Abstract
Postharvest Hupingzao jujubes are prone to softening and reddening during storage. To investigate the influence of glycine betaine on the fruit quality of cold-stored jujubes, the jujubes were immersed in a 15 mmol L(-1) glycine betaine solution for 10 min, then stored at 0 ± 1 °C for 100 days. The relevant physical and chemical quality indicators were determined every 20 days. The results indicated that glycine betaine treatment effectively maintained fruit firmness, reduced weight loss, slowed down the respiration rate, and lessened the redness of the fruit peel. Compared with the control group, the malondialdehyde and H(2)O(2) contents in glycine betaine-treated fruit decreased by 26.65% and 9.04%, respectively. In addition, glycine betaine treatment elevated the contents of non-enzymatic antioxidants, including ascorbic acid, total flavonoids, total phenols, and proanthocyanidins. Meanwhile, the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, and ascorbate peroxidase in the jujube fruit were enhanced after glycine betaine treatment. In conclusion, glycine betaine treatment preserved the quality of the jujube fruits by enhancing the antioxidant metabolism. The results establish a scientific basis for the potential application of glycine betaine in postharvest fruit preservation, providing a strategy to mitigate storage-related quality deterioration.