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Tomato production is increasing along with postharvest losses in Nigeria, Rwanda and India. Modified Commodity Systems Assessment Methodology on tomato was conducted in the study areas during the July – August 2017 harvest season to evaluate the costs and benefits of improved postharvest practices or technologies that will reduce losses in the value chain. The use of colour chart as maturity index to harvest tomato fruit at breaker stage for long distant market in Rwanda when adopted showed that tomatoes were better protected from mechanical injury during handling and generated an immediate increased profit of US$170 for each 1000 kg load when compared with handling tomato fruit harvested at full ripe stage. In Nigeria, the use of a Zero Energy Cooling Chamber (ZECC) resulted in reduction of tomato loss to five percent when compared with the current practice of immediate sales of harvested produce with loss of 40%. This simple ZECC technology and use of Reusable Plastic Crates (RPC) reduced loss from 30% to 10% and increased the earnings of the farmer/trader in Rwanda. In comparison, in India the use of maturity indices and RPCs during harvesting and transport of tomato was common, and resulted in lower postharvest losses during marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Present investigations were carried out in the year 2015-2016 & 2016-17. During the experimentation foliar application of different concentrations of Borax, Planofix, Bayleton, Calcium Nimbicidine and control were made. Fresh aonla fruits of cultivar chakaiya from all sampling dates were stored under ambient conditions to check changes in physico-chemical properties of the fruits at weekly intervals. It was observed that the first full bloom was recorded on 1st April in Cv. Chakaiya. The days from full bloom to harvest for the sampling durations of fruits in the cultivar ranged between 228 to 288 days. The average fruit length and diameter increased gradually with the advancement in maturity but became static at later stages of development. There was increases in fruit length and diameter up to the 4th sampling date (272 DFFB). Fruit size, length and diameter increased appreciably till the 3rd sampling date (259 CFFB). Fruit weight, specific gravity, Pulp:stone ratio increased in the cultivars upto the 3rd sampling date. Moisture content exhibited a non-significant decrease with a progressive increase from the first to the last sampling date in the cultivar. The juice yield increased significantly with maturity of fruits. Total soluble solids (TSS) contents increased throughout the sampling period. The increase was rapid and significant till the 3rd sampling date in the cvs. Chakaiya (12.0°B). A substantial increase in titratable acid (T A) content was observed upto the 3rd picking dates (1.65%). Delay in harvesting of fruits beyond these periods caused a reduction in the reducing sugar content of fruits. Ascorbic acid content increased significantly till the 4th sampling date. significant increases in tannin content occurred in the cultivar under study with a progressive increase in storage duration from 7 to 28 days. The trends of increase in tannin contents during storage were also not affected by harvest dates as highest and lowest tannin contents were recorded in fruits from the first and last harvests, respectively in the cultivars at the time of harvest and after storage. Fruit spoilage increased significantly with the advancement of storage duration of 28 days. The lowest fruit spoilage after storage was recorded (20.43%) harvested on the 3rd sampling date. In general the average scores for overall acceptability decreased significantly during the entire 28 day storage period. The decrease was observed 8.05 to 2.53 in the stored aonla fruits. The maximum mean scores after storage were recorded in fruits of Chakaiya, recording a mean rating of 6.28, when they were harvested on the 3rd sampling date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]