22 Sep Pre- and Post-Harvest Practices to Minimize Storage Losses in Onion
प्याज के भंडारण में नुकसान को कम करने के लिए कटाई से पहले और बाद में अपनाए जाने वाले तरीके Onion is a vital vegetable crop with seasonal availability in India, cultivated across three distinct crop seasons: Kharif, Late-Kharif, and Rabi. The Rabi-harvested onions, available from April to May, are crucial for maintaining year-round supply and stabilizing market prices. Effective storage of these onions, which can last up to six months, is essential due to their semi-perishable nature. Onion is one of the most highly valued vegetable crops and is regularly consumed. However, it is a seasonal crop, and in India, it is cultivated in three crop seasons: Kharif, Late-Kharif, and Rabi. Kharif onion is available in the markets from October to December; Late-Kharif onion is available from January to March, while the Rabi crop is available from April to May. These Rabi-stored onions are used for domestic as well as export markets from May to October. Therefore, it is vital to successfully store Rabi-harvested onions (for nearly 6 months) to maintain the domestic supply and stabilize price fluctuations. Onion is semi-perishable, and storage losses occur due to weight loss, sprouting, and rotting. These losses are significantly influenced by various biotic and abiotic factors. Among biotic stresses, insect pests and pathogens can cause...