CAUSES OF DETERIORATION OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CROPS SOLD IN TAMALE, GHANA

A reconnaissance survey was conducted in the Tamale Metropolis of the Northern region of Ghana from January to May, 2010 to obtain information on the handling and storage of fruit and vegetable crops as well as the causes of deterioration. Open-ended questionnaires were pre-tested and administered in 5 communities namely, Aboabo, Lamashegu, Nyohini, Sakasaka and Tamale Central. Twenty sellers were randomly selected from each of the 5 communities; a total of 100 respondents were interviewed. Infected samples of some fruit and vegetable crops including carrot (Daucus carota), hot pepper (Capsicum frutescens), oranges (Citrus spp.), sweet pepper (Capsicum annum) and tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) were collected. Pathogens were isolated and identified in the Plant Pathology laboratory of the Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI). All the respondents were female but only 47% hadformal education. Most of them (67%) were youthful (15-45 years) while the rest (32%) were aged46-65years. Respondents used baskets (47%), wooden crates (40%) or paper cartons (13%) to cart their produce, which were either stored within the market premises (53%) or on cementedfloors in rooms (47%). Most sellers (53%) discarded deteriorated produce within the premises where they sell. Pests associated with produce in storage or on sale were mice, borers, termites, and ants while the common diseases were black rot, greasy spot, and citrus scab. Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, Botryodiplodia theobromae and Penicillium spp., were the fungi found associated with the rotten fruit and vegetable crops. Appropriate storage structures and containers should be made available to fruit and vegetable sellers as a way of minimising losses resulting from poor handling and storage. It would also be necessary to train sellers on postharvest management.