ISHS Acta Horticulturae 157: Postharvest Handling of Vegetables
STORAGE OF CHINESE WATER CHESTNUT [ELEOCHARIS DULCIS (BURM. F.) TRIN.] CORMS |
| Authors: | S.J. Kays, M.G.C. Sanchez |
| Abstract:
After harvest, Chinese water chestnut corms rapidly decline in quality due to desiccation, discoloration and pathogen invasion; current storage systems are not conductive for long term storage of the fresh product. We tested a series of storage environments over a 6 month period for two seasons. These included holding the corms at 1.5°C in aerated aqueous solutions - water, NaC10 (5050 ppm), NaC1 (0, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0%), CaC12 (0, 1.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0%), 4% 2,6-dichloro-4-nitroaniline + 8% methyl l-(butylcarbamoyl)-2-benzimidazolecarbamate (4% Botran + 8% Benlate) as well as in humidified air (95% RH), air with a weekly dip in NaC10 (5050 ppm) and in moist sand. Samples were removed at 0, 2, 4, and 6 months and evaluated for alterations in internal visual quality, fresh and dry weight, texture, soluble solids, specific sugars, and the concentrations of P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Al, Si, Co, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Mo, Cr, Ni, Pb, Cd, Sr, and Ba. Low temperature storage of corms over a 6 month period in aqueous solutions eliminated storage losses due to desiccation. The use of an aqueous environment, however, resulted in permeation of sound corms with odoriferous metabolites from rotting corms within the container. Treatments such as dilute salt solutions (i.e. NaC1) prevented corm discoloration, rots and odor formation. In both years, storage of corms in 10% NaC1 gave superior results. Visual quality, soluble solids and texture were not significantly changed although the concentration of sucrose was reduced while fructose and glucose increased. The sodium concentration within the tissue increased markedly but did not result in cellular death. Respiratory rates were, however, significantly higher. Sodium could not be sufficiently removed from unpeeled corms prior of marketing by passive diffusion indicating that the surface of the corm represented a major diffusive barrier. Principal sugars found in the corms at harvest were sucrose (>90% of total), glucose and fructose, the concentrations of which were altered by various storage treatments. | |
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