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Design, Fabrication and Utilization of Zero Energy Cool Chamber for Farm Storage of Cauliflower in Hilly Areas of Bangladesh

M. M . Molla
SSO
Senior Scientific Officer, Horticulture Research Centre, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur-1701.

M. N. Islam
PSO
Principal Scientific Officer, Horticulture Research Centre, BARI, Joydebpur, Gazipur-1701

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The experiment was conducted at Hilly Agricultural Research Station, BARI, Khagrachari Bangladesh during February 2011 to store the cauliflower in zero energy cool chamber before marketing. The chamber was designed and fabricated based on the principle of evaporative cooling. The cool chamber reduced temperature about 5.4 ^oC, 3.2 ^oC and 6.2 ^oC at morning, evening and afternoon, respectively. In the same time the chamber increased relative humidity 38%, 40% and 20% in morning, afternoon and evening respectively during the study periods. The experiment was laid out in CRD with three factors viz. two levels storage condition, three levels of packaging technique and two levels wrapping. In case of packaging and wrapping, physiological loss in weight was found significant on and after 8 days of storage. After 8 days of storage, cauliflower wrapped with news paper and packed in plastic crate showed minimum weight loss of 10.9% compared to cauliflower without wrapping and packaging. The disease incidence was increased slightly after 10 days storage, whereas, it was dramatically changed after 12 days of storage. Marketability of cauliflower increased from 3 to 4 days compared to outside (ambient condition) of zero energy cool chamber.

Keywords: Zero energy cool chamber, Temperature, Relative humidity, Physiological weight loss, Marketability, Disease incidence.

Location: Khagrachari, Bangladesh

Start Date: 00-02-2011

End Date:

Program Area: Postharvest and Agro-processing

Commodity: Cauliflower

Objectives:

To design, fabricate and utilization of zero energy cool chamber for short term storage of cauliflower at farm level.

Methodology:

Zero energy cool chamber was made by using poor quality 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 chamber was saturated with water in the morning and evening every day. Fresh cauliflowers were procured from the farmer’s field. After harvest, the cauliflowers were carried out in the laboratory of Hilly Agricultural Research Station. They were sorted based on pest and disease infected leaves. The experiment was laid out in CRD with three factors viz. two levels storage condition (ambient condition and zero energy cool chamber), three levels of packaging techniques (without packaging, bamboo basket and plastic crate), and two levels of wrapping (without wrapping and wrapping with news paper). Data were recorded on physiological loss in weight (%), disease incidence (%) and marketability of the produce at an interval of 2 days.

Source of Information: BARI Annual Report 2011-12

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1.	Budget: 25000/

Total Budget (Tk.) : 25000/

Achievement/Findings:

The cool chamber reduced temperature about 5.4^oC, 3.2^oC and 6.2^oC at morning, evening and afternoon, respectively. In the same time the chamber increased relative humidity 38%, 40% and 20% in morning, afternoon and evening respectively during the study periods. The packaging technique had a great impact on physiological weight loss of cauliflower. The highest weight loss of 35% was recorded in ambient condition. Inside the cool chamber, no disease incidence occurred up to 8 days of storage. Thus, the marketability of cauliflower was extended up to 3-4 days compared to that kept outside the cool chamber.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings