Effects of Volatile Oil from Liquidambar formosana Leaves on the Quality of Loquat Fruits during Cold Storage

The objectives of this study were to improve storage characteristics and shelf life of post-harvest loquat fruits and to develop a safe and environmentally protective antiseptic agent. After pre-impregnation with different concentrations(1, 6 and 10 ?L/100 mL) of the volatile oil of Liquidambar formosana leaves, loquat fruits were stored at 5 ℃ for 30 d. Over the storage period, decay index, weight loss, hardness, the contents of total soluble solid content(TSS), li gnin and malondialdehyde(MDA) and the activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase(PAL) and peroxidase(POD) were measured at 5-day intervals. Result showed that the volatile oil significantly decreased fruit hardness and lignin content, reduced the incidence of decay, weight loss and MDA content, delayed the decrease in TSS, and inhibited the activities of POD and PAL. These results indicate that the essential oil of Liquidambar formosana leaves may have promising applications in postharvest preservation of loquat fruits showing better preservative effects at 6 ?L/100 mL.