Abstract: Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa, Duchesne.FengXiang) fruit were harvested at eighty percent ripe (75% berry surface showing red color) or fully ripe (100% berry surface showing red color) stage and then treated with 1μmol/L MeJA for 24 h before stored at 20 ℃ for 4 d. The results indicated that methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatment significantly reduced decay incidence of eighty percent ripe fruit, while it had little effect on that of fully ripe fruit. Treatment with 1μmol/L MeJA promoted the increase in total soluble solids (TSS) and the decrease in total titratable acid (TA) content and the development in surface red color of eighty percent ripe fruit. The quality parameters of MeJA-treated eighty percent ripe fruit such as surface color, TSS and vitamin C contents were similar to those of fully ripe fruit at the end of storage. These results showed that if strawberry fruit can not be sold in time after harvest or subjected to long distance transportation, the fruit could be harvested at lower ripe stage and treated with MeJA after harvest to reduce fruit decay and maintain quality.

Key words: MeJA, strawberry fruit, maturity, decay, quality