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Pre‐harvest nitrogen and azoxystrobin application enhances raw product quality and post‐harvest shelf‐life of baby spinach ( Spinacia oleracea L.)
Author(s) -
Conversa Giulia,
Bonasia Anna,
Lazzizera Corrado,
Elia Antonio
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.6679
Subject(s) - azoxystrobin , spinach , spinacia , allium fistulosum , agronomy , horticulture , ascorbic acid , nitrate , shelf life , chemistry , biology , food science , fungicide , biochemistry , chloroplast , gene , allium , organic chemistry
BACKGROUND Baby spinach was cultivated under spring or winter conditions to investigate the effect of azoxystrobin and, only in the winter cycle, of nitrogen fertilisation (0, 80 and 120 kg ha −1 of N) on yield and product morphological traits at harvest and on the physical, visual, bio‐physiological, nutritional and anti‐nutritional characteristics change during cold storage. RESULTS The yield was 37% higher in spring than in the overwinter cycle. Spring grown plant had leaves of lighter colour, lower in dry matter content, higher in ascorbic acid, nitrate, and total phenol content. They had higher weight loss during storage than the winter product. Fresh weight was favoured by azoxystrobin only in the non‐fertilised plants. During storage azoxystrobin reduced leaf dehydration, contrasted weight loss and the increase in phenols in leaves from fertilised plants. N supply positively affected yield, and greenness of raw and stored leaves. N fertilisation lowered weight loss due to respiration and showed a protective effect on membrane integrity during storage. Azoxystrobin proved effective in reducing nitrate leaf content. CONCLUSION Azoxystrobin, especially in fertilised crop, is useful in improving the physiological quality, the safety, and the nutritional quality of baby spinach. A rate of 80 kg ha −1 can be suggested as optimum N fertilisation. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry