Volume 15, Issue 59, 2026
Review Article
Postharvest Elicitation Strategies for Enhancing Phytochemicals and Nutraceutical Quality in Horticultural Crops: A Review
Arushi Sharma, Neeraj Gupta, Julie Dogra Bandral, Monica Reshi, Monika Sood, Jesreen Chauhan, Abhay Bhagat, Gyan Singh Jankawat
Keywords: Postharvest elicitation; Horticultural crops; Phytochemicals; High hydrostatic pressure; Ultrasound
DOI:10.37273/chesci.cs292057051
Abstract
Postharvest elicitation has emerged as an innovative and sustainable approach to enhance the phytochemical composition and nutraceutical quality of horticultural crops. This strategy involves the application of physical, chemical, and volatile elicitors to harvested fruits and vegetables, triggering defense-related metabolic pathways that lead to increased accumulation of bioactive compounds such as phenolics, flavonoids, carotenoids, and glucosinolates. Among physical elicitors, technologies such as high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and ultrasound (US) are widely studied due to their ability to induce mild abiotic stress and stimulate secondary metabolism while maintaining postharvest quality. Chemical elicitors including salicylic acid, methyl jasmonate, and chitosan, as well as volatile compounds such as hexanal and ethylene derivatives, further regulate signalling pathways associated with antioxidant and defense responses. The activation of key biochemical mechanisms, including phenylpropanoid metabolism, reactive oxygen species (ROS) signalling, and enzyme induction (e.g., phenylalanine ammonia-lyase), plays a central role in enhancing nutraceutical attributes of horticultural produce. However, the effectiveness of elicitation depends on crop type, developmental stage, treatment intensity, and storage conditions. Despite promising results, challenges such as standardization, scalability, and variability in response remain. Overall, postharvest elicitation represents a promising approach for developing value-added functional foods with improved health-promoting properties and extended postharvest life.
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