Effect of N-butanol Treatment on Chilling Injury and Quality of Postharvest Hami Melon Fruits

The Xinjiang Hami melon "Xizhoumi 25" was used in this experiment. Melons were distilled in different concentrations of n-butanol with 0% (the control group were socked in clear water), 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% for 30 minutes, and then dried naturally and store at 3 ℃ for 42 days, chilling injury index and quality in fruits were measured during the storage period. Compared with that in control, the results showed that different treatment of n-butanol had different effects. In addition treatment with 1.0% n-butanol inhibited the increase of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the chilling injury index of peel of Hami melon, meanwhile which inhibited the decrease in flesh of fruit firmness, the contents of ascorbic acid and peel of soluble protein, and increased the peel of soluble sugar content during cold storage. It had certain effects on improving low temperature tolerance and extending the storage quality of Hami melon fruit.