Eureka! Institutional Repository

Due to the rapid increase of the population these last years, the need for more food led to a plethora of studies for innovative methods of production. The food, however that is being produced, has to be preserved for consumption out of season or to be transferred to far regions where they are not endemic. This brings the need for a constant refinement of the preservation process, which is achieved with various methods, like the use of “helping substances”. The aim of this thesis is to study the effects of specific biomolecules on the post-harvest characteristics and the life expectancy of the Granny Smith cultivar. Specifically, the alteration of the weight was studied, along with the changes color, consistency, acidity and sugar content during the time in preservation. Also there are references on the botanical characteristics of the apple tree (Mallus pumila), crop management and the most important enemies of the plant. Included, are the post harvest diseases that affect the apples during preservation and on the fields. The experimental procedure lasted 7 months, from the December of 2019, until the May of 2020. The apples where split into 5 groups and each group had a different substance applied on it. The biomolecules used where; Aloe vera solution, lavender and helichrysum essential oils, salicylic acid and calcium chloride. The final group was left untouched as a control group. The aloe solution gave the best results, with the fruits maintaining their mass and color in an adequate degree and allowing them to mature normally. Their consistency was also preserved. The lavender and helichrysum essential oils, which were used in combination, had a mostly negative effect. The fruits started showing black spots indicative of deterioration, from the early stages, which grew deeper into the tissues, rendering the fruits non-marketable. Salicylic acid and calcium chloride had, on average, the same results, losing a considerable amount of weight preventing the satisfactory increase of the sugar content and the drop in acidity.