Impact of salicylic acid on postharvest physiology of fruits and vegetables

Abstract The preservation of fruit and vegetable quality during postharvest life, due to its economic impact and also human health, is essential for the food industry. The increasing demand for consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables, along with restriction on the use of synthetic chemicals to minimize postharvest losses, has encouraged scientific research to develop new technologies based on natural molecules such as salicylic acid. Salicylic acid as a safe signaling molecule can be used as a preharvest and postharvest strategy, which has high commercial potential for enhancing nutritional quality along with extension of the shelf life of fruits and vegetables. Salicylic acid could have potential postharvest application for reducing chilling injury and decay, delaying ripening, and enhancing the health benefits of fruit and vegetable consumption by increasing antioxidant capacity.