Agricultural Research Management Information System

Home
Research Summary
Search
About Us
- ARMIS
- Brochure
Contact Us
Report
User Request
Data Input
Help
- Operation Manual
  - PDF
  - Video
- Program Area & Commodity
We have reached 37600 number of research entries at this moment.

- Logout

Research Detail

Home
Research
Detail

Increasing Marketability of Cauliflower by Utilization of Zero Energy Cool Chamber at Farm Level

A Khatun
SSO
Vegetable Technology Section, IFST, BCSIR, Dhaka

MM Molla
SSO
Postharvest Technology Division, BARI, Gazipur-1701

MN Islam
PSO
Postharvest Technology Section, HRC, BARI, Gazipur- 1701

MRA Zihad
MS student
Horticulture Dept., BAU, Mymensingh-2202

AKM Zonayed-Ull-Noor
SSO
OFRD, BARI, Sherpur

MA Ullah
CSO
HRC, BARI, Gazipur- 1701, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the short term storage of cauliflower in zero energy cool chamber before marketing of the produce. The chamber was designed and fabricated based on the principle of evaporative cooling. Temperature and relative humidity were recorded at three times in a day viz. morning (6.30 am), afternoon (1.30 pm) and evening (6.30 pm). The chamber was saturated with water in the morning and evening every day. The cool chamber reduced temperature from 6.0 ^oC to 8.0^oC and increased relative humidity from 30.0% to 33.0% during the study periods. The experiment was laid out in complete randomized designed (CRD) with three factors and three replications namely factor A: Storage condition with two levels (1. ambient condition and 2. zero energy cool chamber), factor B: packaging technique with three levels (1. without package, 2. bamboo basket and 3. plastic crate) and factor C: wrapping with two levels (1. without wrapping and 2. wrapping with newspaper). The loss in weight was more in ambient condition (34.94%) compared to zero energy cool chamber. Cauliflower wrapping with newspaper and packed in plastic crate was minimum physiological loss in weight (10.94%) compared to without wrapping and packing after 10 days of storage. The disease incidence was increased slightly after 10 days storage where it was dramatically changed after 12 days of storage. However, the marketability of cauliflower increased from 3 to 4 days more compared to outside (ambient condition) of zero energy cool chamber.

Keywords: Temperature, Humidity, PLW, Marketability

Location: Hilly Agricultural Research Station, Khagrachari.

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Postharvest and Agro-processing

Commodity: Cauliflower

Objectives:

The researcher has undertaken to short term storage of cauliflower at farm level using zero energy cool chamber as low cost technique.

Methodology:

Fresh cauliflowers were procured from the farmer’s field of Khagrachari in February. After harvest, the cauliflowers were carried out in Hilly Agricultural Research Station, Khagrachari. Then the cauliflowers were kept under the shade of cool chamber house to remove field heat. The cauliflowers were sorted based on pest and disease infected leaves. Then it was ready for treatment. The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design (CRD) with three factors and three replications. Factor A: storage condition with two levels (1.ambient condition and 2. zero energy cool chamber), Factor B: Packaging technique with three levels (1. without packaging, 2. Bamboo made basket and 3. plastic crate) and Factor C: wrapping with two levels (1. without wrapping and 2. wrapping with newspaper). Design and fabrication of zero energy cool chamber- Zero energy cool chamber has been designed and fabricated in Hilly Agricultural Research Station, Khagrachari hilly area. The chamber was designed based on the principle of evaporative cooler. The storage space was made by using cheap quality (third class brick) highly porous brick and river bed sand. The floor was made with a single layer of bricks, the side walls with a double layer of bricks. The space between the walls filled with river bed sand. The thickness between the walls was 7.5cm, the height of the walls was 67.5cm and the length of the walls was 118 cm. The top of the storage space was covered with gunny sacks in bamboo made structure. Two sets of gunny sacks were used to avoid bed smell of cool chamber. Data recorded- Temperature and relative humidity were recorded at three times in a day viz. morning (6.30am), afternoon (1.30pm) and evening (6.30pm). The chamber was saturated with water in the morning and evening every day. Physiological loss in weight (%), disease incidence (%) and marketability were recorded at an interval of 2 days. Physiological loss in weight (PLW, %). It was determined by periodical weighing of cauliflower and expressed as percentage of original weight. Damaged cauliflower was not included with it %PLW = Wo - W/Wo X 100; Where, PLW= Physiological loss in weight Wo= Initial weight of cauliflower W= Final weight of cauliflower; Disease incidence- Disease incidence was calculated as the percentage of diseased cauliflower per total number of cauliflowers. The cauliflowers were observed visually for rotting and microbial infection. Percent disease incidence was calculated using the formula of Mamatha and Rai (2000). %DI = Do/ D X 100; Where, DI= Disease incidence; Do= Number of diseased cauliflower D= Total number of cauliflower. Disease severity was calculated as defined as the percentage of cauliflower area diseased (1/10^th). Estimates of disease severity per cauliflower were expressed as the mean disease severity of per cauliflower. Disease severity was calculated using the following formula of Johnston (2000). %DS = Ao/ A X 100; Where, DS= Percent disease severity Ao= Area of cauliflower infected by disease; A= Total area of cauliflower; Marketability-The marketable life of cauliflower was determined . Data on marketability (%) were recorded at an interval of 2 days. Statistical analysis-The experiment was laid out in CRD (Complete Randomized Design) factorial with three replications. A two-way analysis of variances (ANOVA) was conducted for storage condition and physiological loss in weight (%) by using statistical method (MSTAT-C). The difference was quantified by critical difference (C.D).

Source of Information: Eco-friendly Agril. J. 11 (07): 79-83, 2018 (July)

Article Link (Online Journal): www.efaj-international.com

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

From the results, it can be concluded that the cool chamber reduced temperature from 8.⁰Cto 6ºC and increased relative humidity 30.0 to 33.0%. In case of packaging technique, the lowest PLW (10.94%) was reduced by the cauliflower wrapping with newspaper and packed in plastic crate. The marketable life of cauliflower was increased 4 days more in inside the zero energy cool chamber compared to ambient condition. Therefore, the technology may be useful at farm level at remote areas of Bangladesh for short term storage of commodities.

Knowledge Management: Journal