Abstract
The short postharvest life of cassava is mainly due to its rapid postharvest physiological deterioration (PPD) and cell oxidative damage, however, how to effectively control this remains elusive. In this study, South China 5 cassava slices were sprayed with water and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) to study the effects of MeJA on reactive oxygen species, antioxidant enzymes, quality, endogenous hormone levels, and melatonin biosynthesis genes. We found that exogenous MeJA could delay the deterioration rate for at least 36 h and alleviate cell oxidative damage through activation of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and peroxidase. Moreover, MeJA increased the concentrations of melatonin and gibberellin during PPD, which had a significant effect on regulating PPD. Notably, exogenous MeJA had a significant effect on maintaining cassava quality, as evidenced by increased ascorbic acid content and carotenoid content. Taken together, MeJA treatment is an effective and promising way to maintain a long postharvest life, alleviate cell oxidative damage, and regulate storage quality in cassava.