LIGHT IN POST-HARVEST PHYSIOLOGY OF JUICY FRUITS

Reducing losses and waste of horticultural products is a priority task in the problem of food supply. Modern chains, duration of supply and storage of products make it difficult to preserve the quality of juicy fruits, whose vital activity does not stop during the post-harvest period. The review paper examines modern ideas about the genetic and hormonal regulation of metabolism during fruit maturation and aging, as well as about the participation of antioxidant systems, accumulation of secondary metabolites and their role in increasing shelf life. Special attention is paid to the colouring and mechanical properties of fruits. The influence of light’s intensity and spectral composition on the commercial quality of products is analyzed. The developed technologies for preserving the quality of products using an adjustable light medium are presented. The possibilities of using ultraviolet and pulsed illumination for disinfection, activation of flavonoid biosynthesis and for protection from abiotic stresses, including damage during cold, storage and from vibrations, are shown. The use of narrow-band LED lighting made it possible to regulate a more subtle and directional yield quality formation and juicy fruits’ vital activity in the post-harvest period. The influence of different light spectral composition on the genes’ expression which are involved in the transmission of light signals, as well as hormonal complex, metabolome changes, accumulation of antioxidants and development and preservation of fruit colour are considered. The efficiency of using white LEDs with the addition of blue or red sections of the spectrum, including regulatory high-beam red light, is shown