The Effectiveness of Three Evaporative Structures for the Storage of Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato in the Coastal Savanna Zone of Ghana

Abstract

The study was conducted at University of Cape Coast Research Farm, Cape Coast, Ghana from September, 2014 to April, 2015. The objective of the study was to compare the effectiveness of three evaporative cooling structures; Brick-walled Evaporative Cooling Chamber (CC), Jute fabric-walled Hexagonal Evaporative Cooling Barn (HexB) and Brick-walled In-ground Evaporative Structure (InG) for the storage of sweet potato root tubers. The study also examined the effect of deficit irrigation and fertilizer application on the shelf life of OFSP roots. The evaporative storage structures reduced root decay, shrinkage, weight loss and weevil infestation in storage as compared to room storage. There was increase in sprouting of OFSP roots stored in evaporative storage structures. Brick walled cool chamber evaporative structure (CC) recorded lower root shrinkage, decay, weight loss and weevil infestation in storage than the other evaporative structures but increased tuber sprouting in storage. Roots from unfertilized plots decayed more severely than roots from fertilized plots in storage. Deficit irrigation resulted in insignificant reduction in percentage root decay.