# Effect of Postharvest UVB Irradiation on the Fruit of cv. Dottato (_Ficus carica_ L.)
## 3 Results and Discussion
### Morpho-Anatomy and Fruit Quality Parameters
Decay (%); Weight loss (%); Firmness (kgf). L\({}^{\star}\), C\({}^{\star}\), and H\({}^{\circ}\) represent color parameters: L\({}^{\star}\) is lightness, C\({}^{\star}\) is chroma, and H\({}^{\circ}\) is the hue angle; Chl a+b total chlorophyll (mg/g). Photomicrography of fig cuticular surface. Photos of the development of 5 figs during storage. Data are means (n = 5) \(\pm\) SD. Different letters indicate significant differences (\(p<0.05\)) using Tukey’s test, ns = not significant. SEM image of the epidermis of the figs revealed that at T0 there were no changes in cuticle morphology between the controls and UVB treated samples, but during the storage periods, the figs developed several changes in the fruit surface layer. After 7 days (T1), the control (\(-\)UVB10 and \(-\)UVB60) and \(+\)UVB10 fruits showed a skin with an irregular surface, sometimes with cracks and wax platelets with irregular-wavy edges, while \(+\)UVB60 showed a surface sprinkled with more or less extensive, flat or granular wax plates, and some areas were covered with wax crystals (Figure 2). At time T2, on the surface of the control fruits, the presence of microorganisms, such as bacteria, yeasts, spores, and fungal hyphae, was also observed. In UVB treated fruits, fungal hyphae are also evident, although in smaller amounts than in the controls, and cracks and wax plaques are intensified. Crystals waves are still present in \(+\)UVB60. _Ficus carica_ fruits are characterized by a short post-harvest period and marketing window. It is known that during the ripening and storage period, fruit quality parameters can decline rapidly; fig fruits are particularly susceptible to weight loss, softening, skin cracking and color change [42]. Green-skinned figs change color from green to yellow to brown; these changes are determined by the degradation of pigments, particularly chlorophylls a and b [43; 44]. An interesting result of this work is that the UV treatment effectively preserved the quality of the fruit by decreasing weight and texture loss. UV treatments act as natural inhibitors of water loss leading to the closure of the stomata in the fruit skin, changes in surface wax deposition, and/or the slowing down of the respiration and transpiration processes [45; 46; 47]. Cuticular wax, a hydrophobic layer that provides a protective barrier to the plant, plays a significant role in maintaining fruit quality. It protects organs from non-s stomatal water loss, maintains tissue turigidity, regulates temperature fluctuations, and prevents the invasion of pathogenic microorganisms [42; 43]. Our results showed the presence of wax crystals and extensive plaques in UVB treated fruits. It has already been reported that epicuticular waxes change structure in response to stress or UVB. The reorganization of the waxes into horizontal plaques allows the surface to acquire greater reflectance than smooth surfaces [44]. The reorganization of waxes into crystals has been observed in papayas and apples [45; 46] in response to thermal stress to fill the cracks in the cuticle and prevent water loss and pathogen entry. Weight loss and changes in the cuticular layer are related to changes in firmness; the loss of firmness in a fruit is the result of changes in membranes, cell walls, subcellular organelles, and the degradation of various metabolites [47]. It has been suggested that the maintaining of firmness by fruits treated with ultraviolet light could be associated with the activation of the activity of certain enzymes involved in fruit softening and the reduction of the activity of enzymes that degrade the cell wall. Our results agree with those of previous authors who have observed positive effects of UVB treatment at different doses and times, in different species, such as lime [48; 49], broccoli [29], peach [50], apple [20], cherry [51], and strawberry [52]. Soluble solid content (SSC) and pH, determined on both skin and flesh, are shown in Figure 3A,B. The skin of all samples registered an increase of SSC during the storage period (T1, T2).