Indian Journal of Horticulture

Exogenous application of salicylic acid (SA) was studied during postharvest ripening of tomato fruits. Green mature fruits of tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L. cvs. Pusa Rohini and Pusa Gaurav) were dipped in SA at 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 mM and control double-distilled water at 20°C for 15 min. The various traits, viz. weight loss percentage, mineral content (Ca, Zn and Cu), climacteric respiration, ethylene production and ethylene biosynthetic enzymes activity (ACS and ACO) were studied at 5–7 day intervals. It was found that the SA (0.75 mM) dip treatment delayed and suppressed climacteric respiration, ethylene biosynthesis and increased the shelf-life of tomato fruits by seven days. Moreover, reduced weight loss percentage and optimum content of Ca, Zn and Cu with respect to control and other SA treatments support the prolongation of the process of ripening.