Browsing by Author "Mthembu, Sisanda Sibusiso"

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    Advancing fruit preservation: ecofriendly treatments for controlling fruit softening
    (MDPI, 2024-08-26) Mthembu, Sisanda Sibusiso; Magwaza, Lembe Samukelo; Tesfay, Samson Zeray; Mditshwa, Asanda
    Textural softening is a major factor that limits the storage potential of fruit. Fresh produce markets incur severe financial losses due to excessive fruit softening. The application of preservation strategies aimed at mitigating fruit softening is crucial for optimising the marketability of fruit. Proposed preservation strategies include ecofriendly treatments, namely, hexanal, edible coatings, heat treatments, ozone and UV-C irradiation. These treatments optimise firmness retention by targeting the factors that affect fruit softening, such as ethylene, respiration rates, enzymes and pathogens. This review discusses the mechanisms by which ecofriendly treatments inhibit fruit softening, providing insights into their effect on ethylene biosynthesis, cell wall metabolism and disease resistance. Although ecofriendly treatments offer a promising and sustainable approach for delaying fruit softening, the optimisation of treatment application protocols is needed to improve their efficacy in retaining fruit firmness. Studies reporting on the molecular mechanisms by which ecofriendly treatments inhibit fruit softening are limited. Future studies should prioritise proteomic and transcriptome analyses to advance our understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms by which ecofriendly treatments delay the fruit-softening process.
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    Hexanal-containing dip treatment enhances kiwifruit resistance to Botrytis cinerea
    (Elsevier, 2025-01) Mthembu, Sisanda Sibusiso; Tesfay, Samson Zeray; Mditshwa, Asanda; Magwaza, Lembe Samukelo
    This study evaluated the effectiveness of a hexanal-based enhanced freshness formulation (EFF), containing antioxidants such as geraniol, α-tocopherol and ascorbic acid, to inhibit the fungal decay caused by Botrytis cinerea in ‘Y368’ kiwifruit. In vitro and in vivo experiments using three treatments: control (untreated), 0.03 and 0.06 % (v/v) EFF were set up. In the in vitro experiment, mycelial growth and spore germination of Botrytis cinerea exposed to EFF were examined. In the in vivo experiment, disease incidence, lesion diameter, activity of defense-related enzymes (Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyase, Guaiacol Peroxidase, β-1,3-glucanase and Chitinase), total phenolics and flavonoids were evaluated. The results demonstrated that 0.03 and 0.06 % EFF treatments reduced mycelial growth of Botrytis cinerea by 41 and 89 %, respectively. The lesion diameter of the 0.03 and 0.06 % EFF-treated fruit was 28 and 76 % smaller than the control. Furthermore, EFF-treated fruit exhibited significantly higher activities of defense-related enzymes compared to the control, with total phenolic content increasing by 1.2 and 1.3-fold for the 0.03 and 0.06 % treatments, respectively. These findings provide compelling evidence regarding the efficacy of EFF in suppressing Botrytis cinerea and highlight the role of defense-related enzymes in enhancing the fruit's resistance to decay. Overall, the study underscores the potential of EFF as a valuable and practical method for controlling fungal decay in kiwifruit during postharvest storage.