Post-harvest losses of vegetables due to rapid ripening, physiological deterioration, and microbial spoilage remain a major global challenge, contributing significantly to food waste and economic loss. Melatonin, a naturally occurring indoleamine found in plants, has been shown to delay senescence, regulate oxidative stress, and enhance post-harvest quality in veg-etables. However, conventional methods of melatonin application, such as dipping or spraying, suffer from poor pene-tration, uneven distribution, and limited efficacy. This study proposes a novel microneedle-based melatonin delivery system as an innovative approach to reduce vegetable waste and extend shelf life. Microneedles are minimally invasive micro-scale structures capable of delivering bioactive compounds directly into plant tissues without causing significant mechanical damage. By enabling precise, controlled, and localized delivery of melatonin into the epidermal and sub-epidermal layers of vegetables, the microneedle system enhances bioavailability and sustained release of melatonin at the target site. This targeted delivery is expected to improve antioxidant enzyme activity, reduce ethylene production, slow respiration rate, and delay senescence-associated biochemical changes. The proposed system offers several advantages, including reduced chemical usage, improved treatment efficiency, and compatibility with biodegradable microneedle materials suitable for agricultural applications. Additionally, the technology can be adapted for use in high-value vege-tables during post-harvest handling, storage, and transportation. By integrating microneedle-based melatonin delivery into post-harvest management practices, this approach has the potential to significantly minimize vegetable waste, improve food security, and promote sustainable agricultural systems. This concept represents a promising intersection of bio-medical microfabrication technology and post-harvest plant science for waste reduction and quality preservation.

Microneedle Delivery System, Melatonin Application, Post-harvest Preservation, Vegetable Waste Reduction, Shelf-life Extension