Regulating Enzymatic Antioxidants, Biochemical and Physiological Properties of Tomato under Cold Stress: A Crucial Role of Ethylene

Yousry Bayoumi, Sabah Osman, Abdelwahab Etman, El-Samahy El-Semellawy, Svein Ø. Solberg () and Hassan El-Ramady ()
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Yousry Bayoumi: Physiology & Breeding of Horticultural Crops Laboratory, Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh 33516, Egypt
Sabah Osman: Physiology & Breeding of Horticultural Crops Laboratory, Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh 33516, Egypt
Abdelwahab Etman: Physiology & Breeding of Horticultural Crops Laboratory, Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh 33516, Egypt
El-Samahy El-Semellawy: Vegetable Research Department, Horticulture Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza 12619, Egypt
Svein Ø. Solberg: Faculty of Applied Ecology, Agriculture and Biotechnology, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, 2318 Hamar, Norway
Hassan El-Ramady: Soil and Water Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh 33516, Egypt

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 2, 1-20

Abstract: The production of tomato under low-temperature stress in the open fields is a challenge faced by many farmers. The current study compares the use of different ethylene treatments to accelerate the fruit ripening of tomato during two successive seasons under cold stress. The treatments included foliar application of ethrel (2500, 5000, and 7500 ppm) in the open field at the mature green stage, dipping collected fruits in ethrel solution (1000, 1500, and 2000 ppm) right after harvest, and application of gaseous ethylene (100, 200, and 300 ppm) to the harvested fruits. The effects were compared to untreated fruits (control). Characteristics, such as physical properties (ripening, weight loss, firmness, decay, and fruit color), chemical properties (ascorbic acid, acidity, total soluble sugars, and pigments), and enzymatic activities (polygalacturonase and pectin methylesterase), were sampled throughout the storage period. In general, the ethylene gas application was the most effective method in accelerating the fruit ripening process compared to the other methods applied. The highest vitamin C total soluble solid contents and redness parameters were found after applying the highest dose of ethylene gas (300 ppm). This indicates that the ripening of tomato fruits, which are cultivated under cold stress conditions as found during the early summer season in a Mediterranean climate, might be harvested at a mature green stage and exposed to ethylene application.

Keywords: weight loss; firmness; decay; color index; ascorbic acid; acidity; pigments; enzyme activity; ripening (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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