Abstract: 【Objective】The effects of benzothiadiazole (BTH) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on induction of disease resistance in harvested bananas in relation to activities of several defense-related enzymes were investigated. 【Method】Harvested banana fruits were sprayed with BTH or MeJA solution before being stored at 22℃. The disease incidence and 6 defense-related enzymes were monitored during the storage. 【Result】Compared with the non-treated fruits, BTH and MeJA treatments significantly reduced the disease indices of non-inoculated bananas and the lesion diameter and disease incidence of bananas inoculated with Colletotrichum musae. The determinations of activities of the defense-related enzymes peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), β-1,3-glucanase and chitinase showed that BTH and MeJA treatments enhanced the activities of these six enzymes in both un-inoculated and inoculated banana fruits. 【Conclusion】The results suggested that the control of decay of postharvest bananas by BTH and MeJA may involve the activation of the disease-related defense system and that the defense response induced by BTH in postharvest banana fruits appeared to be different from and also related to that by MeJA.

Key words: Bananas (Musa spp.), Benzothiadiazole, Methyl jasmonate, Defense enzymes, Disease resistance