The effect of three production systems on the postharvest quality and phytochemical composition of Orléans strawberry

Abstract

Fan, L., Yu, C., Fang, C., Zhang, M., Ranieri, M., Dubé, C. and Khanizadeh, S. 2011. The effect of three production systems on the postharvest quality and phytochemical composition of Orléans strawberry. Can. J. Plant Sci. 91: 403–409. The effects of two production systems, plastic mulch (PM) and plastic mulch with row covers (PMRC) versus the commonly used matted-row system (MRS) on postharvest fruit quality, including shelf life, fruit weight loss and juice leakage, fruit glossiness, postharvest disease caused by grey mould (Botrytis cinerea Pers.), and chemical composition of Orléans strawberry were evaluated during 2008 and 2009. Plastic mulch with row covers accelerated fruit maturity by 7 to 10 d and produced larger fruits compared with the MRS. Production systems significantly changed the total phenolic content (TPC) and total antioxidant content (TAC), but the effect varied during the harvest season. Total phenolic content was significantly higher for PMRC than MRS and PM at early harvest, but the effect was similar to PM at mid and late harvest. Total antioxidant content was significantly higher for PMRC compared with MRS and PM at all stages of fruit production, especially at late harvest. Fruit weight loss and juice leakage and the presence of grey mould during storage were lower and fruit glossiness was higher for those harvested under PMRC compared with those from MRS. No significant differences were observed for firmness, pH, titratable acidity (TA) and soluble solids content (SSC) between the three production systems. Titratable acidity and SSC of PMRC were slightly higher than those from MRS and PM, but the differences were not significant. It seems that PMRC not only accelerates ripening, but also has a significant effect on pre- and postharvest fruit quality and chemical composition of the harvested fruits.

Effect of production systems on phenolic composition and oxygen radical absorbance capacity of ‘Orléans’ strawberry

“…PM and PMRC provide extended harvesting season, early ripening, increased yield per plant, improved fruit cleanliness, prevention of bed erosion, better weed control, ease of harvest and more efficient irrigation and fertilizer application. Furthermore, early fruit production under plastic culture especially with row covers provides an early higher income return to growers in northern climate because of off-season fruit production (Fan et al, 2011). It also has been shown that the combination of hill plasticulture system and genotype results in higher flavonoid content and antioxidant capacity than fruits from plants grown using MRS (Wang et al, 2002).…”

Effect of mulching systems on fruit quality and phytochemical composition of newly developed strawberry lines

“…However, in recent decades, plasticulture has drawn increased attention from growers and researchers as an effective way to offer the benefits of extended season, increased yield, better weed control, prevention of bed erosion, improved fruit cleanliness, ease of harvest and more efficient irrigation and fertilizer application (Scheel 1982, Himelrick et al 1993, Moor et al 2004. It has been reported that the use of row covers can modify the microclimate, help the establishment and development of strawberry runners, and accelerate early production while reducing disease incidence and increasing phenolic content of strawberries (Wang et al 2002, Fan et al 2011.…”

The Effect of Production Systems on Strawberry Quality

“…Thirty fruits at optimum maturity were harvested from each plot, rapidly put in cooler and then brought to the laboratory, where 15 of them were used to examine the shelf life and fruit quality and the remaining 15 fruits were immediately cut in halves and frozen in liquid nitrogen. Three 40-g subsamples of each treatment were stored at −80°C for chemical composition analysis [24].…”

“…1 filter paper and then through a 0.45-μm Acrodisc syringe filters (Gelman Sciences, Ann Arbor, MI, USA). The filtrate was finally kept at −20°C, and the extracts resulting from this step were used in the TPC and TAC analysis [24].…”

“…The fruit juice leakage was ranked from 1 ('no leak or juice loss') to 4 ('significant fruit leak or juice loss'), fruit glossiness was ranked from 1 ('dull') to 3 ('shiny'), and presences of grey mould were ranked from 1 ('no disease') to 5 ('the presence of mould') [24].…”