Nitric Oxide and Its Donor Sodium-Nitroprusside Regulation of the Postharvest Quality and Oxidative Stress on Fruits: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Postharvest fruits are highly perishable and have a limited shelf life. The nitric oxide (NO) is a widely used option to preserve qualities and delay senescence. This meta-analysis adopted a random-effect model and used standard mean difference (SMD). The databases used to gather studies systematically include Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The study selected 81 articles and 16 indicator parameters as per inclusion criteria. The result showed, NO application reduced weight loss of fruits. Whereas the firmness of fruit improved by the NO applications. In the subgroup of titratable acidity (TA) and ascorbic acid (AsA), NO exposure substantially improved both TA and AsA contents in treated fruits. Moreover, ethylene level and respiration rate were suppressed by the NO applications. NO-treated fruits were remarkably observed with limited ion leakage and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Concerning oxidation trends, NO application decreased superoxide anion (O2 •–) and hydrogen peroxide (H202) contents. In addition, exogenous NO enhanced catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase activities (SOD). Similarly, peroxidase oxidase (POD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) were improved in NO-treated fruits. Lastly, phenols and flavonoids were enhanced by NO application. Therefore, we conclude that most studies proved NO could substantially improve qualities and delay rapid senescence.