LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET

Quarter 4 -Week 5-LAS 1-2

Name: _______________________ Grade and Section: _________________ Score: ________

Teacher: _____________________ Learning Area: _____________________ Date: ________
:
Postharvest Treatment to a Certain Crops
Title
Factors Affecting Quality of Harvest
: Not Available/ CG ACP TLE_AFAACP9-12CHPO-IIj-IIIai-31
Properly handle crops according to postharvest treatment
Melc with Code Harvest crops based on maturity indices and characteristics
affecting harvest quality
Harvest crops while observing Phil GAP principles
References for the Learners : Competency Based Learning Material from TESDA
Background Information for Learners
Postharvest treatments generally consist in cleaning, selecting, grading, and packing of the fresh
produce. However, some crops necessitate special handling or treatments. Root crops, such as
potatoes and some tropical root crops, may require having their roots cured prior to long-term storage.

PRE –HARVEST AND POST- HARVEST

A pre-harvest system may be defined as a system of existing technologies for agricultural raw
materials production. In the system of traditional agriculture that predominates in developing countries,
pre- and post-harvest technologies are usually of different social and economic structure.

Postharvest handling is the stage of crop production immediately following harvest, including cooling,
cleaning, sorting, and packing. Postharvest treatment largely determines final quality, whether a crop
is sold for fresh consumption, or used as an ingredient in a processed food product.

ACTIVITES DURING AND AFTER HARVESTING

1. Sorting
2. Grading
3. Packing
4. Transport of produce to storage or market
All these actions influence the product quality. It also plays a role whether the product is transported
shortly after harvesting or it stays on the farm for a longer time, which drastically affects the fruit's
quality.

MAJOR CAUSE OF CROP DETERIORATION

1. growth and activities of micro-organisms, principally bacteria, yeasts, and molds.
2. activities of natural food enzymes
3. insects, parasites, and rodents
4. temperature, both heat and cold
5. time

Postharvest diseases are major factors that contribute to quality loss of crops stored at low
temperatures for more than 7 days.

FACTORS AFFECTING POST-HARVEST LIFE OF CROPS

1. water content
2. respiratory rate
3. ethylene production
4. endogenous plant hormones
5. exogenous factor (microbial growth, temperature, relative humidity, and atmospheric compositions.)
POSTHARVEST TREATMENT
1. Some crops should be washed in cold running water immediately after they are harvested to remove
any soil, dust, or other contaminants and to help lower their temperature.
2. Pre-cooling after harvest
3. Cleaning or disinfecting
4. Sorting and grading
5. Packaging
6. storage
KEYS PROTECTING THE QUALITY OF PRODUCE AFTER HARVEST
1. Temperature
2. Moisture
3. Ventilation
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Learning Activity #1
Instruction: Answer what is asked.

1.What is the importance of post-harvest treatment to crops? Elaborate your answer.

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Activity 2. MATCHING TYPE: Match Column A with Column B, write the letter of your answer on the
space provided below.
COLUMN A COLUMN B
___1. Pre-harvest system a. protects quality of produce after harvest
___2. Post-harvest diseases b. good agricultural practices
___3. Post –harvest treatment c. contributes to quality loss of the product
___4. Ventilation d. pre-cooling after harvest
e. existing technologies from agricultural raw
materials production
Background Information for Learners
Characteristics Affecting Harvest Quality
Quality of fresh fruits and vegetables is generally based on the chemical composition or physical
characteristics or a combination of these two factors. Attributes of interest to the consumers are visual
appearance, texture/firmness, sensory, nutritional and food safety. To guarantee quality produce at
harvesting period, the following factors should be considered: maturity, method, and time.
1. Importance of Harvesting at the Proper Stage of Maturity

a. Full development of chemical constituents responsible for aroma and flavor, hence the fruits have
better taste and appearance.
b. Maximum respiratory substrates and metabolic reserves are fully developed thus; longer shelf or
storage life will be attained.
c. Less stomates (natural openings in fruit which is responsible for gas exchange and water loss) and
emergences (trichomes or hairy outgrowths on the fruit surface) are found in commodity, therefore
there will be minimal water loss.
d. Full development of suberized skin (potato) or protective tissue (onion) therefore, it has greater
resistance to mechanical stress, to decay and less transpiration.
2. Appropriate Method
The crop type and expected harvest volume will determine the harvesting method that is to be used,
either manual or mechanical. Also, labor that will do the task in harvesting should have the skills and
considerations in the importance of maintaining the quality of produce during harvest, so proper harvest
technique is required.

3. Time of Harvest
Time of harvesting fruits and vegetables include not only the proper maturity stage but also the actual
time of the day or condition of the environment at the time of harvest. Crops must be harvested when
it can tolerate the rigors of harvesting, handling, packing, storage, and transportation.
a. Sweet corn – the best time is early morning or late in the afternoon to preserve the sweetness. Sugar
is easily transformed to starch during high temperatures or when harvested at noontime.
b. Cucumber – to avoid too much bruising and mechanical injuries, harvest them at 9:00 to 3:00 in the
afternoon, during this time cucumber are less brittle and not very susceptible to handling.
c. Tomatoes – tomatoes harvested during cooler part of the day have slower rate of ripening that is why
after this must be placed in shade.
d. Leafy vegetables – should be harvested during mid-morning, since at the earliest part of the day the
tissues are brittle and susceptible to mechanical damage.
e. Citrus – fresh are harvested late in the morning to avoid oleocellosis. Early in the morning, the oil
glands are full and susceptible to hand pressure while harvesting, the oil exudes out produces this
damage.
f. Mangoes – late morning harvest, latex exudes during the early period of morning while cells are
turgid.
Harvesting Fruit Trees
Fruit trees are either climacteric and non-climacteric which means some fruits can be harvested ripe
but others need to be harvested during its green stage then after ripening will follow, this is done to
ensure its quality. The following are some practices in harvesting fruit trees:
a. Mango – Harvesting is done manually through manual picking and for large and tall trees, use of
picking pole is recommended.
b. Banana – Harvesting of banana is done manually through the use of sharp bolo by cutting the bunch
from the tree.
c. Citrus – Harvesting of citrus can be done manually through the use of clipper. This clipper is used to
cut the stem as close to the button or calyx, as possible without injuring the shoulder of the fruit.
Points to Consider During Crops Harvesting
During harvest, the following should be noted:
Produce should be handled with care to avoid injury and damage.
Market demands in terms of size and stage of maturity should be considered.
Containers and harvesting tools should be clean and free from rough edges.
Stackable and nestable plastic crates could be used as field containers during harvest. Plastic crates
are durable, reusable and can easily be cleaned.
The harvesters should be properly trained on harvesting methods and proper stages of maturity.
Produce that has fallen or touched the ground should not be harvested.
Shade should be provided over the harvested produce to prevent heat and sun damage and reduce
nutritional degradation.
Suitable time of harvesting horticultural produce is the early morning.
The harvesting tools and equipment should be disinfected with chlorine water.

Associated Hazards in Harvesting

Inappropriate maturity at harvest (over ripening increases sensitivity to quality decay; immature fruits
market rejection).
Inappropriate harvest technique (mechanical damages – physical injuries).
Climatic conditions at harvesting (free water, exposure of products to direct sunlight).
Harvesting wet products (increase sensitivity to quality decay).
Inappropriate harvesting containers (physical injuries).

Basic Principles of Tender-Loving Care (TLC) in Harvesting

Even after harvest, crops are alive; metabolism continues until it deteriorates. To ensure crops tissues
to function normally even if it is separated from the mother plant, TLC is needed.
The crop possesses the following characteristics:
a. Need metabolic energy to keep tissues alive
b. Have a high water content
c. Undergo programmed changes
d. React to adverse environmental conditions
e. Rich in nutrients needed by microorganisms
Carry-out the following physiological processes:
a. Respiration (giving-off energy)
b. Transpiration (loss of water)
c. Senescence (growing old)

Attributes of interest to the consumers are:

1. visual appearance
2. texture/firmness
3. sensory
4. nutritional
5. food safety
The purpose of this work is to spread the basic concepts of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) to
guide the production systems towards a sustainable agriculture and ecologically safe, obtain harmless
products of higher quality, contribute to food security generating income through the access to markets
and improve working conditions of producers and their families.
GAP is a set of principles, regulations, and technical recommendations applicable to production,
processing, and food transport, addressing human health care, environment protection and
improvement of worker conditions and their families.
Who benefit from the GAPs?
1. Farmers and their families that will obtain healthy and good quality food to assure their nutrition and
nourishment, generating a value added in their products to access markets in a better way.
2. Consumers that will enjoy better and safe quality food, with sustainable production.
3. The population in general, that will benefit from a better environment
Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) are ways that produce growers can prevent on-farm
contamination of fruits and vegetables. GAPs are a new way of thinking about food safety. Agriculture
practices are also used to maximize the farm produce in different ways and quality production.
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Activity #1
MULTIPLE CHOICE: Choose the letter of your answer according to your knowledge,
understanding and experience. Write the letter of your answer on the space provided.

_____1. One of the following is not a quality of fresh fruits and vegetables based on the chemical or
physical characteristics or a combination of the two factors.
a. Visual appearance b. nutritional and food safety c. Texture/firmness d. price of the product

_____2. Which of the following refers to the harvesting of fruits beyond the right time of harvest?
a. premature harvesting b. maturity c. delayed harvesting d. none of the above
_____3. The following are characteristics of fresh fruits except;

a. Skin and flesh color b. absence of defects c. Uniformity of size and weight d. turgidity
_____4. What should you do to avoid damages during harvesting?

a. Observe and apply the principles of TLC b. Harvest any time of the day
c. Place the produce anywhere in the area d. Use collecting baskets without liners
____5. What is the importance of stacking and storing vegetables in a cool and dry place?

a. Maintain the freshness of the produce b. Shorten the shelf life of the produce
c. Increase losses d. Protect from insect damage
Enumerate the principles of TLC?

1.
2.
3.

Activity # 2: Answer what is asked.

1. What are the factors to be considered to guarantee a quality produce? Explain your answer.

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Activity 3. Complete the following statements.

1. I have learned that

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2. I have realized that

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Prepared by: Maria Lourdes D. Oracion