Evaluation of Pre and Postharvest Treatments on Growth Parameters and Photosynthetic Pigments in Iceberg Lettuce

Subject Areas : Research On Crop Ecophysiology

Mohammadreza Ferydounian ¹ , Mehrdad Jafarpour ²

1 - دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد اصفهان(خوراسگان)
2 - Associate professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Edibe and Medicinal Mushrooms Research Center, Isf. C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran (Corresponding Author)

Received: 2024-10-15 Accepted : 2025-01-25 Published : 2025-07-13

Keywords: Keywords: Biochar application, Chlorophyll content, Postharvest quality, Storage longevity.,

Abstract :

Evaluation of Pre and Postharvest Treatments on Growth Parameters and Photosynthetic Pigments in Iceberg Lettuce MOHAMMAD REZA FEREYDOUNIAN1,3 AND MEHRDAD JAFARPOUR2,3 * 1- Department of Horticultural Sciences, Isf. C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran 2-Associate professor, Department of Horticultural Sciences, Edibe and Medicinal Mushrooms Research Center, Isf. C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran (Corresponding Author) 3-Institute of Agriculture, Water, Food, and Nutraceuticals, Isf.C., Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran *Corresponding author’s E-mail: [e-mail] Received: 15 October 2024 Accepted: 25 January 2025 ABSTRACT This study examines the effects of various pre-harvest treatments on the postharvest quality of iceberg lettuce (Lactuca sativa var. capitata), a highly perishable vegetable with considerable commercial importance. The primary aim was to identify the most effective concentrations of these treatments—comprising oxalic acid, biochar, and wood vinegar in enhancing growth parameters and chlorophyll content. A factorial experimental design was employed in a randomized complete block layout with three replicates. Treatments included a control with distilled water, three levels of oxalic acid (1.5, 2.5, and 3.5 mM), three rates of biochar (150, 250, and 350 g per plant), and three concentrations of wood vinegar (2, 3, and 4 mL L−1). Postharvest, the plants were processed in two ways: either left uncut or cut, and then stored at 4°C for 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 days. The results indicated that pre-harvest treatments, especially biochar at 150 g per plant and oxalic acid, significantly improved key quality traits such as leaf number, plant volume, and chlorophyll content during storage. Biochar at this optimal concentration consistently demonstrated superior performance in maintaining leaf quality, overall plant vigor, and pigment content. Additionally, uncut samples generally preserved these qualities better than cut ones, highlighting the detrimental effects of processing stress. In conclusion, biochar at 150 g per plant emerged as the most effective treatment for promoting growth and extending postharvest longevity of iceberg lettuce. These findings suggest that optimizing pre-harvest practices with biochar can significantly enhance lettuce shelf life and quality, offering a sustainable strategy for growers. Keywords: Biochar application, Chlorophyll content, Postharvest quality, Storage longevity.

References:


REFERENCES

Abdullah M A, Zakaria S. 2024. Impact of ultraviolet radiation and 1-methylcyclopropane treatments on maintain quality and storability of Iceberg lettuce head during cold storage. Horticulture Research Journal, 2(3): 84-96.‏
Coumar M V, Parihar R S, Dwivedi A K, Saha J K, Rajendiran S, Dotaniya M L, Kundu S. 2016. Impact of pigeon pea biochar on cadmium mobility in soil and transfer rate to leafy vegetable spinach. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 188: 1-10.‏ https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-015-5028-y.
Eroğul D, Kibar H, Şen F, Gundogdu M. 2023. Role of postharvest oxalic acid treatment on quality properties, phenolic compounds, and organic acid contents of nectarine fruits during cold storage. Horticulturae, 9(9): 1021. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9091021.
Hasan Ö Z. 2018. A new approach to soil solarization: Addition of biochar to the effect of soil temperature and quality and yield parameters of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. Duna). Scientia Horticulturae, 228: 153-161.‏ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2017.10.021.
Lee J S, Chandra D, Son J, 2022. Growth, physicochemical, nutritional, and postharvest qualities of leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) as affected by cultivar and amount of applied nutrient solution. Horticulturae, 8(5): 436. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8050436.
Lee J S, Chang M S. 2017. Effect of nutrient solution concentration in the second half of growing period on the growth and postharvest quality of leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) in a deep flow technique system. Horticultural Science and Technology, 35: 456–464.
Lichtenthaler H K. 1987. Chlorophylls and carotenoids: pigments of photosynthetic biomembranes. Methods in Enzymology, 1(44): 350-382. https://doi.org/10.1016/0076- 6879(87)48036-1
Liao Y, Li Z, Yang Z, Wang J, Li B, Zu Y. 2023. Response of Cd, Zn translocation and distribution to organic acids heterogeneity in Brassica juncea L. Plants, 12(3): 479.‏ https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12030479.
Martínez-Ispizua E, Calatayud Á, Marsal J I, Basile F, Cannata C, Abdelkhalik A, Soler S, Valcárcel J V, Martínez-Cuenca M R. 2022. Postharvest changes in the nutritional properties of commercial and traditional lettuce varieties in relation with overall visual quality. Agronomy, 12(2): 403. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12020403
Rehman R S, Zafar S A, Hur G. 2025. A stage-specific approach: assessing the impact of exogenously applied wood vinegar on growth, yield, and quality of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 62(1).‏
Ren T, Wang H, Yuan Y, Feng H, Wang B, Kuang G, Wei Y, Gao W, Shi H, Liu G. 2021. Biochar increases tobacco yield by promoting root growth based on a three-year field application. Scientific Reports, 11(1): 21991.‏ https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-01426-9.
Suo R, Wang W, Ma Y, Fu L, Cui Y. 2021. Effect of different root lengths for retaining freshness of hydroponic lettuce. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, 4: 100151.‏ https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2021.100151.
Yang J F, Yang C H, Liang M T, Gao Z J, Wu Y W, Chuang L Y. 2016. Chemical composition, antioxidant, and antibacterial activity of wood vinegar from Litchi chinensis. Molecules, 21: 1150. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21091150.
Zhang W, Jiang Y, Zhang Z. 2023. The role of different natural organic acids in postharvest fruit quality management and its mechanism. Food Frontiers, 4(3): 1127-1143.‏ http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/fft2.245.
Zhu K, Liu J, Luo T, Zhang K, Khan Z, Zhou Y, Cheng T, Yuan B, Peng X, Hu L. 2022. Wood vinegar impact on the growth and low-temperature tolerance of rapeseed seedlings. Agronomy, 12(10): 2453.‏ https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12102453.