Background: Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) serves as a major food and income generation crop for millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa and Central America. However, post-harvest losses associated with this crop still remain a critical issue of concern in most developing countries. This study was therefore carried out to investigate the effect of hermetic and non-hermetic storage on cowpea in plastic containers in the tropics. The cowpeas were stored in hermetic and non-hermetic containers over a period of 12 weeks. The parameters evaluated were the moisture content, insect infestation, usable proportion, and 1000 grain mass in both hermetic and non-hermetic systems. Results:The moisture content in the hermetic containers increased slightly from 11.7 to 11.9% compared to a sharp increase from 11.7 to 17.2% in the non-hermetic plastic containers. From the fourth week to the twelfth week, the number of live insects drastically reduced to zero in the hermetic system. In the case of the non-hermetic containers, the population of live insects/100 g of grains increased from 5 on week 0-71 on the twelfth week. Also, the mass of 1000 grains reduced from 156.50 g on week 0-145.21 g in the non-hermetically stored grains, while the hermetically stored grains recorded a decrease to 148.95 g. Finally, the usable proportion of grains in the hermetic system declined from 98.55 to 94.80% after 12 weeks of storage as compared to the drop to 85.69% seen in the non-hermetic system. Conclusions:Based on our findings, it was further concluded that hermetic storage could offer a better way of storing cowpea as compared to the non-hermetic system.

Cassava has rapidly gained recognition as a very useful crop in Africa and other parts of the world, not just for its consumption domestically, but most importantly for its industrial use. Due to the rapid rate of deterioration, cassava needs to be processed almost immediately after harvest, and peeling is one of the first operations in cassava processing for human consumption. This has led to the development of several mechanical peeling equipment and processes. Therefore, the study reviews mechanical peeling of cassava and efforts at enhancing the adoption of the developed peelers. The review considered some cassava peeling equipment developed by researchers globally within the past decade. From the review, abrasive peeling is the most employed mechanism of peeling. The peelers were operated at peeling speeds in the range of 40 - 3000 rpm and had peeling efficiencies of 12.7 - 100 %, percentage flesh losses of 0 - 44 % and throughput capacities of 6.2 - 1440 kg/h. Generally, an increase in peeling drum speed resulted in a corresponding increase in throughput capacity in all the equipment. Additionally, peeling efficiency and percentage flesh loss in most of the peeling equipment also increased with an increase in peeling drum speed. Unsatisfactory performance and lack of understanding of the operation of the mechanical peeler were identified as possible hindrances to its adoption by processors. Further research is recommended to enhance the adoption and diffusion of mechanical peelers since it has the potential to boost cassava production and enhance industrial cassava processing.

Haden, Kent, Palmer, and Keitt mango varieties were studied to determine the time and harvest maturity indices appropriate for the export and local markets. Randomized complete block design was used with four replications. Five trees each of the four varieties were sampled at random in each of the four replications. Date of fruit-set was noted and sampled trees tagged accordingly.Haden, Kent, Palmer, and Keitt mango varieties were harvested at 112, 126, 133, and 140 days and at 126, 140, 147, and 154 days after fruit-set, for sea and air freights respectively; at 126, 140, 147, and 154 days and at 119, 133, 140, and 147 days after fruit-set, for local markets closer and farther away respectively. Fruit pulp colour, fruit indentation, pedicel colour, fruit peel, grooves at the stylar scar end of fruit, and starch concentration were determined in conjunction with fruit age at physiological maturity.

Haden, Kent, Palmer, and Keitt mango varieties were studied to establish the relationship of harvest time to 1) seasonal accumulated day-degrees or heat units (˚C), 2) daily rainfall amount (mm), and 3) physical fruit development attributes in order to fix maturity standards for export and local markets. Randomized Complete Block Design with four replications was used. In each case of Haden, Kent, Palmer, and Keitt varieties, physical fruit development attributes established as standard harvest maturity values were: weight (640 g, 836 g, 837 g, and 1104 g, respectively), length (16.31 cm, 16.19 cm, 21.22 cm, and 19 cm, respectively), width (30.97 cm, 33.47 cm, 30.86 cm, and 35.91 cm, respectively), volume (598 cm 3 , 807 cm 3 , 772 cm 3 , and 959 cm 3 , respectively), density (1.147 g/cm 3 , 1.076 g/cm 3 , 1.084 g/cm 3 , and 1.189 g/cm 3 , respectively), and indentation (0.25 cm, 0.49 cm, and 0.50 cm, respectively). The intensity of grooves around the stylar-scar end of Palmer fruits was studied and used as maturity index. Index values of 0.075 mls, 0.150 mls, 0.425 mls, and 0.116 mls, respectively, for Haden, Kent, Palmer, and Keitt varieties were recorded as latex exuded at harvest since these values tallied with the other physical harvest maturity index values, and also with those of rain fall and temperature values. Temperature, rainfall, and physical characteristics are therefore important non-destructive criteria for fixing maturity index values for mango fruits.