Pre-storage Exogenous Application of Hydrogen Sulphide Reduces Sugar spot, Decay loss and Preserves Quality of Banana Fruit

This research focuses on effect of hydrogen sulphide treatment (control, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 mM) during ambient storage on sugar spot, decay loss and postharvest quality of banana fruit. Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) treated fruit were stored at ambient conditions (25±2ºC and 60–65% of relative humidity) up to 9 days. In general, H2S treatment maintained higher values of lightness, peel firmness, reduce the respiration rate and ethylene evolution rate and extended shelf life of stored fruit by delaying progression of ripening. Moreover, H2S (1.0 mM) was found significantly better over other treatments in reducing sugar spot or peel browning spot and maintaining the desirable overall postharvest traits of the fruit. The findings indicated that H2S has a great potential for pre-storage application to preserve quality, reduce sugar spot and postharvest decay loss, possibly through the delayed onset of senescence, without any adverse effects on fruit quality

Pre-storage Exogenous Application of Hydrogen Sulphide Reduces Sugar spot, Decay loss and Preserves Quality of Banana Fruit

651-657This research focuses on effect of hydrogen sulphide treatment (control, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 mM) during ambient storage on sugar spot, decay loss and postharvest quality of banana fruit. Hydrogen sulphide (H2S) treated fruit were stored at ambient conditions (25±2ºC and 60–65% of relative humidity) up to 9 days. In general, H2S treatment maintained higher values of lightness, peel firmness, reduce the respiration rate and ethylene evolution rate and extended shelf life of stored fruit by delaying progression of ripening. Moreover, H2S (1.0 mM) was found significantly better over other treatments in reducing sugar spot or peel browning spot and maintaining the desirable overall postharvest traits of the fruit. The findings indicated that H2S has a great potential for pre-storage application to preserve quality, reduce sugar spot and postharvest decay loss, possibly through the delayed onset of senescence, without any adverse effects on fruit quality

Influence of hot water treatment on nutritional quality attributes of cold stored apple (Malus × domestica)

The present study was carried out at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi during 2021–2023 to study the effect of postharvest hot water treatment (HWT) on the nutritional quality attributes of apple [Malus × domestica Borkh.] cv. Royal Delicious. Apple fruits were exposed to hot water at 48, 50, 52 and 54°C for 2, 3, 4 and 5 min. Following the treatment, the fruits were cold stored (2±1°C, 90–95% relative humidity) for 90 days and evaluated for quality changes at every 15 days interval. Our results revealed that HWT of apple fruits at 48°C and 50°C were best for optimum retention of nutritional quality of apple fruits. Exposure of fruits to HWT at 48°C/5 min and 50°C/2 min resulted in least (0.73%, 0.75%) loss of ascorbic acid and anthocyanin content (0.10%, 0.21%), respectively as compared to other temperature-time combinations. At the end of a three month storage period, under control treatment, fruits exhibited 9.56% reduction of antioxidant (AOX) activity in comparison to 0.17–2.21% reduction in HWT apples. The maximum loss in quality attributes was noticed at highest temperature-time exposure (54°C/5 min). Thus, it was observed that the right combination of temperature and time for HWT is crucial to maintain fruit quality attributes without compromising nutritional value

Harnessing nitrous oxide in post-harvest management of fresh horticultural produce

High post-harvest losses in fresh horticultural produce and the increasing apprehensions among the consumers for harmful chemical residues have made it imperative for researchers to find safe, novel and natural techniques to achieve augmentation in shelf-life without having any detrimental influence on human health. Nitrous oxide, commonly known as “Laughing gas” is a naturally occurring colourless and non-flammable atmospheric gas. In the recent past, several researchers have documented that nitrous oxide gas inhibits ethylene production as well as action in freshly harvested fruits and vegetables. It also exhibits high potential in inhibiting fungal growth and decay, consequently reducing post-harvest losses due to diseases. Owing to its non-toxic nature, nitrous oxide can be potentially used to delay ripening and senescence of fresh horticultural produce during post-harvest storage and to assure food safety. In the present review, we have mainly focused on various effects of nitrous oxide on postharvest decay, ethylene biosynthesis and its action, respiration and other physico-chemical attributes of fruits and vegetables. Post-harvest application of nitrous oxide may open up various opportunities for its commercial use to prolong storage and marketability of fresh horticultural produce

EFFECT OF EDIBLE COATINGS ON QUALITY OF SUMMER SQUASH

Not AvailableThe present investigation was carried out with the aim to find out the beneficial effects of edible coating on postharvest quality of summer squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) under cold storage condition. In our experiments, different edible coatings, viz. gum arabic (5, 10 and 15%) and fruwash were used in order to minimize the excessive moisture loss during postharvest handling and storage. Among the treatments, gum arabic (10%) coating showed better colour retention in terms of Lvalue followed by fruwash treatment. Fruits coated with 10% gum arabic found best for minimizing water loss (more than 50%), respiration rate (≈21%) with higher fruit firmness (7.55 N) as compared with other treatments including control. After 12 days of storage, malondialdehyde content in 10% gum arabic treated fruits (0.141 nmol/g) was recorded significantly lower than control (0.183 nmol/g fruit weight). Highest proline content (235.05 μg/g fruit weight) was recorded in 10% gum arabic while, it was lowest (140.06 μg/g fruit weight) in control. Proline content was ≈68% higher in 10% concentration and ≈30% in 15% gum arabic treated fruit as compared with control after 12th days of storage. Overall 10% gum arabic coated summer squash fruits had better postharvest quality retention characteristics.Not Availabl

Influence of ozone treatment on postharvest quality of stored summer squash

Not AvailableThis study was carried out to ascertain the effect of different concentrations of ozone (0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 ppm ozonated water) on postharvest quality of summer squash fruit during cold storage at 8 ± 2ºC temperature and 85-90% relative humidity. Various physico-chemical quality traits were recorded at a regular interval of 3 days upto 12 days of fruit storage. Among the applied doses of ozone, 0.4 ppm ozone concentration was found better in retaining higher fruit firmness (5.84 N) and maintaining lower weight loss (15.06%) over control fruits during storage of 12 days. However, total bacterial count (3.92 log cfu/g); yeast & mould count (3.65 log cfu/g) and decay incidence (%) were effectively controlled by 0.6 ppm ozone concentration. Contrast to these gainful impact of ozone application on firmness, physiology and microbial load; the colour of the stored fruit was masked even by 0.2 ppm ozone.Not Availabl

Eco-regulations with respective Indian scene

22-32As any other industrial activity, the textile industry is also responsible for environmental pollution during the manufacturing of textiles from fibres to finished products. It may not be possible to totally prevent the environmental pollution during manufacturing, but attempts could be made to minimize it to the possible ex tent. Some of the tools available to control environmental pollution are legislation, waste minimization, adoption of cleaner technologies and appropriate end-of-pipe treatment. In the present paper, the environment-related regulations in the national context are critically reviewed

UPPER BOUNDS FOR THE LARGEST EIGENVALUE OF A BIPARTITE GRAPH ∗

Abstract. Consider a finite, simple, undirected, and bipartite graph G with vertex sets V = {v1,...,vm} and W = {w1,...,wn}, m ≤ n, V ∩ W = ∅. Let the vertices of V have degrees d1 ≥ d2 ≥ ·· · ≥ dm> 0, respectively. Let Ni be the set of neighbors of vi (i = 1,...,m). Define dij = |Ni∩Nj | (i,j = 1,...,m), where |. | stands for the cardinality. Denote e = d1+d2+···+dm, g = ∑ i,j d2 ij, and f = d2 1 +3d2 2 +5d2 3 +···+(2m−1)d2 m. In this paper, it is proven that the largest eigenvalue λ of G satisfies λ ≤ √ e m + m−1 g − m e

Not Available

Not AvailablePotato (Solanurn tuberosurn L.) is a temperate crop that grows and yields well in cool and humid climate or seasons yet it is grown in climatic region from the tropics to subpolar and comprises a major food crop in many countries (Shalhevet el al. 1983). In India its area has increased from 0.6 million ha in 1980 to 1.3 million ha in 2000 and production has increased faom 11.88 to 26.0 million tomes (Kashyap and Panda 2002). The yield in our country is, however, below than average worldproduction. Hence water application is critical to make the most efficient use of drip irrigation system for irrigation water management. The yield, quality and disease resistance is greatly influenced by timing and frequency of irrigation applied (Can: 1989, Murtani and Guz 1989). The farmers on the other hand apply water to the crop without regard to whether the plant actually needs water at that stage. The reasons behind improper use of irrigation is that sufficient information is not available on the scheduling of irrigation in general and using drip irrigation in particular in relation to higher yield with better produce quality. Thus there is a great need of an appropriate irrigation scheduling to get higher production with better post-harvest characteristic. Hence a comprehensive field investigation was undertaken to study the effects of various irrigation regime on the growth, crop yield and post-harvest attributes of potato tuber This study was conducted during the winter seasons of 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 (October-January) at research farm of the Institute, Abohar, Punjab. The soil moisture content at field capacity (- 113 Mpa) and wilting point (-1 5 Mpa) was 11.49 and 3.94% on dry weight basis (wiw) respectively. The plant available water was 117 dm. The depth of water at the time of irrigation was equal, ie the readily available water (RAW). The experiment was laid out in a randomized block esign with 4 replications. Farnlyard manure @ 50 tonnesiha was applied prior to field preparation. Water soluble fertilizers @ 187 kg Nlha, 63 kg P,O,/ha and 125 kg K,O/ha (recommended dose) were applied through fertigation which started two weeks after planting. 'Kufri Chandramukhi' potato crop was planted at 60 cm x 10 cm in plots measuring 6 cm x 6 m. Immediately after planting, irrigation was given through furrow. Four irrigation regimes (0.60,0.80 1.00 and P .20 fraction of open pan evaporation ) were taken for drip irrigation treatment. The depth of water in each irrigation was 10.50 m approximately (equal to RAW). Irrigation for 0.60,0.80 1.00 and 1.20 of Ep was applied when cumulative pan evaporation (CPE) reached to 17.50, 13.10, 10.50 and 8.75 mm respectively after accounting the effective rainfall. Plant height was measured at the tallest point of the shoot. Before vine kill, each vine was taken to determine total above ground biomass. However many of the vines had already senesced. Tubers were classified as A (> 45 mm), B(28-45 m) and C (< 28 m) grade. Specific gravity was determined as ratio of weight of potatoes in air and water. Starch in tuber was estimated using the procedure given in AOAC (2000)Not Availabl

Tree Age Affects Postharvest Attributes and Mineral Content in Amrapali Mango (Mangifera indica) Fruits

The study was carried out to investigate the effect of tree age on postharvest attributes and mineral content of Amrapali mango fruits. Effect of 3 different tree ages (6, 18 and 30 years) on functional components, including the antioxidant activity (AOX), total phenols, total carotenoids, ascorbic acid and minerals like Ca, K, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn and B along with total sugars, total soluble solids (TSS) and titratable acidity (TA), respiration rate, polygalacturonase (PG) and pectin methylesterase (PME) activities in Amrapali cultivar were studied. With tree ageing total phenols, ascorbic acid and antioxidant activity decreased whereas total carotenoids increased. Ca diminished and K elevated with the tree age progression while, B, Fe, Cu, Zn, and Mn showed an indefinite pattern. Total soluble solids and total sugars were recorded higher in 18 year old tree fruits. Fruit respiration rate, polygalacturonase and pectin methylesterase activities showed an upward trend with tree ageing. The study indicates that fruit produced from middle age group mango orchard (18 year old) suits to the requirement of consumers as well as industry. Keywords: mango (Mangifera indica), tree age, functional parameter, minera