Effects of Putrescine and Spermidine Treatments on Postharvest Quality of Strawberry Fruits cv.  Selva'

In spite of attractive appearance, delicious flavour and high antioxidant capacity of strawberry fruit, it has short postharvest life. In this study the effect of fruit dipping in putrescine and spermidine (1 and 2 mM) on postharvest quality and maintenance of strawberry fruit cv. ‘Selva’ was studied. During 10 days storage at 4◦ C, changes of quality attributes including texture firmness, weight loss percentage, surface color, vitamin C content, flesh anthocyanin, total phenolics, antioxidant capacity, titratable acidity, soluble solids content and juice pH were determined at two days intervals. Treatment with putrescine lowered the changes in surface color and fruit weight loss and retarded the fruit softening. Also putrescine and spermidine treated fruits showed higher anthocyanin and antioxidant capacity and lower vitamin C than control fruits. During the storage period of control fruits, titratable acidity showed reducing pattern when pH and soluble solids content increased gradually. While the use of putrescine and spermidine significantly retarded changes of pH and soluble solid concentration.