Comparative Effects of Putrescine, Salicylic Acid, Citric Acid, and Methyl Jasmonate on Postharvest Quality and Storage Life of Pleurotus ostreatus

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the effects of exogenous putrescine, salicylic acid, citric acid, and methyl jasmonate treatments at different doses (0.5 mM, 1.0 mM, and 2.0 mM) after harvest on quality properties, storage period, and nutrient content in Pleurotus ostreatus mushroom species, which ranks second in terms of production in the world and deteriorates rapidly after harvest and loses its quality. A total of 13 different treatments were examined in the study, and the necessary measurements and analyses (on the 7th and 14th days) were performed on the mushrooms stored at 4°C for 14 days. As a result of the research, it was determined that the postharvest quality characteristics changed significantly depending on treatments and storage periods. The results showed that postharvest treatments significantly influenced weight loss, dry matter, protein content, color, pH, and mineral composition during storage. Compared to the control, 0.5 mM methyl jasmonate was the most effective in preserving protein content (increased by 13.56%) and calcium content (increased by approximately threefold), while 2.0 mM citric acid reduced weight loss by 7.76% and increased zinc content by 57%. Principal component analysis and cluster analysis further confirmed that citric acid and methyl jasmonate treatments were superior in maintaining postharvest quality. It was concluded that 0.5 mM methyl jasmonate, 0.5 mM, 1.0 mM, and 2.0 mM citric acid treatments can be recommended as an alternative application method to reduce postharvest quality losses of P. ostreatus.