Abstract:In order to explore the effect of citronella essential oil (CEO) fumigation on postharvest potato storage bud inhibition and reactive oxygen species metabolism mechanism. “Inner Mongolia V7” potato was used as the test material, and the self-made fumigation device was used to fumigate the potatoes regularly for 6 h at 20±2 °C, and the germination inhibition effect and reactive oxygen species metabolism indexes were measured every 14 days. The results showed that after 70 days of potato storage, the germination rate and weight loss rate of the CEO treatment group were reduced by 100.00% and 28.30% relative to the control group. The respiration intensity of potatoes treated by CEO was lower than that of the control group before storage, but higher than that of the control group after 42 days of storage. CEO treatment reduced the hydrogen peroxide content and the rate of superoxide anion radical generation in potatoes after 70 days of storage, they were 38.32% and 59.02% lower than those in the control. CEO treatment increased the activities of catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase during potato storage, and the effects of catalase and ascorbate peroxidase were significant (P<0.05). In conclusion, CEO treatment can increase the activity of antioxidant enzymes in potato tubers, reduce the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, effectively prolong the storage period of potatoes, inhibit potato germination, and have the potential to be applied in improving potato storage quality.
