Abstract

                                Studies on the effect of different temperature treatments on packing and storage methods in onion (Allium cepa L. var. aggregatum Don.) cv. CO On 5 at College orchard, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore were temperature during 2008-2010. The experiment was laid out in a factorial completely randomized design (FCRD) with eight treatments and three replications. Pre-harvest sprays were done by using Maleic hydrazide @ 2000ppm + carbendazim @ 1000ppm and the harvested onion bulbs were cured with 2cm neck length packing and storage treatments were subjected to viz., jute bags and kept in room temperature (T 1 ), packing in nylon net bags and kept in room temperature (T 2 ), packing in perforated plastic crates and kept in room temperature (T3 ), packing in bamboo baskets and kept in room temperature (T 4 ), spreading of bulbs in ventilation storage (T 5 ), spreading of bulbs in cold storage at 15 o C (T 6 ), spreading of bulbs in cold storage at 20o C (T 7 ) and spreading of bulbs in room temperature - Control (T 8 ). Among the different packing and storage treatments, the lowest physiological loss in weight (5.18 %), sprouting (0.62 %), rotting (0.64 %), rooting (0.00 %) and the highest sulphur (0.704 %), pyruvic acid (2.53 μmol g -1 ) and ascorbic acid (10.24 mg 100 g -1 ) contents and the highest shelf life (up to 6 months) were observed in spreading of bulbs in ventilation storage (T 5 ) compared to control (T 8 ).

Key words : Onion, packing, storage, temperature.