Improving Quality Attributes of Tomato during Cold Storage by Preharvest Foliar Application of Calcium Chloride and Potassium Thiosulfate

Abstract

The aim of this trial was to investigate the pre-harvest foliar application of calcium chloride and potassium thiosulfate each at 0.0, 0.2 and 0.4 % on some quality of tomato fruit (hybrid 65010) during cold storage. The experimental layout of cold storage experiments was a split-split-plot based on Randomized Complete Blocks design with three replications. Time of cold storage, calcium chloride and potassium thiosulfate levels were randomly distributed in the main, sub-and sub-sub plots, orderly. At the termination of cold storage, effect on tomato fruit titratable acidity, vitamin C and lycopene contents while, negative impact on firmness and total soluble sugars contents was obtained. At termination of cold storage, pre-harvest foliar calcium chloride at 0.2 and/or 0.4 % caused increments in fruit titratable acidity, vitamin C, total soluble sugars, lycopene and firmness contents. In addition, pre-harvest foliar potassium thiosulfate at 0.4 % enhanced fruit vitamin C, total soluble sugars, lycopene and firmness contents and also increased titratable acidity content. Generally, the interaction between cold storage × pre-harvest foliar calcium chloride or potassium thiosulfate at 0.2 and/or 0.4% increased fruit total titratable acidity, vitamin C, total soluble sugars, lycopene and firmness contents. Also, the interaction between pre-harvest calcium chloride × potassium thiosulfate at 0.4 % was distinguished and increased all studied fruit quality at the end of cold storage. The interaction treatment of cold storage × calcium chloride at 0.4 % × potassium thiosulfate at 0.4 % was the best that improved fruit quality more than others.