Phosphorus-deficient strawberries can be soft with insipid flavor. For example, calcium-deficient strawberries can be small, hard, and seedy. Proper fertility is critical not only for yield but also quality. Thrips can vector bacteria-causing soft rot in onions. These bacteria lead to bacterial soft rot in storage. For example, thrips can carry and transfer bacteria in their mouth-parts to onions when they feed on the greens. Additionally, these blemishes are holes in the protective layer of the produce that allow easier entry for the plant diseases that cause post-harvest rots. Insects can cause visible blemishes on produce, directly reducing consumer appeal. Photo by Beth Gugino, Penn State Plant PathologyĬultural controls to minimize disease such as a three-year rotation away from host crops, using resistant cultivars, and increasing air circulation by controlling weeds will help reduce plant disease and associated storage losses. Without a host, the pathogen dies and cannot infect the next crop.Ĭarrots with bacterial soft rot and pythium. Sufficient crop rotation allows time for plant tissue to degrade. This bacteria enters crops from infected crop residue in the soil. For example, bacterial soft rot of carrots, caused by Erwinia carotovora or Pseudomonas spp., starts in the field with lack of rotation, and shows up later in storage. Plant disease infection will reduce produce storage and shelf life. Many storage problems start in the field. Storage can only prolong the life of the crop it cannot improve its quality. Good Storage Starts with Growing a Healthy Crop Starting with growing a healthy crop and maintaining best practices through harvest, slowing the produce aging process, cooling, storage, and finally to post-harvest handling, this publication discusses keeping produce fresh. As producers, it is our job to maintain quality from the field to the shelf through our handling, cooling, and storage.
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