Effect of terpene treatment on tomato fruit

Abstract

Terpenes are secondary metabolites produced from isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP). Considering their role against biotic and abiotic stress conditions, the D-limonene, a terpene recognized for its roles in plant defense and as pigment molecules, was tested to monitor its impact in the accumulation of carotenoid terpene pigments during tomato fruit ripening. The concentrations of 0.0, 1.0, and 2.0 mL∙L–1 were sprayed weekly on tomato plants ‘Micro-Tom’ until the harvest. The fruits were harvested at the mature green stage (MG), the breaker stages (BR), three days after the breaker (BR + 3), the red ripe stage (RR), and the concentration of carotenoids was evaluated. The application of D-limonene enhanced the concentration of carotenoids in the early stages of tomato fruit ripening and ripe fruits, and the accumulation of carotenoids was greater following dose increment. This result can bring important contributions to horticulture and food nutrition by linking plant defense and the accumulation of molecules with recognized antioxidant capacity in fruit.