ABSTRACT
This work summarizes the application of gas fumigation technology in postharvest fruit quality management and related biochemical mechanisms in recent years. Gas fumigants mainly include SO2, ClO2, ozone, NO, CO, 1-MCP, essential oils, H2S and ethanol. This work indicated that gas fumigation preservatives can effectively improve postharvest fruit quality, which is mainly manifested in delaying senescence, inhibiting browning, controlling disease and alleviating chilling injury. Gas preservatives are mainly involved in postharvest fruit quality control in the roles of antifungal agent, anti-browning agent, redox agent, ethylene inhibitors, elicitor and pesticide remover. Different gas preservatives have different roles, but most of them have multiple roles at the same time in postharvest fruit quality management. In addition, the role of some gas preservatives with direct antifungal activity in the control of postharvest fruit diseases can also activate defense systems to improve fruit resistance. It should be noted that some gas fumigation treatments with slow-release effects have been developed recently, which may allow gas fumigation gases to perform better. Moreover, some gas fumigants can cause irrational side effects on the fruit and some combined treatments need to be found to counteract such side effects.
ABSTRACT
In this work, we have studied the action of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma irradiation using various feeding gases on seeds of Raphanus sativus L. and analysis their growth. Our experimental data shows that Air, O2, and NO(10%)+N2 feeding gases plasma irradiation enhanced plant growth, whereas N2, He and Ar feeding gases plasma irradiation had little influence on plant growth. Moreover, humid air plasma irradiation was more effective in growth enhancement than dry one. More than 2.3 times faster growth was observed by 3 min air plasma irradiation with 40-90% relative humidity. The reactive species generated by plasma in gas phase were detected using optical emission spectroscopy and in liquid phase by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopy. We concluded that OH and O radicals were key species for plant growth enhancement.