Hydrogen peroxide application reduced fruit abscission on chilling-stressed Syzygium samarangense Merr. et Perry

摘要

We evaluated the effects of H2O2 pretreatment on the ability of 8 year old wax apple ( Syzygium samarangense Merr. et Perry) trees to withstand chilling stress in Ping-tung, Taiwan during the winter of 1998-1999. Plants pretreated with H2O2 at 10mM exhibited the lowest rate of fruit abscission of 9.3%, followed by 13% and 28% for 50 mM and 100 mM pretreatment, respectively, five days after a cold spell of 7.8degreesC. The control plants had 26% fruit abscission rate evaluated five days after the chilling stress. The theoretical lowest rate of fruit abscission was 2% with 26 mM hydrogen peroxide treatment, estimated from the line of best fit of the rate of fruit abscission with the concentration of hydrogen peroxide. No statistical significance of the treatment effects on fruit parameters including length, width, weight, and total soluble solid (Brix) was found in this study. The potential economic benefits of hydrogen peroxide treatment on wax apple trees to reduce the loss of chilling-induced fruit abscission is profound, provided due care is taken with regard to public health and environmental safety.