Browsing by Author "Lawal, Babatunde Y."
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Item Assessment of postharvest handling of banana fruits and associated fungi in Ganmo market, Kwara State, Nigeria(Federal University, 2023) Garuba, Taofeeq; Atolagbe, Bukola; Yusuff, Rasheedat; Lawal, Babatunde Y.; Ishola, Taiwo J.Banana fruit is vastly perishable and needs to be handled with cares to ensure its safety and reduce the loss. This study aimed at assessing various postharvest practices of banana fruits with associated fungi in Ganmo market, Kwara State, Nigeria. The study was done by purposive sampling for the selection of the study area. Pretested questionnaires were administered to gather pertinent information on the postharvest handling practices of the fruits within the study area. Fungi were isolated and identified from the apparently diseased fruits using the standard method. The results showed that loss of banana fruits is not restricted to a particular member of agricultural supply chain but occurs at all phases spanning from farmers through the wholesalers to the retailers. It was deduced that practices like poor sanitation, absence of temperature monitoring system, unsuitable packaging system and inappropriate transport system are responsible for the postharvest loss of the fruits. The highest fruit damage (62.5%) was observed in the samples from retailers. The same handlers also had the highest disease incidence (37.5%) and severity (15.63%). Fusarium oxysporum, Saccharomyces cerevisae, Pichia kudriavzevii and Alternaria alternata were frequently isolated from the deteriorated banana fruits. Good postharvest practices should be fostered and agricultural extension agents should promptly disseminate useful information to all fruit handlers.Item EFFECTS OF STORAGE CONDITIONS AND PACKAGING MATERIALS ON THE FRUIT QUALITY OF SWEET PEPPER (CAPSICUM ANNUUM L.)(Faculty of Science, Kaduna Stste University, 2022) Garuba, Taofeeq; Lawal, Babatunde Y.; Abiodun, Olufunmilola A.; Oyeyinka, Samson A.Peppers are perishable and characterized by a short shelf life. This work aimed at investigating effects of packaging materials and storage methods on the physicochemical properties and fungal decay of sweet pepper. The cleaned and wholesome fruits (100) were packaged in polyethylene bag, banana leaf, and jute bag. Unpackaged fruits served as control. All the samples were then stored in refrigerator, evaporative cooling structure and at ambient condition (25±2 oC). A factorial combination of three (3) packaging materials and three (3) storage conditions using randomized complete block design with three replications were used. Weight loss and percentage decay were determined and physicochemical analyses were carried out. The results showed that banana leaves and polythene bags encouraged the highest and lowest weight loss of pepper fruits in evaporative cooling system and ambient condition respectively. The jute bags significantly reduced the percentage decay in refrigerator. There was no significant difference (p ≥ 0.01) in the pH of all the fruits in refrigerator. Total soluble solids of all pepper fruits in evaporative cooling system and at ambient condition reduced as storage period increased. Titratable acid values of all the pepper fruits in refrigerator increased at Day 21 compared to the values recorded at Day 7 except in the fruits packaged in polythene bags that was decreased by 50%. Refrigerator and banana leaf influenced increase in ascorbic acid more than other storage conditions. Generally, the packaging materials and the storage conditions are not significantly (p>0.01) affected the colour parameters. It can be inferred that refrigerator and jute bag is the best storage method and packaging material as it minimizes loss and maintains quality.