Methane delays the senescence and browning in daylily buds by re-established redox homeostasis

Background: During the postharvest senescence of fruits and vegetables, redox imbalance occurs. Although the release of methane (CH₄ ) has been observed for a long time and its antioxidant properties have recently been demonstrated in animals and plants, the corresponding physiological role of CH₄ in regulating plant senescence has not yet been elucidated.

Results: Our results indicate that the postharvest deterioration of daylily buds during storage is greatly ameliorated by the exogenous application of CH₄ , particularly in the inhibition of tissue browning. The results are supported by a decrease in the degree of browning and by the corresponding phenotype, which are correlated with the suppressed polyphenoloxidase activity. CH₄ also maintains the re-establishment of redox balance, as indicated by the lower relative leakage rate, lipid peroxidation level, and reactive oxygen species accumulation in daylily buds. Furthermore, the decrease of the unsaturated/saturated fatty acid ratio and energy charge during storage was also attenuated.

Conclusion: These results clearly suggest that the postharvest treatment with CH₄ is an effective means of prolonging the storage life of daylily buds. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.