Salicylic and methyl salicylic acid affect quality and phenolic profile of apple fruits three weeks before the harvest

Gačnik, Saša (author), Veberič, Robert (author), Hudina, Metka (author), Marinovic, Silvija (author), Halbwirth, Heidi (author), Mikulič Petkovšek, Maja (author)

Effects of spraying over apple trees (Malus domestica; ‘Topaz’) with methyl salicylic acid (MeSA) and SA during fruit maturation were investigated for quality parameters (weight, firmness, hue angle, red blush, yield) and phenolic profile of the peel and pulp (HPLC–mass spectrometry). These treatment effects were also investigated for activities of the phenylpropanoid pathway enzymes phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, chalcone synthase and isomerase (combined), and flavanone-3βhydroxylase. The MeSA and SA treatments resulted in poor fruit peel coloration, with higher hue angles and 20% and 10% lower red blush, respectively. Anthocyanin levels were also significantly lower (56%) for MeSA treatment. MeSA stimulated activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and chalcone synthase/isomerase, which resulted in higher levels of flavanols (to 34%), flavonols (to 33%), and hydroxycinnamic acids (to 29%), versus control. Therefore, while these salicylate treatments improve levels of some beneficial polyphenols, they also have negative effects on the external quality characteristics of the fruit.

• Language: English
• Keywords: phenolics, bioactive compounds, phenylalanine ammonium lyase, chalcone synthase, chalcone isomerase, flavanone-3β-hydroxylase
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2021
• Number of pages: 15 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 10, iss. 9, art. 1807
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-136171
• UDC: 634.11/.12
• ISSN on article: 2223-7747
• DOI: 10.3390/plants10091807
• COBISS.SI-ID: 74702595
• Publication date in RUL: 14.04.2022

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Plants
• Shortened title: Plants
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2223-7747
• COBISS.SI-ID: 523345433

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 01.09.2021

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: fenolne spojine, fenoli, bioaktivne spojine, salicilna kislina, rastni regulatorji, jablana, kemična sestava

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P4-0013
• Name: Hortikultura

• Funder: FWF - Austrian Science Fund
• Project number: P25399-B16