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Sweetpotato post-harvest assessment: experiences from East Africa. Chapter 5. Extending root shelf-life during marketing by cultivar selection

Published by:
Publication date
30/05/2003
Number of Pages
16
Language:
English
Type of Publication:
Books
Focus Region:
Sub-Saharan Africa
Focus Topic:
Agricultural Value Chains / Agri-Businesses
Market / Trade
Type of Risk:
Market-related
Commodity:
Crops
Source
http://www.dfid.gov.uk/r4d/PDF/Outputs/R7520o.pdf
Author
Rees, D.; Kapinga, R.E.; Mtunda, K.; Chilosa, D.; Mbilinyi, L.B.; Rwiza, E.J.; Kilima, M.; Kiozya, H.; Amour, R.; Ndondi, T.; Chottah, M.; Mayona, D.; Tomlins, K.I.; Aked, J.; Carey, E.E.; Van Oirschot, Q.E.A.

Sweetpotato storage roots can be stored under controlled environments for several months. For example, in the USA, when roots are stored at temperatures of 13–15 ºC and high relative humidity, they can be kept for up to a year (Picha, 1986). The use of temperature-controlled storage of sweet potatoes is usually not economically feasible in tropical developing countries. However, even in the absence of temperature control, storage for 3–4 months has been demonstrated, where roots are selected carefully and stored in traditional pits or clamps in which high humidity is naturally maintained (Hall and Devereau, 2000; van Oirschot et al., 2000).