Effect of Abiotic Parameters on Vegetable Storability

Abstract

India is the second-largest producer of vegetables. However, vegetables are critical for storage, due to their highly perishable nature, lack of cold storage and transportation facilities. Vegetables get shrivel, whither rapidly, especially under hot conditions, if not preserved just after harvest. The study was conducted at ICAR-IARI to access the effect of abiotic parameters on vegetable quality with time. Effect of abiotic parameters on vegetable storability was studied and statistical analysed results revealed that there was a significant difference (P=0.05) in storage parameters occur when vegetables stored at different temperature and relative humidity. Storability parameters physiological loss in weight (PLW), firmness, colour values and total soluble solids (TSS) of vegetables tomato, spinach, and radish with different temperature and relative humidity were determined. The effect of abiotic parameter i.e. temperature and relative humidity on PLW physiological loss in weight was found significantly different at 5% level of significance. Temperature reduction of  5 – 10°C  and RH increment of 10% have a significant effect on quality parameters i.e. PLW, TSS, colour values of vegetables PLW of vegetables and TSS showed an increasing trend with an increase in temperature and decrease in relative humidity. The firmness of tomato and radish showed a decreasing trend with the increase in temperature and decrease in relative humidity but spinach firmness trend was found the opposite. Thus control over these abiotic parameters is essential to retain the quality of the vegetables and prevent their spoilage.