Envase y forma de almacenamiento adecuado para la coservación postcosecha del ajo irradiado y sin irradiar

The objective of this work was to evaluate both the type and the shape of packaging and a suitable storage method for the preservation of garlic bulbs. The « Criollo » garlic variety harvested from march to april in Guira de Melena was employed. Part of the product was beneficiated by cutting off its necks and selecting first quality bulbs which were packed in synthetic fiber net sacks containing 18 and 37 kg of product. The other part of the product with whole necks was tied in bunches containing 90-100 bulbs each. One half of the total sample of each treatment (7ton) was irradiated with a minimun dose of 80 to 90 Gy Cobalt-60 gammaradiations at the Food Irradiation Plant. The irradiated product was stored in rustic warehouse at the stocking center of Guira de Melena. The sacks were stored on wooden platforms, while the tied bunches were hung according to the traditional method. Periodical evaluation results obtained during an eleven months period showed that smaller total losses were obtained when the roduct was stored in the net sacks, containing 18 kg of loose bulbs, placed on the wooden platforms. This storage methods resulted in a reduction of losses ranging from 22% to 40 % in comparison with the tradicional methods of hung bunches. Nine different insect species were found of which Aceria tulipae and Ephestia cautella are the most to the Acarina order. It was observed that both Ephestia cautella Walker and Aceria tulipae Keifer showed the highest values of incidence or occurrence frequency, in both storage methods in relation with the number of analysed samples. When garlic bulbs are stored in 18 kg net sacks placed on wooden platform, an economic benefit of $77,64/t is obtained. By using the irradiation technology an economic benefit of $609,10/t is obtained. In both cases, the benefit is expressed by a reduction of losses during storage, including the social benefit resulting from the increased availabity of the product in the market with a good commercial quality. In the other hand, the introduction of these results in practice will have no adverse effects such as additional expenses in terms of storage faccilities.