1. Preharvest factors affecting
postharvest quality

2. Preharvest factors affecting
postharvest quality
1. Cultivar and rootstock genotypes
2. Mineral nutrition
3. Irrigation
4. Canopy manipulation
5. Crop rotations

3. Cultivar and rootstock genotypes
 Affects taste, yield, nutrient composition
and postharvest life
 Antioxidant activity (Potato)
 Ascorbic acid (Peppers)
 -carotene (Sweet potato)
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4. Mineral nutrition
 Nitrogen
• Higher N level stimulate vegetative growth
causing shading and ultimately death of lower
fruity wood
• Delays fruit maturity in stone fruit
• Poor red colour
• Inhibits ground colour change (green to yellow
in peach)
• Fruit disorders (

5. Calcium
 Deficiency of calcium leads to
physiological disorders
• Bitter pit in apple
• Corkspot in pear
• Blackheart in celery
• Blossom end rot in tomato
• Cavity spot in carrot
• Tipburn of lettuce

6. Irrigation
 Amount of water
 Time of water application
• Under water stress
• lower fruit size and higher soluble solid contents
• Deep suture and double-fruit formation

7. Canopy manipulation
 Crop load
 Fruit canopy position
 Leaf removal
 Girdling

8. Crop Rotation
 Reduce decay inoculum in a production
field
• Soilborne fungi
• Bacteria
• Nematodes