Abstract:

Using Fraiar plum fruit as the test material，the changes in quality and physiology characteristic of fruits treated by different concentrations (0.5%, 1%, 2% and 4%) of calcium were investigated. The results showed that the reduction of the contents of titratable acid and soluble sugar is slowdown, the increase of soluble solid content is inhibited, and the hardness of plum fruits is kept, thus calcium treatment improves the fruit quality. In addition, the accumulation of MDA content is inhibited, which keeps the cell membrane intact; the activity of POD is depressed, while the activity of SOD is enhanced, which enhance the antioxidant activity of fruits; the activity of PPO is inhibited, and the brownness, the ripening and the senescence of plum fruits are effectively lingered. Therefore the calcium treatments prolong the storage duration of fruits, especially 1% CaCl2 presents the optimum protection effects.

Key words: Fraiar plum fruit, calcium treatments, quality, physiological and biochemical characteristics