Effect of chitosan combined with ethoxyquin treatment on antioxidant activity in Pyrus communis L. cv. Early Red Comice during storage

The objective of the study was to clarify the effect of chitosan combined with ethoxyquin treatment on antioxidant activity and quality of pear. Free radical scavenging capacity,antioxidant enzymes,antioxidant substance,quality and superficial scald incidence of European pear(Pyrus communis L. cv. Early Red Comice)treated with chitosan combined with ethoxyquin were investigated. Results indicated that decline of firmness and titratable acid content were inhibited by chitosan combined with ethoxyquin treatment. Compared with the control,chitosan combined with ethoxyquin treatment could reduce the development of superficial scald by69.9%. Chitosan combined with ethoxyquin treatment was beneficial to improving antioxidant activity. Anti-superoxide anion and scavenging hydroxyl free radical capacity treated with chitosan combined with ethoxyquin were 8.4% or 2.2% higher than the control at 120 d of storage,respectively. Chitosan combined with ethoxyquin treatment could induce activities of superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, glutathione reductase,peroxidase and keep higher content of total phenol,anthocyanin,vitamin C and reduced glutathione than the control. In conclusion,chitosan combined with ethoxyquin treatment was beneficial to maintaining antioxidant activity and quality of ‘Early Red Comice' pear,and inhibited the fruit disease.