Effect of sunlight-exposure on antioxidants and antioxidant enzyme activities in ‘d’Anjou’ pear in relation to superficial scald development

•Preharvest sunlight exposure didn’t affect α-farnesene but reduced conjugated trienols.•Preharvest sunlight exposure increased antioxidants and antioxidant enzyme activities.•Conjugated trienols was positively correlated with scald development.•Antioxidant systems may play an important role in α-farnesene oxidation to conjugated trienols and scald development. Influence of preharvest sunlight exposure on superficial scald development in ‘d’Anjou’ pears during cold storage was investigated. The biochemical changes related to scald including α-farnesene, conjugated trienols (CTols), antioxidants, antioxidant enzyme activities were monitored among separated blushed and shaded peels of unbagged fruit as well as the whole peel of bagged fruit. In unbagged fruit, scald symptom was restricted to shaded peel; while there was no difference in α-farnesene between blushed and shaded peels, CTols increased significantly in shaded peel along with scald development after 3months storage. Bagging treatment increased both α-farnesene and CTols significantly and enhanced scald. Preharvest sunlight exposure significantly increased certain antioxidant contents and antioxidant enzyme activities in blushed peel at harvest and during storage. These results reveal a direct role of CTols during development of scald, however, antioxidant systems may play an important role in α-farnesene oxidation to CTols and scald susceptibility in ‘d’Anjou pears.