MINIMIZING POSTHARVEST LOSSES IN POTATO (Solanum tuberosum L.) TUBER USING GAMMA IRRADIATION, MINT OIL AND PACLOBUTRAZOL UNDER UNREFRIGERATED STORAGE CONDITION

摘要

This experiment was carried out on potato tubers during the two successive seasons of 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 at the Department of Natural Products Research, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt. The research aims to reduce losses resulting from the storage at room temperature and to reduce cold storage costs of potato tubers using gamma radiation, mint oil and paclobutrazole treatments. Potato tubers cv. Sponta were treated with 100 Gy of gamma radiation, 5 of mint oil and 100 ppm of paclobutrazole during the two successive seasons of 2013/2014 and 2014/2015. Results showed that, tubers irradiated with 100 Gy and soaked in 100 ppm paclobutrazole scored the lowest percentage of weight loss, sprouting, shrinkage, decay and total lost percentage. As for the effect of soaking tubers in 5 mint oil, results showed a higher percent of shrinkage than other treatments. On the other hand tubers irradiated with 100 Gy of gamma irradiation then soaked in 100 ppm of paclobutrazole had higher contents of starch than other tested treatments.