malic acid mL for 2 mM SA). Both 1 and 2 mM SA significantly increased the fruit total phenolic contents (279.80±10.50 and 288.78±9.71 mg GAE/100 mL, 1 and 2 mM SA respectively) until 35th day, total anthocyanin contents (26.53±0.60 and 28.87±0.56 mg C-3-RE/ 100 mL, 1 and 2 mM SA respectively) and antioxidant activity (90.89±0.17 and 89.80±0.34 % inhibition, 1 and 2 mM SA respectively) until 28th day. Since SA applications, especially 1 mM SA, reduced respiration rate, decreased TA, and increased bioactive compounds, it could be considered as promising practice. Keywords: Sour cherry, Quality, Storage, Shelf life, Salicylic acid, bioactive compound