This document discusses strategies to reduce post-harvest losses of vegetables in developing countries. It states that post-harvest losses of vegetables in India are estimated to be 20-30% on average, but can be as high as 80-100% for some crops. Common causes of losses include mechanical damage, disease and decay from microbes like fungi and bacteria, moisture loss, and physiological and biochemical processes during ripening and senescence. Effective post-harvest management techniques include proper harvesting, sorting, packaging, pre-cooling, waxing, chemical treatments, controlled and modified atmosphere storage, and low-temperature storage.

1. Welcome

2. MANAGEMENT OF POST HARVEST LOSSES
IN VEGETABLES
Presented by,
Dr. M.K.Rana

3.  Total losses of vegetables in India due to inadequate post-harvest
handling, transportation and storage have been estimated 20-
30%.
 In some vegetables the post-harvest losses may be as high as 80-
100%.
 In developing countries the losses have been estimated:
 16-35% for onion
 20-50% for tomato
 37% for cabbage
 49% for cauliflower
 62% for lettuce

4. PRIMARY LOSSES SECONDARY LOSSES
NATURE AND CAUSES OF
LOSSES

5. PRIMARY CAUSES OF LOSS
 LOSSES DUE TO MECHANICAL MEANS
 LOSSES DUE TO PHYSICAL MEANS
 LOSSES DUE TO MICROBES ATTACK
 LOSSES DUE TO PSYCHOLOGICAL PHOBIA
MICROIAL ATTACK

6. MAJOR PATHOGENS CAUSING DECAY
FUNGI
Alternaria
Botrytis
 Diplodia
 Fusarium
 Monilinia
 Penicillium
 Phomopsis
 Rhizopus
BACTERIA
Erwinia
Ceratocystis
Pseudomonas

7. LOSSES DUE TO PHYSIOLOGICAL PROCESSES
• ELONGATION OF EXISTING STRUCTURE
• TROPIC RESPONSE
• SEED GERMINATION
• TOUGHENING
• SPROUTING
• ROOTING
• GREENING
• RESPIRATION
• TRANSPIRATION
• RIPENING
• SENESCENCE
SECONDARY CAUSES OF LOSS

8. SOURCES OF MOISTURE LOSS
Stomata in leafy vegetables
Cuticles in fruit vegetables
 Lenticels in potato
Stem scars in tomato
Cracks in tomato

9. FACTORS AFFECTING TRANSPIRATION
 Stage of harvesting
 Time of harvesting
 Method of harvesting
 Mechanical injuries
 Surface to weight ratio
 Precooling
 Washing
 Waxing
1. Carnauba wax (from the carnauba palm tree)
2. Shellac wax (from the lac beetle)
3. Beeswax
 Packaging material
 Storage temperature

10. LOSSES DUE TO BIOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
• Synthesis or destruction of pigments
• Enzymatic changes in amino acids and protein
• Enzymatic changes in organic acids content
• Enzymatic change in pectic substances
• Enzymatic carbohydrate conversion
• Enzymatic change in flavour
• Enzymatic changes in lipids
• Maillard reactions

11.  Fat oxidation
 Synthesis or destruction of pigments
 Enzymatic changes in amino acids and protein
 Enzymatic changes in organic acids content
 Enzymatic change in pectic substances
 Enzymatic carbohydrate conversion
 Enzymatic change in flavour
 Enzymatic changes in lipids
 Maillard reactions
 Fat oxidation

12. CONTROL OF POST HARVEST LOSSES
 CULTURAL OPERATIONS
 HARVESTING TIME & METHOD
 TRANSPORTATION
 ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
 PROPER STORAGE STRUCTURE

13. TYPES OF STORAGE
 CONTROLLED ATMOSPHERE STORAGE
 MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE STORAGE
 LOW TEMPERATURE STORAGE
 COLD CHAIN STORAGE
 IRRADIATION (RADURIZATION)
 DEHYDRATION

14. To improve shelf life of vegetables treatments should be applied
that are,
1.PRE-HARVEST TREATMENTS (MH in potato
and onion and leafy greens)
 PRE-COOLING
 CURING
 TRIMMING
 SORTING
 GRADING
 WASHING
 WAXING
 PACKAGING

15. Storage of potatoGrading and sorting
Packaging and storage
Curing in potato

16. 2. POST-HARVEST TREATMENT WITH CHEMICALS
 Treatment With Fungicides (methyl thimphanate (as topsin
m) or carbendazim or imidazole (p1-ima) or benomyl (0.1%)
fungicide as pre or post harvest treatment)
 Fumigation with sulfur dioxide
 Treatment with streptomycin (1000ppm)
 Reatment with acetic acid (0.2%)
 Treatment with boric acid (0.2%)
 Treatment with lactic acid (0.2%)
 Treatment with common salt (1%)
 Treatment with hot water (50oc)
 Use of antitranspirants (wax emulsions, kaolin and films
packaging)

17.  Use Of Growth Promoters, (CYTOKININ, BA, KINETIN
AND AUXINS LIKE 2,4-D, NAA
 Delay Chlorophyll Degradation And Senescence, Ga3 Delays
Ripening)
 Use Of Growth Retardants, (ALAR, CCC, B9, CULTAR)
 Use Of Growth Inhibitors, (MH, CIPC, IPC, MENA)
 Use Of Ethylene Absorbents,, (Purafillr- Alkaline Kmno4 On
A Silicate Carrier)
 Use Of In-package Moisture Absobents (Calcium oxide or
silica gel)
 Use of metabolic inhibitors, (cyclohexamide, actinomycin-d,
vitamin k5, maleic acid, ethylene oxide, carbon monoxide)

18. 3. CULTURAL OPERATIONS THAT PROVIDE BETTER
SHELF LIFE
 Adopt cultural operations that ensure usual
development of plant parts and avoid infection of
decay causing organisms
 Removal of stones and previous crop residues from
the field and thorough preparation of soil
 Avoid irregular supply of irrigation at late mature
stage in onion, tomato, muskmelon, snapmelon,
watermelon
 Avoid excessive irrigation in potato and carrot

19.  Stop irrigation at maturity in potato, sweet
potato, onion and garlic.
 Avoid excessive use of n fertilizers
 Remove weeds that harbour insect-pest and
diseases, not in muskmelon
 Avoid contact of fruits with moist soil by
providing support to vines
 Blanching in cauliflower offers curds that
have longer shelf life.

20. THANK
YOU