SYNERGISTIC EFFECT OF CHEMICAL TREATMENTS ON STORAGE QUALITY AND CHILLING INJURY OF HONEY PEACHES

The effects of calcium chloride (CaCl2), gibberellic acid (GA(3)) and salicylic acid (SA) either alone or in various combinations on the fruit quality and chilling injury of honey peaches were investigated during 20 days of cold storage and subsequent 3 days of ambient temperature storage (simulating shelf life). Results showed that the effects of the combined treatments were better than those of each individual treatment. The combination of CaCl2 and SA was the most effective treatment in alleviating chilling injury by controlling membrane permeability, inhibiting respiration rate and delaying polyphenol oxidase activity. The single CaCl2 treatment was the most viable in maintaining fruit quality by keeping firmness and retarding weight loss rate during cold and subsequent ambient temperature storage. Therefore, the combined treatment of CaCl2 and SA was the most effective in peach preservation, and the single CaCl2 treatment can also be promoted.