POSTHARVEST MANAGEMENT OF FRUIT ROT OF CHILLI USING SOLAR TUNNEL DRYER

Fruit rot of chilli caused by Colletotrichum capsici is one of the important postharvest disease in red chilli. The disease is favoured by high moisture content in chillies and slow drying process especially by traditional method of drying resulting in deterioration and loss of quality of the chilli beside aflatoxin contamination. An effort has been done by Horticulture Research Station. Haveri (Devihosur), India to manage the disease by drying freshly harvested red chillies using a solar tunnel dryer (STD). The results indicated that drying of chillies in STD more than 24 h resulted in rapid removal of moisture, and drying for more than 96 h in STD brought moisture content to below 10%. Fruit rot incidence was significantly less when dried in STD for more than 24 h as compared to open sun, shade and heap drying. With respect to colour, drying in STD for 24 h resulted in good retention of colour. Drying chillies for more than 24 h, and other methods of drying recorded less colour index.