7 - part

* "'with"cloth lies'used for oranges in-, Turkey; Chemical -Applications '' j
rd plastic crata fofu ycleverly ,dessignd
S
hcrate?
durig o prvid rsd'Containers sackngj, supor fo ofit filedh
ri rovdeda e lst for f30Ochemicals p a us which nthe-Unite are currently
areh shouldbe Areused, disinfeted fre y Ths crs "e on wi at chemicalsr-' 'y
ctes ai- eiocularied ad fipped dcFay o o e used andce theadeca 'aigens hai
frut whichannot tolerate pressur och as: pe chemical chcntrhs, are al tabuel
strawberries and grapes, shallow trays or boxes The list includes Benomyl, Biphenyl, Secare
used'' butylamine (2-aminobutane), Calcium hypo.
Corrugated fiberboard boxes (cartons) are chlorite, Captan, Sodium dehydroacetate, 2,6­
- probably the ideal containers for fruit during Dichloro-4-nitroaniline, Formaldehyde, Imazalil,
shipping and marketing, The fiberboard can Methylene chloride, Potassium sorbate, 0 ,
be waxed to prevent it.absorbig moisture which phenylphenol, Sodium borate, Sodium dime.
would weaken the box. Since cartons are thyldithiocarbamate, Sodium hypochlorite,
expensive, growers and packers sometimes wish Sodmium-phenyiphenate, Sodium or potassium
to use them more than once. A grower in New bisulphate, Sulfur, Sulfur dioxide, Thiabendazole,
York State told me thathe was able to reuse Thiophanate-methyl, Thiram, Methyl chloroform,
his cartons five :times, since he delivered his Triforine, Zinc ion-maneb complex, Zinc pe -
produce directly to the same retail stores each troleum sulfonate and' Zirai,: Formaldehyde
time.: Some growers or packers collect used can only be used: for equipment and storage
cartons
valuable
which have
industrial
been used
and once for more
reuse 'oo&, them for
areas and Zinc petroleum s Ifonate can only
be used for baskets, boxes lor crates used in
fruit. There is nothing wroug in reusing these harvesting fruit. Other ch,-micals on the-,list
cartons, provided that theyae not contaminated can 'be applied directly 4io' various fruits and
with toxic substances,. However, before the other crops. ." ' '''
cartons are reused 'for fruit, adequate ventilation Very few chemicals are , available for
holes should be made in them. Inventing a simple postharvest insect control, Ethylene dibromide
tool which will' enable such users to make (EDB) has been used for quarantine treatment
ventilation holes in the used boxes would be against fruit fly, but its registration been .ha
very helpful. One common mistake made when withdrawn for most quarantine use in the 'United
packing 'fruit in a; carton or, some other States since 1984, Methyl bromide 'is another
container. is to overfill the container,, causing insect quarantine treatment, but is also' being
extra mechanical damage during stacking and considered for ,a lower' residue tolerance or,
shipping. 'possible withdrawal of registration. 'Satisfactory
When cartons are not available for economic alternative: chemicals, have not yet beenfound.i
or other reasons, materials such as wood, bamboo, .. Several growth regulators are either 'applied
or plastic can ,be' used. for making containers. postharvest to fruit, 'or 'are applied before birvest
If the shin distance is not very great, the for the purpose of reducing postharvest vsses
containers should be designed 'in such a way Davies" 1 has' reviewed the benefits of applying
that they. caneasily be returned and reused, to' ' 2,4-D, various gibberellins, and ethephon to
reduce costs. Containers~ often contribute a
significant 'share of th postharvest, handling'
citrus
fruits
fruit. Ethephon has been 'used on many
to enhance ripening. - Daminozide has
and marketing costs of fruit.' been used on apples to reduce preharvest'drop
7" .. 2
"