The effects of pre- and postharvest calcium gluconate (Ca-Glu) treatments on some physicochemical characteristics and bioactive compounds of sweet cherry cv. Sweetheart during cold storage were investigated. For preharvest treatments, the Ca-Glu (1%) solution was applied to the cherry trees two times at 21 and 35 days after full bloom stage. Control trees were sprayed with distilled water at the same days. Sweet cherries, sprayed with and without Ca-Glu, were dipped into cold water (4 °C) containing calcium gluconate (1%) for 30 s and only in cold water (4 °C) as control, after harvest Following each treatment, cherries were placed in plastic boxes and stored at 1 ± 0.5 °C and 90 ± 5% relative humidity for 3 weeks. The weight losses of cherries increased over time but calcium (Ca) treatments, especially pre-and postharvest combination, limited these increases compared to control groups. The best result for suppressing the respiration rate of cherries was also obtained from combined treatment. Moreover, combined treatment delayed the losses of titratable acidity, fruit firmness, decay rate and sensory quality in sweet cherries during storage comparison with the pre or postharvest application of Ca-Glu alone. The effect of Ca-Clu treatments on stem chlorophyll content and antioxidant activity was not significant. Preharvest and combined treatments retarded the loss of ascorbic acid content of cherries compared to postharvest and control treatments. The total phenolic and anthocyanin content increased regularly throughout storage, regardless of treatment; however, Ca treatments delayed the accumulation of these compounds. As a result, the combined Ca-Glu treatment could be a promising method for maintaining some physicochemical characteristics and bioactive compounds in sweet cherries during cold storage.

In this study, we investigated the effects of preharvest oxalic acid (2.5 mM (OA1) and 5 mM (OA2)) and salicylic acid (0.5 mM (SA1) and 1 mM (SA2)) treatments on the storage and quality of blackberry cv. Chester. We applied salicylic acid and oxalic acid to the plants seven and fourteen days before harvest and recorded the physiological, physicochemical, and external appearance characteristics of the fruits during the cold storage period (nine days). The results showed that the treatments decreased ethylene production by 29.5% (SA1) at harvest and by 28.5% (SA2) at the end of the storage period. In addition, the respiration rate was reduced between 13.0% (OA2) and 28.0% (SA2) compared to the control. Although fruit weigh loss increased as storage extended, the highest losses were observed in control with 1.35%. Titratable acidity decreased from harvest (0.46%) to the end of storage (0.39%) in the control, whereas it ranged from 0.52% (SA1) to 0.62% (OA1) in the treatment groups. Malic acid and syringic acid were the dominant organic acid and phenolic, respectively, and although their content decreased continuously in the control group, no loss was observed in the treated groups after the sixth day. These effects were positively reflected in the external appearance of the fruits, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, and properties related to antioxidant activity. As a result of the cumulative evaluation of all parameters, it can be suggested that Chester fruits can be stored for nine days in marketable quality with the SA2 applications. Among oxalic acid concentrations, 2.5 mM can be recommended for phytochemical accumulation at harvest and short‐term storage of three days.