Chitosan biopolymer improves the fruit quality of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.)

Abstract

Chitosan (CHT) is a natural compound that has been used to control postharvest pathogenic diseases due to its capability of eliciting natural defense responses in plants. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of foliar CHT application on yield and quality of the litchi fruit. Chitosan was applied by spraying on to fruit and foliage just after fruit set four times at 7-day intervals with four varying doses viz. 100, 250, 500, and 1,000 µg L<sup>−1</sup> and a control (0 µg L<sup>−1</sup>). Although the application of CHT had no significant effect on the size of the fruits (length and width), the total contents of phenolics, flavonoids, and ascorbic acid and the antioxidant activity of litchi fruit arils were significantly increased in CHT-treated fruit compared with the untreated control. The highest phenolic, flavonoid, and ascorbic acid contents were 334 µg gallic acid g<sup>−1</sup>, 881 μg quercetin g<sup>−1</sup>, and 178 µg g<sup>−1</sup>, respectively, in fruits treated with 500 µg L<sup>−1</sup> CHT. However, the highest antioxidant activity (622 μg butylated hydroxytoluene g<sup>−1</sup>) was recorded in 250 µg L<sup>−1</sup> CHT-treated fruits. Our findings revealed that the application of low doses of CHT in a litchi orchard might improve fruit quality by increasing the content of antioxidants and antioxidant activities.

Seafood Waste as Attractive Source of Chitin and Chitosan Production and Their Applications

“…By 1986, Japan already had fifteen industries producing chitin and chitosan commercially. Japan and the United States are world leaders in chitosan production, standing out in the research of this polysaccharide in the multitude of applications of chitosan, being economically attractive and profitable [ 16 , 17 ].…”

“…However, it is also possible to obtain chitosan directly from some fungi cell walls [ 131 , 132 ] and other organisms [ 133 , 134 ]. Chitosan film has been widely used to extend the shelf life of food, with addition of Ca 2+ ions changes the permeation rate of CO 2 and O 2 through the chitosan membranes and increases the useful life of the fruits [ 17 ] Raw materials to prepare a series of films of chitosan and glycerol formulation showed strawberry preservation [ 135 ]. Coating with chitosan films by immersion in a 1% polysaccharide solution containing 0.1% Ca 2+ prevents changes in the sensory properties of vegetables.…”

Micromorphological Characteristics of Fruit Surfaces of Some Usable Species of the Genus Valeriana (Valerianaceae) Among Ukrainian Flora

“…e morphological features of fruits are important for species identification (Mehebub et al, 2019). Considering the micromorphological features of the fruit surfaces of species of the genus Valeriana, we could distinguish three groups of species (which do not correspond to supraspecific taxa): 1 -those with glabrous fruits (V. tripteris, V. simplicifolia, and V. sambucifolia); 2 -those with fruits pubescent only on the adaxial side (V. grossheimii and V. rossica); and 3 -those with fruits pubescent on both sides (V. tuberosa, V. wolgensis, V. stolonifera, and V. officinalis).…”

Morphological Features of Fruits and Seeds of Some Species of the Genus Crataegus L. of the Flora of Ukraine

“…Morphological features of fruits are important for species identification (e.g., Alaghawani & Naser, 2013;Mehebub et al, 2019). A comprehensive study of the fruits and pyrenes of selected species of the flora of Ukraine was conducted for the first time.…”