Journal of Horticulture and Postharvest Research
Volume:7 Issue: 1, Mar 2024

In Bangladesh, postharvest damage to various vegetables is common because of a lack of appropriate technologies. Country beans (Phaseolus lunatus L.), one of Bangladesh's main winter vegetables, are cultivated throughout the country, which provides numerous health advantages. A research experiment was performed to measure the impact of chitosan covering on weight loss, shelf-life, and some nutritional characteristics of country beans at postharvest storage.

The experiment was set up in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications and four treatments at room temperature (≈23-25ºC), and the treatments were: T0 (control), T1 (coating with 0.10% solution), T2 (coating with 0.20% solution) and T3 (coating with 0.30% solution).

The use of 0.20% chitosan prevented weight reduction by 1.59% as compared to the control and extended the shelf-life up to 23.3% in country beans at 10 and 12 days after postharvest storage (DAPS), respectively. Chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b and total chlorophyll contents varied from 0.75-1.59, 1.36-2.86 and 2.11-4.45 mg g-1 tissue at 5 DAPS and 0.61-1.26, 1.10-2.27 and 1.70-3.53 mg g-1 tissue at 10 DAPS, respectively. Chitosan treatment T2 significantly enhanced calcium (0.77%) and phosphorus (0.51%) contents in the country beans during postharvest storage at 5 DAPS. Additionally, treatment T3 significantly increased total phenolics (3.06 mg 100g-1 tissue) in the country beans during postharvest storage at the same DAPS.

Research limitations: 

The study could not measure some traits (i.e., anti-radical activity, the activity of antioxidant enzymes, etc.) due to a lack of laboratory facilities.

Originality/Value: 

This experiment revealed that country beans covered with 0.20% chitosan solutions could be utilized to enhance several nutritional properties, check weight loss, and prolong the shelf-life.

Guava is believed to be the most important commercial fruit crop in Bangladesh. Guava fruit exhibit very short storage life mainly due to high respiration rate, susceptibility to various pathogens and mechanical damages which can rapidly reduce the quality. However, the experiment was conducted to study the edible coatings effects on postharvest quality and shelf life of guava. 

Commercially mature guava fruits (Swarupkathi and Thai) were treated with six edible coatings viz., (i) T1 : Control, (ii) T2 : Aloe vera gel (25%), (iii) T3: Carboxy methyl cellulose (CMC) (1%), (iv) T4: Chitosan(1%), (v) T5: Aloe vera gel (25%) + Chitosan (1%) and (vi) T6: Green tea leaf extract. The two-factor experiment was designed with a Completely Randomized Design and three replications.

The results showed that, Thai Piara with Chitosan 1% treatment recorded the minimum weight loss (6.28%), the highest vitamin C content (191.44 mg/100gFW), the lowest pH (5.30), the maximum total soluble solids content (6.77 oBrix) and the highest titratable acidity (2.04%) at 10 days after storage compare to untreated Swarupkathi piara. Thai Piara treated with Aloe vera gel 25 % + Chitosan 1% exhibited the highest shelf life (13.00 days) followed by (12.67) in Chitosan (1%) treatment.

Research Limitations: 

The study did not focus on ethylene and respiration rate determination.

Originality/Value:

 The study demonstrated that Thai Piara, treated with Chitosan 1% solution showed better performance followed by Aloe vera gel 25% + Chitosan 1% solution for maintaining postharvest quality and shelf life of guava.

The purpose of this research was to evaluate various coatings for preserving the quality attributes of “Malas-e Saveh” pomegranate arils during storage.

A bi-factorial experiment in frame of completely randomized design was conducted to compare eight coating treatments at two storage times (two and four weeks) with three replications.

The highest pH and acidity was observed in the ascorbic acid treatment after four and two weeks of storage, respectively. The control after two weeks had the highest TSS and the nanosilicate container after four weeks had the highest taste index. The zero-day control had the highest vitamin C, while Aloe vera gel + chitosan and nanosilicate container after four weeks had the lowest. The zero-day control had the lowest total phenols but the highest total flavonoids and anthocyanins. Aloe vera gel, ascorbic acid and nanosilicate container after two weeks had the highest antioxidant activity, which first increased and then decreased with storage. The coatings did not significantly affect maintaining the L index or brightness of pomegranate arils. However, Aloe vera gel better maintained the (redness) and b (yellowness) indices. Aloe vera gel + ascorbic acid best preserved the sensory values closest to the zero-day control.

Research limitations: 

None were found to report.

Originality/Value: 

After comparing conventional coating materials with emerging options, this study revealed that Aloe vera gel alone or in combination with other coating materials was effective in preserving the quality of pomegranate arils during storage.

Berberis integerrima Bunge and Berberis vulgaris L. are traditional plants known for their many health benefits. The aim of this study was to investigate the antifungal potential of B. vulgaris and B. integerrima fruit extracts against Fusarium spp. pathogens as an environmentally compatible natural antifungal compound.

The antifungal activity of methanolic fruit extracts of B. vulgaris and B. integerrima against Fusarium solani, and Fusarium graminearum was investigated using the microdilution method, growth area measurement, and morphological Changes were studied using scanning electron microscopy analysis.

The methanolic fruit extracts of B. vulgaris and B. integerrima had significant antifungal activity against the studied plant pathogens, with B. integerrima exhibiting a stronger effect. The MIC values of B. vulgaris fruit extract against F. graminearum and F. solani were 150 and 75 mg mL-1, and B. integerrima fruit extract had 100 and 75mg mL-1, respectively. F. graminearum was the most resistant fungal species. Scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that the extracts of both medicinal plants changed the structure and morphology of mycelia and, dose-dependently, inhibited conidia formation.

Research limitations:

 There were no limitations.

Originality/Value:

 The study showed that fruit extracts of B. vulgaris and B. integerrima have the potential to be used as natural and environmentally friendly agents against Fusarium species.

Despite the worldwide rise in annual tomato production, approximately 15-50% of harvested tomatoes are lost each year, posing a significant challenge to global food security. This review seeks to assess the efficacy of biochemical treatments in preserving tomatoes to mitigate post-harvest losses. A machine-based search mapped articles on "Chitosan coating and tomato preservation," "Calcium chloride and tomato preservation," and "Potassium permanganate and tomato preservation" using Google Scholar. Seventy relevant articles published between 1995 and 2024 were included in the systematic literature review.

Calcium chloride, Chitosan coating, and Potassium permanganate exhibit promise in enhancing tomato shelf life, yet their efficacy is contingent upon variables like tomato variety and storage conditions. Achieving a universally effective treatment proves challenging due to variations in study outcomes, highlighting the complexity of preserving tomatoes optimally.

Limitations: 

The variability observed in reported outcomes poses significant challenges when it comes to discerning the most effective and optimal treatment. This inherent inconsistency in results not only complicates the identification of a universally applicable solution but also underscores the intricate nature of the factors influencing treatment effectiveness.

Directions for Future Research: 

Future research should examine treatment combinations, consider responses to tomato cultivars, assess ecological impacts, implement safety protocols, and utilize advanced analytical techniques to refine tomato preservation methods.

This research has investigated the effect of different levels of nitrogen and selenium on some growth and physiological characteristics of garlic leaves.

This research was done as a factorial in the form of randomized complete blocks in 3 replications. The first factor included four levels of nitrogen (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg ha-1) and the second factor included three levels of selenium (0, 5, and 10 mgL-1).

In all four nitrogen levels, with increasing selenium concentration, plant height (69.66 cm), fresh weight (10.66 g m2), and dry weight (51.33 g m2) of leaf increased. The highest amount of photosynthetic pigments was observed in the treatment of 150 kg ha-1 of nitrogen along with 10 mg L-1 of sodium selenate. Nitrogen and selenium increased antioxidant capacity (45.69 μmol g-1FW), total phenol (295.60 mg 100 g-1FW) and ascorbic acid (18.30 mg 100 g-1FW). Contrary to selenium, nitrogen increased the amount of allicin in garlic leaf, and the highest amount of allicin (0.33 mgmL-1) was in the treatment of 150 kg ha-1 of nitrogen along with 0 mgL-1 of sodium selenate. The maximum plant height and wet and dry weight of the leaf were observed in the treatments of selenium and nitrogen, which shows the positive effect of both elements on increasing the amount of chlorophyll synthesis and, as a result increasing the amount of photosynthesis and carbon fixation, which ultimately will have, increasing the growth rate of garlic plant.

Research limitations: 

None were found to report.

Originality/Value: 

As a result, the treatment of 150 kg ha-1 of nitrogen along with 10 mgL-1 of sodium selenate is recommended to increase the antioxidant compounds of garlic leaf, which is a good source of these compounds and selenium in early spring, which also plays an essential role in human health.