Horticultural Science and Technology 원예과학기술지 ISSN:1226-8763(Print) 2465-8588(Online)

Lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) affects the quality of flowers, fruits, and other horticultural products. Studies have provided evidence that LPE can accelerate ripening of fruits and prolong shelf-life at the same time. In this study, the influence of LPE on anthocyanin accumulation and phytochemical characteristics of sweet cherry was investigated. LPE (10 mg･L^-1) was applied to a commercial sweet cherry c.v. ‘0900 Ziraat’ orchard two and four weeks before harvest for two treatment years (2011 and 2012). Preharvest applications of LPE resulted in significant improvement in both pomological and phytochemical attributes at harvest. LPE treatment led to a 17% increase in fruit weight and a 6% increase in soluble solid content when averaged over two experimental years. Fruit phytochemical content and antioxidant capacity were increased significantly. The average total phenolic content of LPE-treated fruits for the two years was 703 μg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g fresh weight (g FW) compared to 569 μg GAE/g FW in the untreated control. Fruits treated with LPE had a 27% and 16% more anthocyanin than the control fruits in 2011 and 2012. Antioxidant capacity of fruits, as measured by TEAC (Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity) assay, was 12.5 and 11.4 μmol TE/g FW in LPE-treated and untreated control fruits, respectively, when averaged over two experimental years. Our results suggest that preharvest application of LPE may have the potential to increase anthocyanin accumulation, improve fruit quality and enhance phytochemical characteristics of sweet cherries.