The Influence of Salt Solutions and Soil Interspace on the Fungal Counts of Stored Tomatoes in Cooling Structures

Abstract

Abstract-A study was conducted to study the Influence of salt solution and soil interspace on the total fungal counts of stored tomatoes in Cooling Structures. Three sets of four different types of passive evaporative cooling structures made of clay and aluminium. One set consists of four separate cooling chambers. Two cooling chambers were made with aluminium container (cylindrical and rectangular shapes) and the other two were made of clay container (cylindrical and rectangular). These four containers were separately inserted inside a bigger clays pot and inter-spaced with clay soil of 5 cm with the outside structure wrapped with jute sack. The other two sets followed the same pattern with interspacing of 7 cm and 10 cm respectively. The set with 7 cm interspace served as the control in which the interspace soil and the jute sack were wetted with water at room temperature. The other two sets were wetted with table salt solution. The fungal counts on the stored tomatoes were determined at interval for a period of sixteen days. The effects of the fungal counts on the weight and nutritional values of the produce were determined using ANOVA. Further analysis by DNMRT was carried out to compare the means. The total fungal counts of 13.7, 13.6, 13.0, 11.8 and 10.8 ppm were recorded for the tomatoes stored in 5 cm soil inter space while the total fungal counts of 13.7, 13.8, 12.7, 12.5 and 11.5 ppm were recorded in 7 cm soil interspace.while 14.3, 14.4, 13.4, 12.9 and 12.1 ppm were recorded in the 10 cm soil interspace.