Pre And Post-Harvest Calcium And Ethephon Treatment On The Physiology, Quality And Shelf-Life Of Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotato
Date
2021-12
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
University Of Ghana
Abstract
The storage stability and shelf-life of agricultural produce is of great concern to both producers and consumers. Due to the harsh climatic conditions of the tropics, sweetpotato roots deteriorate at an increasing rate posing a challenge to its post-harvest storage life. The pre-harvest and post-harvest application of calcium salts has been successful in slowing down the ripening process of agricultural produce and reducing produce loss of firmness. The firmness of crops can be maintained through the application of calcium salts (calcium chloride) by stabilizing cell membranes and enhancing cell turgor. Ethylene, a naturally occurring plant growth hormone is also used in improving the growth of plants and has diverse effects on the development, growth and storage life of agricultural produce. In this research, calcium chloride was applied at two different concentrations at the sixth and twelfth week after Orange-Fleshed Sweetpotato cultivation and ethephon, seven days before harvest as foliar spray. Untreated roots were also dipped in the same calcium chloride and ethephon treatment concentrations a day after harvest. The changes in the physiological, biochemical and overall quality and shelf-life (weight loss, sprouting, decay, shrinkage) was studied. The efficacy of calcium chloride in inhibiting the growth of certain pathogens was also assessed and the anti-fungal activity of the calcium chloride was determined by measuring the mycelia growth of the pathogens. The pathogens isolated from the orange-fleshed sweetpotato included Botryodiplodia theobromae and Colletotricum spp. The results showed that calcium chloride at 2% and 4% concentration was not able to inhibit the growth of the pathogens. Both pre- and post-harvest treatment applications inhibited sprouting of the sweetpotato roots. However, the pre- and post-harvest calcium and ethephon treatments were not able to reduce the physiological weight loss, shrinkage and decay of the orange-fleshed sweetpotato roots. The pre- and post-harvest calcium chloride and ethephon treatments had no significant effect on the biochemical properties of the roots as compared to the control.
Description
MPhil. Crop Science (Post-Harvest Technology)
Keywords
Pre And Post-Harvest Calcium, Ethephon, Physiology, Sweet potato, Orange-Fleshed