He thinks it turns on nucleic acid synthesis, which results in producing defense proteins. These proteins, in turn, cause the production of antifungal or antibacterial compounds. And methyl jasmonate elicits the same response in harvested produce, which is still-living tissue, as it does in growing plants. Produced commercially, methyl jasmonate is relatively inexpensive, and only small amounts are needed to be effective. This is enough to treat truckloads of produce.
Application can be either by vapor or use of a wick in a closed container.
HCQL plant pathologist Harold E. Moline exposed strawberries to methyl jasmonate vapor for 24 hours at 68 o F and controlled gray mold, Botrytis cinerea, a major fungal disease of postharvest fruits and vegetables, for up to 14 days in storage. And treatment didn't affect the firmness of the fruit. Refrigeration and modified atmospheres are now used to fight fungal decay of strawberries. But gray mold is still a problem with these methods. Buta and Moline also treated fresh-cut celery and green peppers with methyl jasmonate vapor.