Effect of maturity and temperature during storage in carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) on storage diseases after long time storage
The maturity stage of carrot and the temperature strategy during storage are essential factors in maintaining storage quality during long-term storage.
The aim of the study was to examine the effect of maturity and storage strategy on storage quality in different cultivars of carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus). Two cultivars, Nominator and Romance, harvested at three different maturity levels were stored with different temperature strategies in small-scale experimental stores.
The different maturity levels were obtained by different sowing dates.
The study was conducted over 2 years and storage seasons in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. The carrots were stored with three different temperature strategies with stable temperature at 0, 2 or 0°C interrupted with intervals of 2 weeks with 4°C in February and in March.
After six-months storage we found that weight loss was higher (7.8%) after storage when the temperature was not stable during storage (fluctuations up to 4°C in February and March) than at stable temperatures at 0 or 2°C. The number of healthy roots after storage was highest in the most mature carrots (91%) while there were less healthy roots in the least mature roots (85%) (P<0.05). Diseases detected after storage were gray mold (Botrytis cinerea), liquorice rot (Mycocentrospora acerina), tip rot, crater rot (Fibularhizoctonia carotae), Fusarium rot (Fusarium spp.) and cavity spot (Pythium spp.). There was significantly more liquorice rot in Nominator (1.9%) than in Romance (0.6%). There was more tip rot in the least mature carrots (3.3%) compared to the other two maturity levels (1.3 and 1.5%).
Heltoft, P. and Thomsen, M.G. (2023). Effect of maturity and temperature during storage in carrot (Daucus carota subsp. sativus) on storage diseases after long time storage. Acta Hortic. 1363, 193-198
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1363.29
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1363.29
DOI: 10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1363.29
https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2023.1363.29
postharvest, tip-rot, carrots, vegetables, chilled storage
English