Preharvest Factors Influencing Postharvest Quality of Tropical and Subtropical Fruit
Climate/environment Rootstock/scion Planting design Pruning practices Pest management Irrigation Plant growth regulators Plant nutrition The goal for postharvest physiologists, whether they are work in basic or applied research, is to maximize the postharvest quali horticultural commodities. Quality relates to several factors that ca commodity specific and mean different things to different people. T consumer may perceive quality as it relates to appearance, flavor dollar value. The packinghouse handler, wholesale distributor, retailer, in contrast, may perceive quality as ease of handling, un mity of packaging, and freedom from physical and physiologi defects as well as pathological breakdown. Although there is muc learn about the mechanisms of a given tropical or subtropical fru response to the postharvest environment, past research has pro handlers with the general principles of sound commodity mana ment. These principles include temperature, relative humidity, at sphere modification, cooling, and judicious use of fungicides a waxes following harvest. These management strategies are of cr importance for tropical products given their long transit conditions a the potential need for postharvest insect disinfestation quaran treatments. This paper will examine the role of the preharvest environment how it may affect the postharvest life of tropical and subtropical fr Essentially, preharvest factors can influence both the rate of development and maturation. The preharvest environment can have a physical impact on fruit quality: for example, wind or ins scarring may reduce the packout percentage. Finally and most im tant, but much more difficult to quantify, are those effects t influence susceptibility to physiological and pathological breakdow This review will not dwell on the latter, but recognizes that t influence of preharvest factors on postharvest decay incidence severity has been well documented. One must remember that the plant exists in a dynamic environm and therefore can respond to changes to that environment i interactive fashion. The factors listed in Table 1 are neither inclusive nor mutually exclusive. Several examples will illustrate interaction between one or more preharvest factors on postharves quality.
A comparative Evaluation of Postharvest Quality Attributes of Two Banana (Musa spp) Varieties as Affected by Preharvest Production Conditions
Preharvest factors including agro-ecological conditions, cultural practices and crop variety selection greatly impact fruit quality potential at harvest and postharvest longevity. In this study, quality attributes of banana fruits (Musa spp), cultivars ‘Williams’ and ‘Grande naine’ produced under low chemical production system (LCPS) and conventional production systems (CPS) in Ecuador were investigated. The fruits produced under the two production systems were evaluated for various physicochemical attributes including peel hue angle, firmness, moisture content, starch, soluble sugars and titratable acidity (TTA). Sensory evaluation by untrained panelists was done to compare the organoleptic attributes of the banana fruits. The results showed that ‘Williams’ bananas from the LCPS had better eating quality as evidenced by higher soluble sugars, less starch and lower firmness and higher moisture content of ripened fruits’ flesh. ‘Grande naine’ bananas generally had higher levels of TTA compared to ‘Williams’ and in both cultivars LCPS bananas had higher TTA levels compared to CPS bananas. These quality attributes were affected by variability in climatic conditions during the year-long period of evaluation. Sensory panelists did not clearly discriminate between LCPS and CPS bananas but showed preference for ‘Williams’ bananas over ‘Grande naine’ bananas. These results show that banana variety, cultural practices and harvest season affect the banana quality attributes at harvest and affect the eating quality of the fruits.
Complex thoracic vascular injury repair using deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest.
A 61-year-old man with a penetrating injury to the innominate artery, left common carotid artery, and left subclavian artery at their origins from the aortic arch with associated injuries to both innominate veins and an innominate artery to vein fistula after a single stab wound is described. The patient was managed successfully using cardiopulmonary bypass together with deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest. Presentation and management are discussed.