Methyl jasmonate maintained antioxidative ability of ginger rhizomes by regulating antioxidant enzymes and energy metabolism

Antioxidant capacity and energy status are closely related to postharvest senescence and stress tolerance of fruits and vegetables. In this study, ginger rhizomes were treated with 100 μM methyl jasmonate (MeJA) solution for 10 min and stored at 20 °C with 30%-40% relative humidity for 18 d to investigate the changes of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content, the activity of antioxidant enzymes in reactive oxygen species and energy metabolism. The results indicated that MeJA treatment increased H2O2 content and the activity of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase in ginger rhizomes. The activity of succinate dehydrogenase, cytochrome C oxidase, H+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase, the content of ATP, ADP and energy charge were also enhanced by MeJA treatment in ginger rhizomes. All these results suggest that MeJA could maintain antioxidative capacity of ginger rhizomes by regulating antioxidant enzymes and energy metabolism during room temperature storage.