EFFECT OF PRE-HARVEST FACTORS ON POSTHARVEST QUALITY OF HORTICULTURAL PRODUCTS

Abstract

Postharvest quality of the products refers to the market quality, table quality, appearance quality, nutritional quality and many more. All the quality such as size, shape, texture, taste, free from insect pest and diseases are the key pre-harvest factors affecting the postharvest quality .Pre-harvest factors also have great effects on growth and development of plants. Quality of fresh horticultural produce are the combination of characteristics, attributes, and properties that give the value for food and enjoyment to consumers. Pre-harvest factors consists of genetic, environmental, cultural and physiological components. The genetic characteristics and physiological status of the commodity help to determine the typical postharvest behavior and quality of the produce. Various farmers, scientists, specialists of these field should work together in order awareness, knowledge to ensure to optimized the pre-harvest factors for higher production of quality horticultural products. The main aim of these review is to learn about the pre-harvest factors that affect the postharvest quality of products. It was also concluded that by these study we can clearly understand these pre-harvest factors in order to maintain the postharvest quality of product.