The assessment of the Bulb Size Impact in Onions Characteristics and Losses during Storage with Natural Ventilation

Postharvest losses of onions are classified as quantitative, i.e. reduction of the bulb weight as a result of water content losses, reduction of the dry matter content through the respiration process and qualitative related to the change of various ingredients content that affect the nutritional values and the taste of bulbs. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of bulb size on some quantitative and qualitative indicators at different time periods during storage with natural ventilation. 2.Material and Methods The experiment was carried in Korça region for the autochthonous cultivar of Miras and three bulb sizes were observed: small, medium and large, with diameters < 3cm, 3-5cm and >5cm respectively. Based on these data, the percentage of sparkling bulbs was determined.The data of the recorded parameters were subjected to statistical analysis of variance. 3.Results and Discussion Bulb weight loss during storage Data referring to the percentage of bulbs weight loss during the storage period are shown in Table 1. Storage variability among short-day onion cultivars under high temperature and high relative humidity, and its relationships with disease incidence and bulbs characteristics.