Utilities and issues in uses of the plant growth regulators for improving post-harvest quality of vegetable crops were reviewed and discussed in this topic, along with the modes of action of those chemicals in plant tissues.
Growth regulators could be used effectively to keep freshness and retard senescence in leafy vegetables, accelerate ripening and coloring in fruits, and preserve products from poor quality and weight loss during storage periods by inhibition of sprouting in bulb and tuber crops.
Kinds and functions of the chemicals which are widely employed for the above purpose can be cited such as auxin (retarding of senescence and cellulase activity), N^6-benzylameopurine (suppression of chlorophyll and protein degradation, maintenance of the level of endogenous gibberellins, and prevention of an increase in ABA-like compounds), gibberellins (inhibition of chlorophyll loss, delaying of rind softening and accumulation of carotenoids), ethrel (acceleration of ripening), and malefic hydrazide (inhibition of sprouting) etc.
Although numerous works on the use of chemicals for improving quality of vegetable crops has been performed during last 60 years since auxin was found by Went, the aspects of commercial application of the most growth regulators are far from satisfaction yet.
Further studies, therefore, must be concentrated to detailed researches on the timing of application, the choice of the correct regualtors, mixture application with other chemicals for better practical uses.
|