Pre-harvest gibberellic acid (GA3) treatments play an important role on bioactive compounds and fruit quality of sweet cherry cultivars

- GA3 treatments significantly retarded color development of sweet cherry fruits.
- FRF was higher in 60 mg L−1 GA3-treated fruits than in control fruits.
- The loss in flesh firmness was delayed with GA3 treatments.
- Soluble solids content significantly decreased with GA3 treatments.
- Bioactive compounds of GA3-treated fruits were lower.

The effects of pre-harvest GA3 treatments at different concentrations (0, 30 and 60 mg L−1) on fruit quality attributes [geometric mean diameter, flesh firmness, hue angle, fruit removal force (FRF), soluble solids content (SSC) and titratable acidity] and bioactive compounds (total phenolics, total anthocyanin and total antioxidant capacity) of 0900 Ziraat, Regina and Sweetheart sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivars were investigated in 3 different harvest periods. GA3-treated Sweetheart fruits were significantly larger than the control fruits. Considering the hue angle values, it was observed that GA3 treatments retarded red color development in all three cultivars. The loss in flesh firmness throughout the ripening period was significantly retarded with GA3 treatments in all three cultivars. Fruit removal force was significantly higher in GA3-treated Regina and Sweetheart sweet cherries than in control fruits. The SSC values of GA3-treated fruits were generally lower than the control fruits. Total phenolics, total anthocyanin and total antioxidant capacity of GA3-treated fruits were also significantly lower than the control fruits. As compared to control treatment, total phenol content of Regina fruits with a week retarded harvest was 22 and 25% lower respectively in 30 and 60 mg L−1 GA3 treatments. Similar results were observed.