This experiment was conducted to assess the effects of packaging materials and storage environments on shelf life of papaya fruit (Carica papaya L.). A factorial combination of five packaging materials and two storage environments using randomized complete block design with three replications were used. The papaya fruits were evaluated for weight loss, percentage marketability, firmness, total soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, ascorbic acid, reducing sugar and total sugar content. The packaged and cooled fruits remained firmer than unpackaged and evaporatively cooled fruits. Higher chemical compositions were recorded in the control fruits stored under ambient conditions during the earlier times of storage. Packaging and cooling maintained the chemical quality of papaya fruits better than the control sample fruits towards the end of storage periods. The evaporatively cooled storage combined with packaging improved the shelf life of papaya fruits by more than two fold. The polyethylene bag packaging combined with evaporatively cooled storage maintained the superior quality of papaya fruit for a period of 21 days. This integrated agro-technology is recommended for postharvest loss reduction biotechnology in hot regions.

This research was conducted to evaluate the effect of CaCl2 dipping and beeswax (BW) coating on the shelf life and quality of nectarine fruits. The experiment was conducted under Holeta condition during the off-season of 2018. Fruits of '89-16N' nectarine variety were harvested from HARC orchard. The treatment consisted of a combination of four levels of CaCl2 (0%, 1.5%, 3.0% and 4.5%) and three levels of BW application (0%, 3% and 6%). The experiment was arranged in completely randomized design with factorial arrangement in three replications. Nectarine fruits were stored at ambient condition after being treated with the different treatment combinations of BW and CaCl2. Various physico-chemical parameters were assessed. The result revealed that the PLW of nectarine fruits was significantly reduced. The TSS and pH values as well as TA and AA contents were better maintained in CaCl2 dipping with BW coatings compared with the control. The highest percentage of marketable fruits with the lowest decay percentage were also retained by CaCl2 dipping and BW coatings. Overall, the best result was consistently obtained at 3.0% BW with 4.5% CaCl2 treated fruits for most of the parameters assessed. Hence, CaCl2 dipping and BW coatings, particularly 3% BW with 4.5% CaCl2 treatment, could be considered for extending the shelf life and better quality of nectarine fruits.

No abstract

Black cumin is a seed spice cultivated in Ethiopia for a long period of time. It is also cultivated in the Toke Kutaye district of West Shewa Zone by small-holder farmers. However, the expected benefit of this crop is not being obtained by farmers since they are using in-appropriate agronomic practices including in-appropriate fertilizer applications. A field experiment was conducted at Gudar campus, Toke Kutaye district to determine the influence of different rates of NPSB fertilizer and cattle manure on growth, yield, and yield components of black cumin. The treatments consisted of factorial combinations of four NPSB blended fertilizer levels (0, 50, 100, and 150 kg ha -1 ) and four CM levels (0, 2.5, 5, and 7.5 t ha -1 ). The experiment was laid out as a Randomized Complete Block Design in a factorial arrangement and replicated three times. The results indicated that interaction of NPSB and CM highly significantly (P<0.01) influenced yield parameters except for growth and phenological parameters such as days to 50% flowering, days to 90% maturity, primary branches, and secondary branches. However, Days to 50% emergence was not affected by the combined application of NPSB blended fertilizer and cattle manure. The tallest plants (49.20 cm), the highest number of capsules per plant (25.00), the highest numbers of seeds per capsule (99.40) and, the highest harvest index (47.42%) was obtained from the treatment that received 100 kg NPSB ha -1 and 7.5 t CM ha -1 . The highest seed yield (1113.33 kg ha -1 ) was also obtained from the application of 100 kg NPSB ha -1 and 7.5 t CM ha -1 . Similarly, the highest MRR (%) was obtained from the interaction effect of 100 kg NPSB ha -1 and 7.5 t CM ha -1 with a marginal rate of revenue (20576%) and net benefit of 86579.7 birr. Thus, the application of 100 kg NPSB ha -1 and 7.5 t CM ha -1 can be promoted for increased productivity of black cumin and economically feasible in the study area. Since the experiment was conducted at one place and one cropping season, the further trial will be needed for the final recommendation.