Post-Harvest Pest Management of Perishables: A Review

Fruits and Vegetables constitute 90 per cent of the total horticulture production in India. The post-harvest losses in fruits and vegetables account for almost 30-40 per cent which is adversely affecting the country’s economy in terms of foreign exchange. In addition to poor harvesting practices, pest infestations as a result of improper storage and transportation contribute to significant losses. Several changes in taste, color, flavor, texture and appearance take place in the harvested fruits and vegetables making them unacceptable for the export market. Therefore, post-harvest losses and preservation of quality have become major issues which need to be addressed to meet the growing domestic and international market demands. This article reviews the common insect pests attacking the perishables and the various Physical/Chemical/ Non-chemical and combination treatments available to prevent pest infestation, thereby improving the post-harvest shelf-life and quality of the perishables. These treatments if assessed and deployed properly, will help India to build a momentum in rapidly emerging export markets.