Harvesting

and
Postharvest
Handling of
Field Crops
INTRODUCTION
INDICATE THE PART HARVESTED
ON THE FOLLOWING CROPS
a) Sunflower g) Cassava
b) Rice h) Mung bean
c) Broccoli i) Peanut
d) Soybean j) Sugarcane
e) Cowpea k) Cabbage
f) Sweet Potato l) Corn
SUNFLOWER

HEAD
RICE

PANICLE
BROCCOLI

HEAD BUDS
SOYBEAN

PODS
COWPEA

PODS
SWEET POTATO

TUBERS AND ROOTS

CASSAVA

ROOTS
MUNG BEAN

PODS
PEANUT

PODS
SUGARCANE
CABBAGE

HEAD
CORN

HEAD
WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANCE
OF PROPER HARVEST AND
POSTHARVEST HANDLING?
Avocado
 It is important to pick avocados when they are
mature, as immature fruit will shrivel and not ripen
properly. Several indices may be used to determine
avocado fruit maturity. Skin texture and
appearance is an indicator of harvest maturity in
most avocado cultivars. As fruit approach maturity,
they develop a smoother skin surface. Also, the
glossiness or shine of the skin becomes duller as the
fruit reaches maturity. Colour of the fruit is another
indicator of harvest maturity. The fruit colour of
many cultivars changes from green to light green
with maturity. Reddish streaks may also appear at
the stem end of certain deep green-skinned
cultivars when the fruit mature. The area of the stem
nearest the fruit changes from a green to brown or
black colour when the fruit is mature and ready for
harvest
Banana
 There are two stages of maturity for green
bananas. Harvest takes place in the second
stage. During the first stage the fruit has an
angular shape, with an average length of 18 cm,
an average circumference of 15.5 cm, and an
average weight of 480 grams. In the second
stage the sides of the banana become rounded,
and the banana increase in size to a length to
an average of 24 cm, a circumference of 16.5
cm, and an average weight of 525 grams. In
both stages the banana will have a dark green
color.
Breadfruit (balimbing)
 Breadfruit is usually ready for harvest about 3 months after
flowering. The proper stage for harvesting breadfruit
depends on the intended use. Breadfruit has a high starch
content and is used as a vegetable when mature but not
ripe, and as a dessert when ripe. During ripening, the starch
turns to sugar and the fruit develops a sweet custard taste.
The principal external methods of determining harvest
maturity are skin colour, texture and appearance of the
fruit surface and firmness. Breadfruit should be harvested
when green in colour and firm in texture if it is to be used as
a starchy vegetable. The fruit should be left to ripen and
harvested at a later stage when used as a dessert. The skin
colour of ripe fruit becomes yellow-green with red-brown
areas. In addition, the stem of ripe fruit becomes yellow-
green in colour.
Citrus

 All citrus are non-climacteric fruit,

meaning they ripen gradually over weeks
or months and are slow to abscise from
tree
 The best maturity index for citrus are
internal. Brix(sugar), acid content and the
Brix/acid ratio
Cauliflower
 Cauliflowers are selected for size and
compactness of the head or curd. Mature curds
are at least 15 cm (6 inches) in diameter. Loose or
protruding floral parts, creating a ‘ricy’
appearance, are a sign of overmaturity.
Cauliflower is packaged after being closely
trimmed into single layer cartons of 12 to 24 heads,
with 12’s most common.
Cauliflower is primarily marketed with closely
trimmed leaves and overwrapped with perforated
film. Overwraps should provide four to six 1/4-inch
holes per head to allow adequate ventilation.
Lettuce
 Maturity is based on the number of leaves
and head development. A very loose or easily
compressible head is immature and a very
firm or hard head is overmature. Heads that
are immature(<30 leaves before trimming)
and mature (about 35 leaves) have much
better flavor than overmature heads (less
bitterness, more sweetness) and also have
fewer postharvest problems.
POSTHARVEST
HANDLING
PRACTICES
A. Banana
 Optimise nutrient rate and application

 Optimise pesticide use as part of a pest

management plan

 Optimise soil retention and water

infiltration
B. Mango
 Grading

 Packaging

 Storage

 Transportation

 Ripening and Storage

C. Pineapple
 Endogenous Brown Spot (EBS)

 Chilling injury.

 Pathological Disorders

 Yeast fermentation

 Careful handling to minimize mechanical injuries

 Prompt cooling and maintenance of optimum temperature and

relative humidity throughout postharvest handling operations.

 Application of fungicides, such as thiabendazole (TBZ).

D. Cabbage
 Proper packing and cooling are essential to maintaining the

freshness of cabbage. Freshness can be tested by rubbing two

heads together; if they are fresh, they will make a squeaking

sound. Cabbage should be cooled immediately after packing.

A refrigerated room controlled to 32°F and 95 percent relative

humidity is ideal. In this environment, the center of a medium-

sized cabbage should take about 18 hours to cool from 80 to

36°F. It is usually not necessary to cool cabbage by more rapid

means, although some packers use forced-air cooling fans to

greatly decrease cooling time. For more information on forced-

air cooling, refer to Extension publication AG 414-3, Maintaining

E. Tomato
 After harvesting, the tomato fruit still remains living
and performs all functions of a living tissue.
However, the postharvest quality of the fruit at
harvest cannot be enhanced by any postharvest
technology but can only be maintained. In order
to maintain this quality, there are some postharvest
treatment methods that have to be adhered to in
order to achieve this goal. Below are some of the
treatments methods that can be used for
harvested tomatoes.
Give one result of improper time of
harvesting
 A. Mango – Harvesting of mangoes at an incorrect point
in time results in a loss of yield of mangoes.

 B. Banana – The banana will be over-riped with black

marks

 C. Pineapple – The color of the pineapple inside is green

 D. Cabbage – Small and compressed leaves

 E. Tomato – The tomato will taste sour