Folic Acid Treatment Delays Senescence and Maintains the Postharvest Quality of Baby Mustard (Brassica juncea var. gemmifera)
Xinyao Li1, Dongyang Sun1, Yunong Zhou2, Yong Li3, Jie Ma4, Xuena Yu1, Zhi Huang1, Fen Zhang1,*, Bo Sun1,*
1 College of Horticulture, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
2 Sichuan Yibin Suimiyacai Co., Ltd., Yibin, China
3 Xiangtiantian Co., Ltd., Yibin, China
4 Bijie lnstitute of Agricultural Science, Bijie, China
* Corresponding Author: Fen Zhang. Email: 
; Bo Sun. Email: 
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Advances in Plant Nutrition-Mechanisms, Regulation, and Sustainable Applications)
Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2026.082599
Received 18 March 2026; Accepted 05 June 2026; Published online 17 June 2026
Abstract
Baby mustard is rich in nutrients; however, it is prone to postharvest yellowing and wilting, which leads to the loss of nutritional components. Folic acid, an important water-soluble vitamin, exhibits substantial physiological antioxidant activity. This study explored the impact of folic acid immersion treatments on the visual quality and health-promoting compounds of baby mustard stored at 20°C. The results showed that, compared with other concentrations, 5 mg L
−1 folic acid treatment (F5) was the most effective in improving baby mustard storability. In terms of appearance and sensory acceptability, the F5 treatment was more effective than 0 mg L
−1 folic acid treatment (CK), while the a* value was significantly lower than that of the control. In terms of pigments, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents were higher in the F5-treated samples than in the control, contributing to improved color retention during storage. In addition, the F5 treatment maintained glucosinolate content, especially by preserving aliphatic glucosinolates. This treatment also increased the ascorbic acid content of baby mustard, increased total phenolic content, and improved antioxidant activity. Overall, these findings indicate that the application of 5 mg L
−1 folic acid is a promising strategy for improving the postharvest quality and commercial value of baby mustard, providing a theoretical basis and technical support for its preservation during room-temperature storage.
Keywords
Folic acid; baby mustard; sensory; pigment; glucosinolate
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