Farmers' willingness to pay for metal silo cereal storage technology in northeast Ethiopia

In Ethiopia, cereal crops play a significant role in food security and income for most smallholder farmers. In the Gubalafto district, the environment is ideal for growing vital cereal crops such as sorghum, maize, and teff. However, various factors such as weevils, rodents, mold infestation, and lack of suitable storage materials were blamed for a post-harvest loss of cereal at the storage stage in the district. Hence, this research study was intended to identify factors affecting households' willingness to pay for metal silo cereal storage technology and the maximum willingness to pay for the technology. The study used both primary and secondary sources to gather the data. A total of 385 sample households were selected using a systematic random sampling technique. The semi-structural questionnaire was used to collect the primary data during a face-to-face interview, and double-bounded questions were also followed by open-ended questions. Combinations of data analysis methods such as descriptive, inferential statistics, and econometrics models were used. a binary probit regression model was used to identify factors that influenced farmers' willingness to pay for metal silo cereal storage technology. A bivariate probit regression model was also used to estimate the household's willingness to pay for metal silo cereal storage technology. The survey results showed that the majority (71.69%) of the sample households were willing to pay for metal silo cereal storage technology due to the severity of cereal post-harvest loss. Moreover, the binary probit model results revealed that household educational status, total household annual income, market accessibility, and extension service positively and significantly affected the household's willingness to pay decisions. The mean willingness to pay of households in open-ended and double-bounded methods was 4157 Ethiopian birr and 5147 Ethiopian Birr (ETB), respectively. In general, the result of the study revealed that farmers were more willing to adopt metal silo cereal storage technology due to its high-storage quality. Therefore, as a part of the recommendations, there should be great integration among farmers, metal manufacturing factories, local and regional governments to supply and offer metal silos technology for farmers at a reasonable price and time. Moreover, training should be arranged on how to use the metal silo technology to prevent post-harvesting loss during the storage time.

Selection for resistance to pirimiphos-methyl, permethrin and spinosad in a field strain of Sitophilus oryzae: resistance risk assessment, cross-resistance potential and synergism of insecticides

Indiscriminate use of insecticides in food storage facilities for controlling insect pests has deleterious effects on the environment and non-targeted organisms in the premises. Continuous use of insecticides may result in resistance development in insect pests, which compel the stakeholders to increase the dosage of insecticides to manage resistant insect pests. The increased dosage of insecticides ultimately may result in contamination of stored food stuff that affects human health. The present study was planned to generate data that will be helpful to delay resistance development and to reduce environmental pollution. A field strain of Sitophilus oryzae, one of the most common insect pests of stored foodstuff, was selected separately with pirimiphos-methyl, permethrin, or spinosad for five consecutive generations. The selected strains were studied for resistance risk assessment, time taken to develop resistance to insecticides after continuous exposure in the selection process, preliminary mechanism of resistance, and whether the development of resistance due to the selection with a particular insecticide could develop cross-resistance to other insecticide or not. In comparison to a laboratory susceptible reference strain, the insecticide-selected strains revealed rapid development of resistance against insecticides as a result of selection process: 31.05-fold resistance to pirimiphos-methyl, 156.49-fold resistance to permethrin, and 65.6-fold resistance to spinosad. The selected strains did not show cross-resistance to insecticides to with these strains were not exposed during selection experiments, i.e., strain selected with pirimiphos-methyl did not show cross-resistance to spinosad and permethrin. In the synergism bioassays, the synergists (S,S,S-tributyl phosphorotrithioate and piperonyl butoxide) significantly reduced resistance of the selected strain against insecticides to with these were selected, revealing the probability of metabolic mechanism of resistance. The present study revealed high risks of resistance development to pirimiphos-methyl, spinosad, and permethrin under consistent selection pressure. Lack of cross-resistance among insecticides provides an opportunity to use insecticides in rotation instead of increasing dosages to manage resistant insects that will ultimately pollute the environment.

The cost of postharvest losses in Ethiopia: economic and food security implications

This research was designed to estimate the food security and economic burdens of postharvest losses of important food and cash crops produced in Ethiopia. Data of food production, food values and consumption patterns as well as the number of severely and moderately food insecure persons were obtained from FAOSTAT database for Ethiopia. The food security implications of the postharvest losses in the country showed that a volume of crops that could feed over 23 million citizens could be saved with proper postharvest management. The economic meaning of the losses of major food and cash crops was 1.2 billion US dollars per annum, which literally is 10% of the average annual national budget of the country for the years 2018–2022. If the losses could be managed to be lower by 50%, it could have meaningfully contributed to the food and nutrition security as well as the GDP of the country. The approach used in the current analysis could be either adopted to generate clear data for awareness creation community education or it could be developed into a more robust model to estimate annual losses or food security and economic gain potentials.

Packaging design proposal motivated by the identification of damages in Andean blackberry (Rubus glaucus Benth)

Andean blackberry is a fruit recognized by its health benefits associated with its high content of bioactive compounds. However, it is also one of the most perishable fruits because it does not have a protective cuticle, and it shows high respiration and ethylene production rates. Furthermore, it is susceptible to microbiological attacks. During harvest and commercialization, the highest percentage of losses is caused by factors such as the maturity stage, harvest practices and containers, and marketing packages. The current work aims at studying the effect of the package on fruit quality, for which the harvested fruits were placed in clamshells, traditional wooden and plastic crates with a capacity of 7 kg. The quality of the fruit was evaluated by counting in situ, damage by bruising, cuts, deformations, microbiological attacks, missing of the peduncle, and non-uniform pollination. Damage analysis included the evaluation of different regression models considering information criteria and significant parameters (P ≤ 0.05). The use of traditional packages led to higher damage from cuts and bruises. Although in clamshells there was a higher probability of finding healthy fruits, a proposal for its redesign is proposed to guarantee a better quality and shelf life of the Andean blackberry fruits.

Postharvest quality and bioactive properties of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) stored in a low-cost and energy-free evaporative cooling system

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of low cost evaporative cooling system on the quality of two tomato cultivars, namely, 9065 jam and round tomatoes. Both the tomato cultivars were harvested from a smallholder farmer's field at Umsinga and stored for 20 days in one of the three storage conditions namely; cold room (CR), room temperature (RT) and evaporative cooling system (ECS) and sampling done every 5 days. The tomato samples were laid out as a factorial design with four replications. Results obtained proved that the storage conditions and storage period had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on the lycopene content (LC), antioxidants, total phenolic content (TPC) and ascorbic acid (AA) of the tomato samples. A decreasing trend with storage time was observed for antioxidants and TPC for both the cultivars whilst there was an increasing trend of AA and lycopene content on both the cultivars stored in the different storage conditions. Ascorbic acid was highest in samples stored in RT (0.173 mg/100g for round tomatoes; 0.172 mg/100g for 9065 jam tomatoes), second highest in samples stored under ECS (0.16 mg/100g for round; 0.17 mg/100g for 9065 jam) and lowest in samples inside the CR (0.11 mg/100g; 0.12 mg/100g for 9065 jam). Lycopene content was highest in samples stored in RT (45.31 mg/100g for round tomatoes; 52.9 mg/100g for 9065 jam tomatoes) second highest in samples stored under ECS (32.46 mg/100g for round tomatoes; 42.98 mg/100g for 9065 jam tomatoes) and lowest in samples inside the CR (14.16 mg/100g for round tomatoes; 8.79 mg/100g for 9065 jam tomatoes). Total phenolic content was highest in samples stored in CR (0.17 mg/100g GAE for round tomatoes; 0.19 mg/100g GAE for 9065 jam tomatoes) second highest in samples stored under ECS (0.124 mg/100g GAE for round tomatoes; 0.126 mg/100g GAE for 9065 jam tomatoes) and lowest in samples inside the RT (0.11 mg/100g GAE for round tomatoes; 0.12 mg/100g GAE for 9065 jam tomatoes). Antioxidant activities were highest in samples stored in CR (2.05 mg/100g for round tomatoes; 2.03 mg/100g for 9065 jam tomatoes), followed by samples stored under ECS (1.82 mg/100g for round tomatoes; 1.96 mg/100g for 9065 jam tomatoes) and lowest in samples inside the RT (1.02 mg/100g for round tomatoes; 1.07 mg/100 g for 9065 jam tomatoes). The correlation relationship among cultivars was positive and PCA proved that the cultivars were similar. Although CR provided the best storage condition for the investigated parameters, the results provided sufficient evidence that ECS can be the best method to increase shelf life in rural communities due to its association with cost reduction.

Influence of postharvest application of chitosan combined with ethanolic extract of liquorice on shelflife of apple fruit

BACKGROUND

Edible coatings are useful method that applied to preserve postharvest quality of production. The coatings can extend the shelf life of products and inhibit microbial growth. Chitosan based coatings are one of the best methods to prolong fruit and vegetable shelf life. The antimicrobial and other properties of chitosan are developed when it is combined with other functional ingredients.

METHODS

The effectiveness of chitosan, ethanolic extract of liquorice (LE) and complex of chitosan-liquorice extract (CHLE) was evaluated for controlling blue mold and extending shelf life in apples. The fruits were coated with chitosan(1.0%), LE (62.5 mg/ml) and CHLE coating, and stored at 25 °C. Quality properties of fruit (such as weight loss, firmness, total soluble solid content(TSS), titrable acidity and pH) and decay incidence were assessed on 0,1,4,7 and 14 days of incubation, respectively.

RESULTS

The results of experiments indicated that minimum of water loss(3.8%), TSS(14.53) and firmness(5.6 kg/cm² ) were in CHLE coated apples. In addition, this coating significantly inhibited penicillium expansum during the storage and the lowest decay incidence was for apples coated with CHLE(29 mm). Chitosan and LE coating retarded undesirable changes during postharvest storage and inhibited decay incidence compared with uncoated samples. There was no significant difference (p ≤ 0/05) between treatments and control overtime in terms of titrable acidity and pH levels.

CONCLUSIONS

The results reported here indicate importance and efficacy of CHLE coating in extending shelflife and reduction of postharvest losses of apple in storage time.