Produce And Postharvest Management
- Agricultural Sciences
- 500 level
- 2 credit units
- 171 pages
- 15 units
This course on Produce and Postharvest Management provides a comprehensive understanding of postharvest handling practices. It covers climatic and soil factors affecting crop maturity, ripening, and senescence. Students will learn about physical and chemical indices of quality, storage techniques for various crop products, and ideal storage environments. The course also explores controlled environments for transit and long-term storage, operational equipment, and strategies for minimizing postharvest losses, ensuring quality and value for consumers.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 104 hours
- Maths
- Basic
- Content
- Theoretical, practical
- Practical work
- Yes
- Assignments
- Tutor marked assessments
- Final examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of CRP516, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
CRP516 · UNIT 2: SOIL FACTORS CONCERNING CROP MATURITY, RIPENING AND SENESCENCE
5.0 SUMMARY Climatic factors that influence plant growth development processes such as photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration, breaking of seed dormancy, seed germination, protein synthesis, and translocation; The roles of these factors in crop maturity, ripening and senescence have been pointed out. A deficiency or excess of the climatic factors may influence the growth and development of crops and postharvest quality.
What you should be able to do
- Understand the factors affecting crop maturity, ripening, and senescence.
- Identify and apply appropriate postharvest technologies for processing harvested crop produce.
- Implement strategies to extend the shelf-life of stored produce.
- Describe various postharvest practices for minimizing losses.
- Understand aspects of a controlled environment for transport and long-term storage.
- Identify and utilize various equipment and methods of crop storage.
What it prepares you for
- Postharvest Technologist
- Storage Manager
- Quality Control Inspector
- Agricultural Extension Officer
- Food Processing Technician
- Agriculture
- Food Processing
- Supply Chain Management
- Retail
- Export
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 3: Storage and Storage Life of Seeds, Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers and Other Crop Products
Unit 3: Fundamentals and Principles of Crop Products Processing and Storage
The unit covers a wide range of storage methods and techniques, requiring a comprehensive understanding of different preservation principles.
- Module 5: Principles of a Controlled Environment for Transit and Long Term Storage
Unit 2: Principles of Controlled Environment for Long Term Storage
Understanding the interplay between different gases and their effects on various commodities requires careful attention to detail.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 28 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Tropical Environment in Relation to Crop Maturity, Ripening and Senescence
Unit 1: Climatic Factors Concerning Crop Maturity, Ripening and Senescence · 2 hours
Define maturation, ripening, and senescence.. Describe the effects of climatic factors like rainfall and temperature on crop maturity.. Plan crop production considering climatic elements..
- Week 2Module 1: Tropical Environment in Relation to Crop Maturity, Ripening and Senescence
Unit 2: Soil Factors Concerning Crop Maturity, Ripening and Senescence · 2 hours
Explain the role of soil factors like soil air and moisture in crop maturity.. Discuss the influence of soil structure on soil aeration.. Understand the normal pH levels for optimal plant growth..
- Week 3Module 2: Physical and Chemical Indices of Quality in Seeds, Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers and Other Crop Products
Unit 1: Crop Maturity · 2 hours
Define crop maturity and provide examples of maturity indicators.. Discuss physiological maturity, harvest maturity, storage maturity, and commercial maturity.. Understand the importance of harvesting at the right maturity stage..
- Week 4Module 2: Physical and Chemical Indices of Quality in Seeds, Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers and Other Crop Products
Unit 2: Quality Indices of Crop Products · 2 hours
Define crop quality and outline quality indices.. Discuss the various areas of crop quality concerns that affect the consumer.. Understand the importance of appearance, firmness, flavor, and nutritional value..
- Week 5Module 2: Physical and Chemical Indices of Quality in Seeds, Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers and Other Crop Products
Unit 3: Maturity Indices of Crop Products · 2 hours
Describe the various maturity indexes for fruits and vegetables.. Explain the importance of maturity indices and their impact on shelf-life and quality.. Determine the maturity stage using subjective and objective maturity indices..
- Week 6Module 3: Storage and Storage Life of Seeds, Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers and Other Crop Products
Unit 1: Storage of Farm Produce · 2 hours
Define storage and state the reasons for storing farm produce.. State the different types of storage of farm produce.. Discuss the different types of storage and the bases for classifying them..
- Week 7Module 3: Storage and Storage Life of Seeds, Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers and Other Crop Products
Unit 2: Strategies for Reducing Post-Harvest Losses · 2 hours
Know the strategies for reducing post-harvest losses in cereal grains, roots and tubers, and fruits and vegetables.. Know the type of strategies to be adopted at different stages of the food system.. Understand the importance of proper harvesting, drying, and storage techniques..
- Week 8Module 3: Storage and Storage Life of Seeds, Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers and Other Crop Products
Unit 3: Fundamentals and Principles of Crop Products Processing and Storage · 2 hours
Define food processing and describe the basic principles of agricultural processing.. Describe the basic principles of agricultural storage and the different types of agricultural processing.. State the reasons for food processing and the dos and don'ts of crop storage..
- Week 9Module 3: Storage and Storage Life of Seeds, Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers and Other Crop Products
Unit 4: Fresh Storage of Fruits and Vegetables · 2 hours
Know the means that are commonly used to prevent spoilage of fruits and vegetables.. Know the procedures for fruit and vegetable preservation.. Describe a way of extending the shelf life of harvested fruits and vegetables..
- Week 10Module 3: Storage and Storage Life of Seeds, Fruits, Vegetables, Flowers and Other Crop Products
Unit 5: Storage and Shelf-Life Problems In Crop Products · 2 hours
Describe problems of crop storage and methods of shelf-life extension.. Know the agents that cause deterioration in stored grain and the biological factors that cause deterioration in horticultural crops.. Know the technical methods of reducing crop deterioration..
- Week 11Module 4: Ideal Environment for Storage
Unit 1: Environmental Factors Affecting Post-Harvest Life of Crop Produce · 2 hours
Discuss the environmental factors that affect the post-harvest life of crop produce.. Convert between wet basis and dry basis moisture contents of crops.. Know the recommended moisture content for long-term storage of grains in hot regions..
- Week 12Module 4: Ideal Environment for Storage
Unit 2: Store Environment and Treatment · 2 hours
Understand the requirements of a good store for the storage of harvested products.. See the need for proper store hygiene and the need for regular store checks.. Appreciate the need for and methods of store disinfection..
- Week 13Module 5: Principles of a Controlled Environment for Transit and Long Term Storage
Unit 1: Principles of Controlled Environment for Transit · 2 hours
Have a clear understanding of the factors that affect the quality of products during transportation.. Explain hygiene in a transport system and distinguish the factors that govern the selection of mode of transport.. Understand how to handle the whole sale and retail outlets..
Unit 2: Principles of Controlled Environment for Long Term Storage · 2 hours
Define Modified Atmosphere (MA) storage.. Understand the most commonly used systems of controlled atmosphere storage.. Know the technical problems that hindered the use of CA transportation in the past..
Preparing for the exam
- Create detailed notes summarizing key concepts from each unit, focusing on factors affecting maturity and storage.
- Develop flowcharts outlining the steps in different storage and preservation methods (e.g., canning, drying).
- Practice solving problems related to moisture content calculations and temperature management.
- Review case studies of successful postharvest management strategies in different crops and climates.
- Focus on understanding the biological processes (respiration, ethylene production) and how they influence storage life.
- Create flashcards for key terms and definitions related to quality indices and storage environments.
- Prioritize studying units covering postharvest losses and strategies for minimizing them, as this is a core area.
- Practice applying the principles of controlled environments to specific storage scenarios.
- Review all Tutor Marked Assignments (TMAs) and identify areas needing further clarification.
- Create concept maps linking environmental factors (temperature, humidity) to their impact on crop quality and storage life.
Questions students ask about this course
What is CRP516 about?
This course on Produce and Postharvest Management provides a comprehensive understanding of postharvest handling practices. It covers climatic and soil factors affecting crop maturity, ripening, and senescence. Students will learn about physical and chemical indices of quality, storage techniques for various crop products, and ideal storage environments. The course also explores controlled environments for transit and long-term storage, operational equipment, and strategies for minimizing postharvest losses, ensuring quality and value for consumers.
How many units does CRP516 have?
CRP516, Produce And Postharvest Management, has 15 units across 6 modules, over 171 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
How many credit units is CRP516?
CRP516 carries 2 credit units, at 500 level in Agricultural Sciences.
Is CRP516 hard?
CRP516 is rated intermediate level, with basic mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical and practical work, and it has a practical component.
How long does CRP516 take to study?
About 104 hours of study, spread across its 15 units.
How is CRP516 assessed?
CRP516 is assessed by assignments, tutor marked assessments and final examination.
What can I do with CRP516?
Postharvest Technologist, Storage Manager, Quality Control Inspector, Agricultural Extension Officer and Food Processing Technician.