# Hydrogen-rich water treatment increased several phytohormones and prolonged the shelf life in postharvest okras.
> 水素水処理によるオクラの収穫後における植物ホルモン代謝の変動と貯蔵寿命の延長


## Abstract

This study examined how hydrogen-rich water (HRW) exposure influences phytohormone metabolism in okra fruit after harvest. HRW application upregulated multiple melatonin biosynthetic genes, resulting in elevated melatonin accumulation. Concurrently, genes involved in indoleacetic acid (IAA) and gibberellin (GA) anabolism were induced while catabolic gene expression declined, leading to higher IAA and GA levels. In contrast, abscisic acid (ABA) content decreased due to suppression of its biosynthetic genes alongside activation of a degradative gene. No significant change in γ-aminobutyric acid was detected between treated and untreated fruit. Overall, HRW-driven increases in melatonin, GA, and IAA combined with reduced ABA were associated with delayed senescence and prolonged postharvest shelf life in okra, providing mechanistic insight into how HRW maintains fruit quality during storage.

### Mechanism

HRW upregulates biosynthetic genes for melatonin, IAA, and GA while suppressing ABA biosynthetic genes and inducing an ABA-degrading gene, collectively shifting the hormonal balance toward reduced senescence in postharvest okra.

## Bibliographic

- **Authors**: Dong W, Cao S, Zhou Q, Jin S, Zhou C, Liu Q, et al.
- **Journal**: Front Plant Sci
- **Year**: 2023
- **PMID**: [36866361](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36866361/)
- **DOI**: [10.3389/fpls.2023.1108515](https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2023.1108515)
- **PMC**: [PMC9971804](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9971804/)
- **Study type**: other
- **Delivery route**: hydrogen-rich water
- **Effect reported**: positive

## Delivery context

Hydrogen-rich water is a low-risk delivery route, but the achievable systemic hydrogen dose is bounded. For clinical applications, inhalation is the most efficient route; inhalation, however, carries explosion risk, and concentration matters (empirical LFL of 10% applies to inhalation environments; high-concentration devices are documented in the Consumer Affairs Agency accident database and are not recommended).

## Safety notes

Hydrogen-rich water is a low-risk delivery route, but the achievable systemic hydrogen dose is bounded. For clinical applications, inhalation is the most efficient route; inhalation, however, carries explosion risk, and concentration matters (empirical LFL of 10% applies to inhalation environments; high-concentration devices are documented in the Consumer Affairs Agency accident database and are not recommended).

See also:
- [Inhalation concentration and LFL / UFL](https://h2-papers.org/en/safety-notes/inhalation-concentration)
- [Consumer Affairs Agency accident cases](https://h2-papers.org/en/safety-notes/accident-cases)
- [Inhalation safety threshold lineage](https://h2-papers.org/en/safety-notes/lineage)

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> **Cite as**: H2 Papers — PMID 36866361. https://h2-papers.org/en/papers/36866361
> **Source**: PubMed PMID [36866361](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36866361/)