PEFs Global Elearning Program And My Postharvest Technology

PEF’s Global E-learning Program And My Postharvest Technology Training Activities In Kashmir (India) Mohmad Arief Zargar Department of Botany University of Kashmir

Study Area (Kashmir) Ø Asia (South Asia) (Himalayan Mountains) Ø Occupied by 3 Countries: India, Pakistan & China Ø GPS Coordinates : (32. 28 - 37. 05 N Lat. and 72. 58 - 80. 50 E Long. ) ØIndian Administered State of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) comprises three distinct climatic regions: §Cold Arid Desert of Ladakh §Temperate Kashmir Valley and §Sub-tropical Region of Jammu. ØAltitude (1000 -28500 ft asl). Kashmir valley has an average altitude of 1, 850 m (6, 070 ft) above sea-level, and the Pir Panjal range has an average elevation of 5, 000 m (16, 000 ft).

Economy of J&K q Agriculture is main source of livelihood in the state as about 70% of population (of more than 1. 25 crores (1. 25 x 107) (2011 census) depends directly or indirectly, on agriculture for their living. q J & K has remained an industrially backward due to its natural and Contribution to State’s Economy (GSDP) 2015 -16 (%) political conditions. Employment of 64 Population 2015 (%) 57 70 q Horticulture & Tourism 60 are backbones of economy 50 of J&K. 27. 11 25 40 15. 89 q Horticulture plays a vital 30 11 role in the economic 20 development of state 10 0 Agriculture Manufacturing Source: 1. Directorate of Economics & Statistics, Government of Jammu & Kashmir. 2. Fourth Annual Employment-unemployment Survey, Labour Bureau, Government Of India. 3. Journal of Agricultural Economics (2015) 7 (4): 174 -181 Services

Major Crops of Jammu and Kashmir q Climate – Temperate, Cold Desert & Subtropical q Major Agriculture Crops. Rice, maize and wheat are major cereals q Major Horticulture Crops- Temperate fruits (e. g. apple, pear, peach, plum, apricot, almond, cherry, Walnut etc. ) Sub tropical fruits (e. g. mango, guava, citrus litchi, etc. ) q Major Olericulture Crops(Vegetables)- Onion, potato, tomato, turnip, pea, radish, carrot, green vegetables etc. and spices like saffron, chilies, garlic, turmeric, etc Fruits of Kashmir Valley Major Ø The region of Kashmir is known for its horticulture industry and is the wealthiest region in the state. Ø Horticultural produce from the valley includes mostly Rosaceous fruits. Ø The major fruits grown are: Apple, Pear, Almond, Cherry, Plums, Apricots, Peaches, and Walnut Ø Kashmiri apple is famous both in taste and appearance. It has gained

Postharvest E-learning Program for South Asia January 2012 – April 2013 (My PEF Training Experiences) ü ü ü ü ü PEF training started in Jan. 2012 - May 2013 First such (online learning) experience It proved to be a Turning Point in my career…… Expanded my knowledge Honed my skills Enhanced my Teaching Capabilities Amplified my Research ideas Stimulated my extension activities Widened my professional network Helped me to attend workshops/conferences in Italy, India and now here in Kenya

Overview of The Postharvest Training Agenda 10 Assignments Internet searches for orientation Reading assigned training materials (online and/or on CD) Fieldwork – data collection, interviews, observations Required written reports (4) Interactive social media (Linked. In. com Postharvest Training groups, postharvest. tumblr. com blog) for Q&A sessions and mentoring Site visit to Amity Postharvest Center in Noida, India Postharvest Tool Kit

Commodity System Assessment (CSA) on Cherry CSA on Prunus avium L. (Sweet cherry, not on apple because of off-season) Based on: PEF Postharvest training materials, manuals & literature (Online, websites, CD Rom) (La. Gra, 1990; Kitinoja and Kasmire, 2002; La. Gra et al. , 2016) Interactive sessions with instructors, Web-based resources and technical information (Postharvest blog, Postharvest libraries) PEF assignments & experts feedback (E-mentoring) Sample CSA questionnaire Learnt a lot…. so helpful…. . though I had some experience in PH handling of cut flower but it broaden my views.

Commodity System Assessment (CSA) on Cherry Prominent for PH Losses of Cherry Improper Harvesting/Causes Field Operations: ü ü Consider physical appearance as maturity indices instead of SSC: TA ratio Manually harvested at any time of the day Improper handling under ambient conditions, at high temperatures, Harvested produce is piled up in shade or sunlight under ambient conditions. ü No idea about field heat in fruits and pre-cooling procedure. ü Harvested in to wooden boxes without any cushioning materials. Lack of Postharvest Treatments: No post harvest treatments (such as curing, cleaning, trimming, hot water dips, cooling, spraying, irradiation) are practiced. Pests and Diseases: Do not follow suitable remedies to overcome the postharvest quality losses due to variety of insects, fungi and bacteria. Improper Grading, Sorting and Packing: ü Only highly infested fruits are graded out from healthy ones, ü Table fruits are not separated from processable ones. ü No local, regional or national standards for inspection. ü Fruits are packed while warm in sun-warmed boxes.

Commodity System Assessment (CSA) on Cherry Prominent Causes for PH Losses of Cherry Improper Packaging: Ø Produce manually packed in cardboard boxes which can’t withstand pressure caused by staking boxes, leading to mechanical damage (pitting & bruising). Ø No CA/MA is used. Improper Storage of Produce: Ø Stored for 3 -12 hours on field or at make-shift sheds, covered by polythene or tin sheets, under poor physical setting and hygiene. Ø Stored in packed or unpacked form under ambient environmental conditions (around 15°C, either in shade or light). Ø Cold storage or CA/MA is/was not available. Slow and Non-refrigerated Transport: Ø Produce is transported by non-refrigerated trucks at average temperature of 30°C. Ø A truck takes 30 -40 hours to reach New Delhi (national capital city) where day temperatures are around 40°C during summer season. Long Delays/Waiting: Delays during different steps of supply chain- on

Fruit showing cracking Culled produce showing various damages (Fungal, bacterial, or mechanical)

Commodity System Assessment (CSA) on Cherry Suggested Remedies for Reducing PH Losses of Cherry At Harvest Ø Maturity indices should include sweetness (SSC), tartness (TA), SSC: TA ratio, flesh firmness & flavor & skin color. Ø Harvest in morning, in plastic padded baskets, & keep under shade. Ø Trained pickers, appropriate picking (plastic) containers & careful transport of containers. Postharvest Ø Precool immediately, preferably by shower type hydrocooling or simple dipping in cold water. Ø Use proper chemicals/biopesticides/irradiation to control pests and diseases. Ø Grade/sort out infested fruits, table fruits and processable ones. Ø Use plastic boxes and MA/CA packaging. Ø Use refrigeration and MA/CA during storage and transport 4. Ø Shorten the delays during handling between different steps.

Commodity System Assessment (CSA) on Cherry Identification of Training, Research & Advocacy Needs A) Training needs for Growers/Handlers 1. Growers need to be sensitized/trained about the effects of following factors on the shelf life of cherry : Ø pre-harvest treatments (timely irrigation, fertilization, sanitation, pest and disease control, cultivation or propagation), Ø harvest factors (time of day, temperature, sunlight, field heat, picking or harvesting, maturity indices) Ø post harvest treatments (pre-cooling by hydro-cooling or refrigeration to remove field heat, cleaning, spraying, irradiation, grading and sorting, value of culled produce, storage and transport) Ø production economics in relation to apple & local climate or topography. High Density (HD) & Ultra High Density (UHD) production, beekeeping and other methods of cross fertilization. 2. Handlers: Advantages of appropriate handling, packing and storage.

Commodity System Assessment (CSA) on Cherry Identification of Training, Research & Advocacy Needs B) Research Needs Intensive research is needed to solve following major issues: 1. Control of Cracking (Rain Cracking): Cherries in Kashmir are more prone to cracking as they mature during rainy season. 2. Identification of pests and diseases and suitable remedies. 3. Develop high yielding/quality cultivars tolerant to biotic and abiotic stresses. 4. Identification of ideal rootstocks and standardizing grafting methods 5. Agronomic studies: Updating and standardizing appropriate cultivar specific production technology, irrigation and fertigation procedures. 6. Cultivar specific role of ethylene and low temperature during storage.

Commodity System Assessment (CSA) on Cherry Identification of Training, Research & Advocacy Needs C) Advocacy Needs Following advocacy needs are to be met for flourishing of lucrative cherry industry 1. Providing cold storage and refrigerated transport facilities on part of the government/private partners. 2. Establishing efficient road connectivity to connect orchards with major markets. 3. Improving the railway connectivity of Kashmir with major cities in India and allotting AC bogies (cabins) in trains for long distance transport of fruit. 4. Organizing and monitoring workshops/training courses/extension activities to educate growers, pickers, sorters, packers, handlers and marketers about various issues relating to pre-harvest, harvest and post-harvest treatments. 5. Framing/amendment of policies to ensure financial safety to growers and encourage export of fresh cherry.

My Job Duties Teaching and Research Teaching (of M. Sc. Students at the University level) involves theoretical as well as practical aspects of both basic and applied plant sciences: Plant Biochemistry, Plant Physiology, Crop Physiology, Postharvest Physiology, Fruits of Kashmir, Commercial Floriculture and Biostatistics. Research involves Postharvest Physiology and Handling of Flowers and Fruits; Growth Analysis of Some Temperate Crops and Phytochemistry

My Efforts to Reduce PH Losses: My Training Activities q Since ignorance was found to be the major reason for PH Loss of Cherry in Kashmir, I found teaching, training (of stakeholders) and extension as the most optimal tool in this endeavor. q Initially, I would give informal lectures to my students about the causes for PH Losses and the methods/remedies for reduction of such losses, followed by introducing of various courses such as Crop Physiology I & II, Fruits of Kashmir, Commercial Floriculture and Post harvest Technology in syllabus/curriculum. q Assignments/projects were given to students on CSA lines, besides carrying my own further CSA of other crops. q Extension work to educate the growers, traders, marketers and other stakeholders. q Stakeholders were given brief theory but more practical demonstrations; CB ratio etc

PH Training Topics to Various Audience Types of Fruits (climacteric and non-climacteric) and Flowers (ethylenesensitive and ethylene-insensitive) Respiration rate and post harvest decay Role of Ethylene in Fruit Ripening (Climacteric and non-climacteric Fruits) , Flower Senescence (Ethylene-sensitive and ethylene-insensitive Flowers) and Postharvest Loss of Fruits and Flowers Post harvest Storage, Packaging, Transport and Techniques for improvement of shelf life and quality of fruits, vegetables and cut flowers Techniques for reducing post harvest losses (Decreasing field heat; CA/MA storage/Packaging, cold storage & refrigerated transport, etc. ) Commodity System Assessment (CSA) Cost-benefit ratio of improved techniques for minimizing the effect of temperature to reduce the post harvest losses Production and Postharvest Management _Apples, Cherry and Walnut. Growth analysis & postharvest management of Abelmoschus esculentus (Okra) & Capsicum annum (Bell pepper).

Target Audience Type No. of lectures delivered Male Female Total Target Audience Type and Number No. of People trained by trainees (Indirectly trained) M. Sc. (Botany) Students 11 28 28 56 277 33 15 22 37 517 21 36 60 96 887 36 1081 1 1082 2416 101 1160 111 1271 4097 M. Sc. (Botany) Students (With Crop Physiology as specialization) M. A. /M. Com. /M. Sc. Students (From other departments of University) Farmers, traders, entrepreneurs & marketers Total No. of Audience (Directly trained)

Activity That Had The Greatest Impact On Reduction Of Food Loss In My Region Ø Extension programs for small farmers, food traders, and marketers wherein Small-scale postharvest handling practices and Cost/benefit analyses on improved technologies were found to be most impressive. Ø Extension program which resulted in the establishment of cold storage unit, with state of the art postharvest processing facilities.

Cold Storage Unit (Alpine Fresh Pvt. Ltd. ) Establishment of the cold storage unit at the cost of about 25 crore rupees (3, 640, 000 USD), with most postharvest processing facilities, in Baramulla district of Kashmir. Named Alpine Fresh Pvt. Ltd. , it is the first Cold storage unit in Baramulla district and the second largest cold storage unit in Kashmir. The unit comprises of the main building with an area of 200 X 110 sqft, the residential quarters, yards, general stores, etc. - all spread over a total land area of 28 Kanals (3. 5 acre). It has 16 storage chambers, each having an lbh of 46 X 23 X 30 feet and a capacity of 187. 5 metric tonnes. The whole unit has a capacity of 3000 metric tonnes. The work force of the unit is 12. This unit was founded in 2014 -15 and started working from November 2015. Compared to 2015, an overwhelming response was seen in 2016 as all,

Cold Storage Unit (Alpine Fresh Pvt. Ltd. )

Cold Storage Unit (Alpine Fresh Pvt. Ltd. ) Facilities Available Cold Storage (Temperature from 0 to 2° C) Washing by ground water Precooling: by fast refrigeration, without any standard procedure like hydrocooling Pretreatments: No Waxing: Yes Grading/sorting on the basis of quality, colour, weight & defects Packing: Yes Packaging: Yes CA/MA Storage: Yes, but CA only (CO 2 about 1% & O 2 about 1%) Hardness of Fruit measured by: Penetrometer The Storage duration varies from the time of storing (depends upon the time of harvest and cultivar)(usually Oct - Dec) till Feb to mid May. Customers have the option of either using the Cold storage with or without CA facility on rent basis or else can sell their products to the unit.

How these activities changed the postharvest practices of trainees or reduced food losses Establishment of cold storage unit, with packing/grading & other postharvest processing facilities, changed the postharvest practices & prolonged the shelf life of fruits/vegetables by more than 6 months The trainees learnt & pledged to follow the benefits of Proper Packing and Packaging. Cold Storage, Proper harvest time, stage or CA storage, refrigerated transport maturity Washing, padded plastic baskets instead of Precooling and removal of field rough wooded baskets heat post harvest treatments (such as Waxing, curing, cleaning, trimming, water Grading, Sorting, dips spraying, cooling, irradiation Stakeholders pledged to go for these techniques on rent basis by utilizing the available facilities of cold storage and packing units They learnt about the requirement of optimal temperature and the adverse effects of high temperature, sunlight, ambient conditions etc. They learnt the economic benefits of new techniques through cost-benefit ratio of improved techniques for reducing the post harvest losses.

Teaching: My Future Plans Ø to float new full fledged course on Postharvest management of fruits, flowers and vegetables. Ø to make my students to perform CSA of some important crops in the form of short -term projects. Ø students will go to each of the 10 districts of Kashmir, randomly interview farmers about CSA & also acquaint them with recent techniques (i. e. Data collection & extension work). Research: to perform exhaustive CSA of some important fruits and vegetables of Kashmir, and try to solve some postharvest problems of fruits and vegetables, in addition to flowers. Extension: Extension though not my professional domain, yet I will continue to perform monthly or bimonthly extension work during holidays or Sundays to educate the farmers, marketers and traders. The most important thing that I want to do in my life is to establish a Postharvest Training and Services Centre (PHTSC) in my state (Kashmir). The establishment of such a PHTSC, where we can offer practical training in addition to the services.

Acknowledgements The Postharvest Education Foundation (PEF), USA Dr. Lisa Kitinoja Ms. Lizanne Wheeler Amity University, Noida, India