Preharvest Ferulic Acid Spray Is Associated with Lignin-Related Outer Tissue Changes and Improved Fresh Weight Retention in Strawberry Fruit

Strawberry fruit deteriorates rapidly after harvest due to its fragile surface tissues, and cultivation-based strategies that modulate phenolic-related responses may help improve selected postharvest-related traits. This study evaluated whether preharvest ferulic acid (FA) spray is associated with fruit surface penetration resistance (FSPR), lignin-related absorbance (LA) in the outer fruit tissue, outer tissue organization, and fresh weight retention in two strawberry cultivars, ‘Sulhyang’ and ‘Kuemsil’. Plants were sprayed with 0, 0.05, 0.2, and 0.4 g L−1 FA during fruit development, and fruit quality, surface-related traits, LA, light microscopic features, external appearance, and relative fresh weight during storage were assessed. FA treatment increased FSPR in both cultivars, with a significant cultivar × FA concentration interaction. LA decreased during ripening but was higher in mature red fruit treated with 0.2 and 0.4 g L−1 FA than in untreated fruit. The 0.4 g L−1 FA treatment showed better qualitative maintenance of outer tissue organization, improved external appearance, and higher fresh weight retention during short-term storage, without a consistent decrease in SSC and TA. These results indicate that preharvest FA spray is a practical cultivation-stage approach associated with improved surface-related postharvest responses in strawberry fruit and provides a basis for future metabolite-informed studies.