New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science abstracts

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Postharvest handling effects on stomatal aperture of harvested Brassica rapa var. perviridis ‘Komatsuna’ and B. juncea ‘Red Giant’ mustard leaves

G. E. Thomson

Department of Primary Industries
Private Bag 15
Ferntree Gully DC
VIC 3156, Australia

Abstract  The effect of postharvest handling practices on stomatal aperture of harvested salad leaves has received little investigative attention. This is surprising given that open stomata might hasten water loss and contribute to deterioration in quality. Observations were made on stomatal apertures of harvested Brassica rapa var. perviridis (‘Komatsuna’) and Brassica juncea (‘Red Giant’ mustard) leaves in response to cooling and holding treatments representing commercial procedures. When held in air at 20°C or 4°C, stomatal aperture on B. juncea leaves progressively reduced after harvest, and at 15 min closure was largely complete. B. rapa stomata also closed at 20°C but took c. 30 min. However, storage in a 4°C cold-room inhibited stomatal closure of B. rapa. B. rapa leaves were also dipped for 20 min in iced water and 20°C water dips following harvest and neither interfered with stomatal closure. However, after these dips and a further 25-min period in air at 20°C, stomata remained largely closed for iced leaves but had begun to open on leaves dipped in the 20°C water. Following overnight storage in the dark at 4°C in clip-seal, plastic packaging an increase in stomatal conductance was observed in B. juncea.

Keywords  postharvest; stomata; water loss; mustard; Brassica

H05015; Online publication date 22 July 2005 Received 15 Febraury 2005; accepted 31 May 2005
New Zealand Journal of Crop and Horticultural Science, 2005, Vol. 33: 311-316 0014-0671/05/3303-0311 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2005

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