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INHABITED MECHANISMS OF SILICON COMPOUNDS AGAINST FUSARIUM ROT ( FUSARIUM SPP.) OF POSTHARVEST CHINESE CANTALOUPE
Author(s) -
LIU LEI,
GUO YURONG,
BI YANG,
LI MINQUAN,
ZHAO JIAN,
ZHAO HUA
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of food processing and preservation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.511
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1745-4549
pISSN - 0145-8892
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-4549.2008.00292.x
Subject(s) - postharvest , silicon , fusarium , horticulture , sodium silicate , inoculation , fungicide , fusarium wilt , chemistry , oxide , dry rot , sodium , materials science , botany , biology , fusarium oxysporum , metallurgy , organic chemistry
The Chinese cantaloupe (cv. Yujinxiang) fruit was used to investigate the inhabiting mechanisms of silicon compounds against Fusarium rot ( Fusarium spp.). When silicon compounds were applied as a dipping solution, both silicon oxide and sodium silicate significantly ( P < 0.01) reduced the infection rate of Fusarium spp. But the mechanisms involved in silicon oxide‐ and sodium silicate‐mediated resistance of cantaloupe to postharvest Fusarium rot were different. In vitro tests showed that sodium silicate was effective in suppressing the mycelial radial growth of the pathogen ( P < 0.01) on potato dextrose agar, while silicon oxide was ineffective ( P > 0.01). The effectiveness of sodium silicate increased with concentration, and the growth of the pathogen was completely inhibited at 100 mmol/L. Significantly enhanced peroxidase activities at 24 h after sodium silicate treatment and 72 h after inoculation, and phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase activities at 24 and 72 h after inoculation were observed in sodium silicate‐treated melons but not in those treated with silicon oxide. Scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X‐ray analysis showed that Si‐treated melons had a smoother surface feature and higher Si content in the epidermis, especially at the stomata and the junction between the exocarp and mesocarp.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Silicon is one of the most abundant materials on the surface of the earth. Some evidences have shown that silicon is related to the disease resistance of plants; we think this might be employed to develop nonpolluting chemicals for the postharvest disease control of plants. Until now, fungicides have been most commonly used to control postharvest diseases of fruits; however, chemical residues and chemical resistance of pathogens are always problems as well. In the present work, we used the silicon agents to control the postharvest fungal disease of Chinese cantaloupe, and a positive result was shown. Although the mechanism involved in Si resistance of plants to fungus is not yet fully understood, our result showed that silicon might be used as a promising ingredient of preservatives for Chinese cantaloupe as well as other fruits and vegetables in the future.