Quality Improvement of Tomato Fruits by Preharvest Application of Chitosan Oligosaccharide

Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS), a degradation product of chitosan, is easily accessible, highly bioactive, non-toxic, and well-soluble in water. The effects COS on the qualitative attributes tomato fruits were investigated current study. was administered to plants (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Ruixinghongniu) by foliar spray root irrigation alternate cycles at concentrations 0.5 g·L?1 0.16 g·L?1, respectively. experimental outcomes revealed that treatment promoted coloring softening fruits. Lycopene, vitamin C, fructose, glucose levels increased 49.0%, 25.4%, 30.2%, 33.4%, respectively, COS-treated ripe compared controls. volatile metabolome showed application also release ten volatiles correlated with consumer preference (1-penten-3-one, (E)-2-pentenal, (E)-3-hexen-1-ol, (E)-2-heptenal, 2-isobutylthiazole, phenylacetaldehyde, 2-phenylethanol, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-ol, ?-ionone), contributing an improved flavor. Moreover, transcript genes participating ethylene biosynthesis, perception, response along enhanced production observed fruits, suggesting may regulate fruit quality via pathway. Taken together, our results indicated pre-harvest could improve attributes.