Pre- and post-harvest Ca treatments depressed physiological disorders and improved quality traits in cherry

Calcium (Ca2) nutrition has a significant role in fruit physiology; however, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. In this study, fruit quality in response to CaCl2, applied via foliar sprays (Ca2) or/and hydro-cooling water (CaHC), was characterized in ?Lapins? cherries at harvest, just after cold storage (20 days at 0 ?C) as well as after cold storage followed by 2 days at 20 ?C, herein defined as shelf-life period. Data indicated that pre- and post-harvest Ca2+ applications increased total Ca2+ and cell wall bound Ca2+, respectively. Treatment with Ca reduced cracking whereas Ca + CaHC condition depressed stem browning. Both skin penetration and stem removal were affected by Ca2+ feeding. Also, several color- and antioxidant-related parameters were induced by Ca2+ treatments. Metabolomic analysis revealed significant alterations in primary metabolites among the Ca2+ treatments, including sugars (eg., glucose, fructose), soluble alcohols (eg., arabitol, sorbitol), organic acids (eg.,malate, quinate) and amino acids (eg., glycine, beta-alanine). This work helps to improve our knowledge on the fruit's response to Ca2+ nutrition. Access the article Source?Michail Michailidis; et al. (April 2017). Metabolomic and physico-chemical approach unravel dynamic regulation of calcium in sweet cherry fruit physiology. Scientia Horticulturae. (Vol.222), pp. 187?192 [online] https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plaphy.2017.05.005?