Studies on the Influence of Pre Harvest Treatments on Post Harvest Quality of Aggregatum Onion

An experiment was carried out to standardize preharvest treatments and storage technologies for long term storage of aggregatum onion (Allium cepa L. var. aggregatum) cv. CO(On)5". Thirteen pre harvest treatments using Cycocel, Ethrel and Kinetin were used individually and in combination with Ridomil were sprayed at different levels before 15 days and 30 days before harvest for improving the quality and storage life of aggregatum onion. Harvested bulbs were pre-cured under field for three days and shade for two days before curing. The separation of bulbs by retaining 2 cm neck length of the top leads to reduction in physiological loss in weight, sprouting and moisture content and improvement in quality character such as TSS and pyruvic acid content. Cured bulbs stored under low cost bottom ventilated storage structure improve quality parameters and shelf life of onion bulbs. Among the treatments, it was found that the application of Cycocel @ 200 ppm + Ridomil @ 0.2% at 30 days before harvest and storing with 2 cm neck length of bulbs in low cost bottom ventilated storage structure increases the shelf life of aggregatum onion cv. CO(On)5 up to six months.