Amelioration of postharvest chilling injury in cowpea (Vigna sinensis) by methyl jasmonate (MeJA) treatments

•It is the first time to figure out postharvest chilling injury in cowpea.•MeJA treating markedly reduced the development of CI symptoms of cowpea at 4 °C.•MeJA at 1 μM maintained the nutrient content and enhanced POD, CAT activities.

The reduction in the quality of harvested cowpeas due to physiological disorders resulting from chilling injury (CI) results in significant economic losses. In the current study, the effect of methyl jasmonate (MeJA, a stress-ameliorating compound) on CI in cowpea was investigated. MeJA at 1 μM significantly reduced CI in cowpea fruit during a ten-day period of storage at 4 °C. Results showed that MeJA with 1 μM significantly maintained the sensory quality of cowpea, and inhibited the increase on CI index, weight loss, relative conductivity, malondialdehyde content and reduced the decrease on the content of TSS, ascorbic acid, chlorophyll. The activity antioxidant enzymes, including CAT and POD were induced, and PPO was inhibited by MeJA treatment. Treatment with 1 μM MeJA exerted the best preservation effect.