Reducing preharvest food losses in spinach with the implementation of high tunnels

Batziakas, Konstantinos G.; Rivard, Cary L.; Stanley, H. Faeth; Batziakas, Asterios G.; Pliakoni, Eleni D.

doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2020.109268

Cited by 11 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 88 publications

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“…Total chlorophyll in a plant grown in peat (79.82 mg/100 g FW) was similar to that recorded in [45] (65.4 mg/100 g FW) and [46]. However, it was lower than those reported in [47] (96.2 to 301.8 mg/100 g FW). Conversely, the ratio of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b (Figure 3d) was higher in plants grown in coir pith and coir pith + fiber.…”

Section: Photosynthetic Pigmentssupporting

confidence: 74%

Coir, an Alternative to Peat—Effects on Plant Growth, Phytochemical Accumulation, and Antioxidant Power of Spinach

et al. 2021

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The effects of four commercial substrates, a peat-based substrate, and three coir types (coir pith, coir chips, and coir pith + fibers) on yield, phytochemical accumulation, and antioxidant activity were evaluated in Spinacia oleracea L. cv. ‘Manatee’. Soil-blocked spinach seedlings were transplanted into Styrofoam planting boxes filled with the substrate. Each planting box was irrigated daily by drip with a complete nutrient solution, and the irrigation scheduling was optimized to the peat. Leaf area and fresh yield in coir pith and coir pith + fiber were similar to those obtained in peat. However, shoot dry weight accumulation and leaf chlorophyll were lower in plants grown in coir. Substrate type did not affect leaf carotenoids. Total flavonoid content was higher in plants grown in the different types of coir. Total phenols and antioxidant activity (DPPH) were higher in plants grown in coir pith. This indicates that the different coir types, mainly coir pith, may provide an alternative to peat since they allowed a high fresh yield to be reached and the total flavonoids to be increased. In contrast, the levels of other phytochemicals and antioxidant activity were usual for spinach. However, further research is necessary to analyze the effects of irrigation scheduling and the nutrient solution adjusted to each growing medium on yield and phytochemical accumulation.

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Section: Photosynthetic Pigmentssupporting

confidence: 74%

Coir, an Alternative to Peat—Effects on Plant Growth, Phytochemical Accumulation, and Antioxidant Power of Spinach

et al. 2021

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“…There has been an increase in the utilization of high tunnels in the Central US, which has been linked to the rise in the demand of locally produced fruits and vegetables (Jett 2017). The unpredictable weather patterns in the Central US, such as strong winds and excessive rainfall during spring, pose a serious challenge to open field vegetable production (Batziakas et al 2020a;Hoppenstedt et al 2019). As a result, a considerable amount of small acreage growers have adopted high tunnel production systems to be able to correspond to the increased demand for local produce (Greater Kansas City Food Hub Working Group 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This production system provides growers with the ability to manipulate the microclimate during crop production (O'Connell et al 2012;Rogers et al 2016). High tunnels allow continuous spinach production during the winter season by maintaining the temperature within the growth-conducive range of this crop (Batziakas et al 2020a;Orde et al 2018). This production system can increase total yield and reduce the amount of cull spinach (Batziakas et al 2020a).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…High tunnels allow continuous spinach production during the winter season by maintaining the temperature within the growth-conducive range of this crop (Batziakas et al 2020a;Orde et al 2018). This production system can increase total yield and reduce the amount of cull spinach (Batziakas et al 2020a). Spinach produced in high tunnels has bigger leaves and increased water content and in some growing seasons demonstrated increased chlorophyll content and decreased respiration rate (Batziakas et al 2020a), but with reduced antioxidant content compared to open field production (Batziakas et al 2020a;Zhao et al 2007b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…High tunnels can increase the total and marketable yield compared to traditional open field production (Batziakas et al 2020a;Rogers et al 2016;Vescera and Brown 2019). This practically means that crop productivity is increased and more marketable product is produced because high tunnels protect the crop from weather-related defects.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reducing postharvest food losses in organic spinach with the implementation of high tunnel production systems

Batziakas

Stanley

Batziakas

et al. 2020

Agron. Sustain. Dev.

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Fresh produce constitutes 44% by weight of the global food losses and waste. Postharvest losses of fresh produce are closely related to the preharvest field conditions during growth. In the Central US, many small acreage vegetable growers are utilizing high tunnels, which have been successful in increasing the yield of several crops. Little is known about the effect of this production system on the postharvest losses. This study tested the hypothesis that the production system will affect the postharvest losses of organic spinach (Spinacia oleracea, "Corvair") when stored at 3 or 13 °C. Comparative open field and high tunnel trials were conducted from 2015 to 2017. Postharvest losses were evaluated with regard to the spinach quality characteristics and shelf life. During storage at 3 °C, there were no major quality differences between the spinach grown in the two production systems. During storage at 13 °C, in both years, spinach grown in the high tunnels had 1.2 to 2.3% higher water content than spinach grown in the open field. In the second year, high tunnel spinach stored at 13 °C had a lower respiration rate (P < 0.05) and a slower rate of yellowing as indicated by higher chlorophyll content (P < 0.001), significantly lower lightness values, and significantly higher hue values than open field spinach. The high tunnel spinach demonstrated longer shelf life in year 1 and higher quality towards the end of storage in year two when compared to open field spinach when stored at 13 °C. This is the first study to examine the effect of the high tunnel production system on the postharvest quality and losses of spinach. Our results indicate that high tunnels can reduce the postharvest food losses of spinach when stored at 13 °C, due to increased water content and decreased senescence rate.

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Bacteria in the genus Streptomyces are effective biological control agents for management of fungal plant pathogens: a meta-analysis

LeBlanc

2021

BioControl

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Reducing preharvest food losses in spinach with the implementation of high tunnels

Cited by 11 publications

References 88 publications

Coir, an Alternative to Peat—Effects on Plant Growth, Phytochemical Accumulation, and Antioxidant Power of Spinach

Coir, an Alternative to Peat—Effects on Plant Growth, Phytochemical Accumulation, and Antioxidant Power of Spinach

Reducing postharvest food losses in organic spinach with the implementation of high tunnel production systems

Bacteria in the genus Streptomyces are effective biological control agents for management of fungal plant pathogens: a meta-analysis

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