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PRE AND POST HARVEST FACTORS

AFFECTING THE QUALITY IN POST HARVESTSHELF LIFE OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

By,

Kavya.M,

M.K.813,

IIIAg.Ma.Co.,

U.A.S(B).

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PRE HARVEST FACTORS AFFECTING THE QUALITY IN

POST HARVEST SHELF LIFE OF FRUITS AND

VEGETABLES ARE:

Water supply (Irrigation):Growing plants need a continuous watersupply for both photosynthesis andtranspiration. Bad effects can be caused by:

a) too much rain or irrigation, which can lead tobrittle and easily damaged leafy vegetablesand to increased tendency to decay;

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b) lack of rain or irrigation, which can lead to low

juice content and thick skin in citrus fruit;

c) dry conditions followed by rain or irrigation,which can give rise to growth cracks or

secondary growth in potatoes or to growth

cracks in tomatoes.

lack of rain-

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Soil fertility, use of fertilizers:

Lack of plant foods in the soil can seriouslyaffect the quality of fresh produce at harvest.

On the other hand, too much fertilizer can harm

the development and post-harvest condition of

produce. Some of the effects are:

boron deficiency-

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a) lack of nitrogen can lead to stunted growth or

to yellow-red discoloration of leaves in green

vegetables, e.g. cabbage;

b) lack of potash can bring about poor fruit

development and abnormal ripening;

c) calcium-moisture imbalance can cause

blossom-end rot in tomatoes and bitter pit inapples.

fertilizers enhance growth-

bitter pit of apple-

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Cultivation practices:

a) Weed control -weeds are commonlyalternate or alternative hosts for cropdiseases and pests, and those growing infallow land near crops are as important as

those growing among the crop. Weeds alsocompete with crops for nutrients and soilmoisture;

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b) Crop hygiene - decaying plant residues,

dead wood, and decaying or mummified fruit

are all reservoirs of infection causing post-

harvest decay. Their collection and removal

are crucial factors in the reduction of post-

harvest losses.

browning & decay in

lyche-

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Agricultural chemicals:These are of two types :

a) Pesticides and herbicides:

These are used as sprays or soil applicationsto control weeds, disease and insect pests.They are dangerous because they can damage

produce by producing spray burns if usedincorrectly, and they can leave poisonousresidues on produce after harvest.

discolouration due to

excess pesticides-

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b) Growth-regulating chemicals:

These are used in the field mainly to improve

the marketability of fruit in order to control thetime of fruit set and to promote uniform

ripening. Their effective use requires

specialist knowledge, and they are mainly

applicable to large-scale commercialproduction.

herbicide deficiency-

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c) unsuitable field or marketing containers and

crates, which may have splintered wood, sharp

edges, poor nailing or stapling;

d) careless handling, such as dropping or

throwing or walking on produce and packed

containers during the process of grading,

transport or marketing.

improper handling-

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Injuries from temperature effects.

a) Freezing injury - Frozen produce has a water-

soaked or glassy appearance. Although a few

commodities are tolerant of slight freezing, it

is advisable to avoid such temperatures

because subsequent storage life is short.

b) High temperature injury - if fresh produce isexposed to high temperatures caused by solar

radiation, it will deteriorate rapidly.

frost affected-

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Diseases and pests.a) Diseases caused by fungi and bacteria

commonly result in losses of fresh produce.

Virus diseases, which can cause severe

losses in growing crops, are not a serious

post-harvest problem.

b) Insect pests that are mainly responsible forwastage in cereals and grain legumes are

-Fungus infected-

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rarely a cause of post-harvest loss in fresh

produce. Where they do appear, they are often

locally serious, e.g. the potato tuber moth.

-frost ring disease reducesgrowth.

pear rust mites-

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REFERENCE

Prevention of post-

harvest food

losses: fruits,

vegetables and

root crops- by

John Burden &

R.B.H.Wills.

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THANK YOU.