Types of Post harvest deterioration

• It is of following types

1) Physical deterioration:

• It occurs due to inappropriate harvesting and post harvest handling (Lesions and browning)
• It not only affects appearance attributes (Skin and flesh) but also creates sites for pathogen infection and water loss.
• Physical injury stimulates ethylene production and respiration in plant tissues.
• That leads to acceleration of senescence.
• Injuries occurs during harvesting, cleaning, packaging, loading, unloading, transport, etc.
• Freezing injury is also a type of physical injury and occurs when crystals form in tissues.

2) Physiological deterioration:

• Are abiotic non-transferable problem arising from the interaction between the commodity and climate.
• A number of physiological processes occur in the harvested, non processed horticultural products that contribute to deterioration of fruits and vegetables.

3) Pathological deterioration

• 30% loss by post harvest pathogen only.
• Fungi, bacteria are major MO.
• Diseases are higher when temperature and RH is higher.
• Pathogens not only produce diseases but also produce ethylene gas and lead to deterioration of commodity at faster rate.