Methyl jasmonate reduces chilling injury and maintains postharvest qualityof mango fruit

Exposure of mango (Mangifera indica cv. Tommy Atkins) fruit to methyl jasmo nate (MJ) vapors (10(-4) M) for 24 h at 25 degrees C reduced chilling injur y during subsequent storage for 21 days at 7 degrees C and after 5 days of shelf life at 20 degrees C. The chilling tolerance induced by MJ was positi vely correlated with the reduction in the percent ion leakage of mango tiss ue. The overall quality of MJ-treated fruit was also better than that of co ntrol fruit. MJ treatment increased the total soluble solids but did not af fect titratable acidity or pH. MJ also did not change the normal climacteri c rise in respiration, water loss, and softening rates. The efficacy of MJ to reduce chilling injury and decay of mango could be related to the tolera nce induced at low temperature. It was concluded that MJ treatment may prev ent chilling injury symptoms of mango without altering the ripening process .