Methyl salicylate affects the lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities of apricot by regulating carotenoid biosynthesis and phenolic metabolism

[Display omitted] •Preharvest MeSA treatment could improve HAC and decrease LAC of apricot.•Total phenolics, especially (+)-catechin, was positively related to HAC in apricot.•MeSA enhanced the activities of phenolic synthesis enzymes and decreased PPO.•LAC was related to carotenoids which was regulated by carotenogenic genes. The carotenoid biosynthesis and phenolic metabolism were studied to explain the effect of methyl salicylate (MeSA) on the lipophilic antioxidant capacity (LAC) and hydrophilic antioxidant capacity (HAC) in apricot during postharvest storage. Our results indicated that the HAC of apricot was higher than LAC and mainly responsible for total antioxidant capacity of apricot. Preharvest spraying of MeSA (0.2 mmol L−1) could improve the value of HAC but declined LAC of apricot. The enhanced HAC in MeSA treated apricot was positively related to the increased content of phenolics, especially to (+)-catechin, which was catalyzed by the enzymes related to phenolic metabolism. While, the decline of LAC in apricot treated by MeSA could be attributed to the inhibition of carotenoids accumulation, which was regulated by carotenogenic genes. We concluded that MeSA could affect the lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacity of apricot by regulating carotenoid biosynthesis and phenolic metabolism.