Evaluation of Commercial Bleach and Packing Materials as a Management Option of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) Rotting Disease in Eastern Ethiopia
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Tomato is a very perishable vegetable with a short shelf-life in many parts of the world including Ethiopia. Experiments were conducted to evaluate effect of commercial bleach and packing materials as a management option of these diseases. Eight levels of storage structures integrated with three levels of washing were evaluated. Among management options the highest (68.88%) mean marketable fruits were obtained from treatments washed with bleach, rinsed in water, dried and stored in plastic boxes without plastic lining. The highest incidence (89.74%) and percent severity index (67.2%) was recorded on unwashed fruits stored in traditional basket lined with polyethylene sheet, where as the lowest was from fruits washed with bleach, rinsed in water, dried and stored with plastic box without polyethylene sheet lining. Washing of fruit with bleach, rinsing in water, drying and storing in plastic box without polyethylene sheet lining was found to be the best management option. This treatment provided the highest net profit of 1298.5 Ethiopia Birr/box with marginal rate of return of 11.6% and marginal benefit of 820.5 Birr/box. In conclusion, washing of fruits with bleach, rinsing in water, drying and storing in plastic box without polyethylene sheet lining was found to be the most effective management option. However, further studies are important to evaluat other manegement options for fruit rotting fungi.
Source: Advances in Applied Sciences
Author: Reshid Abdirshikur
Institution: Wolkite University
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4411855621