Black Seed Oil Applications for the Preservation of Postharvest Quality of ‘Wonderful’ Pomegranate Under Modified Atmosphere Packaging

This study was conducted to determine the effects of black seed oil (0.1% and 0.5%) applications with and without modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), on the postharvest quality of pomegranate cv. ‘Wonderful’. Fruit samples were stored at 6.5±1 ºC with 90-95% relative humidity for 150 days and quality analysis done at 30-day intervals. Furthermore, after each storage period, fruits were removed and kept at 20 ºC for 7 days to simulate a period of shelf-life. MAP alone or in combination with black seed oil application found to have a significant influence on the maintaining of fruit weight. Percent reduction in the fruit weight 150 days after storage (DAS) was 4.7% and 8.8% for black seed oil (0.5%)+MAP and control+MAP applications, respectively, where it was 18.9% for the control without MAP. The juice content of pomegranate fruits was 31.4% at harvest and it decreased to 21.9% on the control treatment in 150 days. Furthermore, juice content of the fruits with control+MAP and propolis+MAP were determined as 25.8%, and 28.1%, respectively, at 150 DAS. Applications of 0.5% black seed oil especially when combined with MAP, have found to be effective in preventing weight loss, preventing juice content, controlling gray mould development and decelerate the occurrence of chilling injury.