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Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat

Assam Agricultural University is the first institution of its kind in the whole of North-Eastern Region of India. The main goal of this institution is to produce globally competitive human resources in farm sectorand to carry out research in both conventional and frontier areas for production optimization as well as to disseminate the generated technologies as public good for benefitting the food growers/produces and traders involved in the sector while emphasizing on sustainability, equity and overall food security at household level. Genesis of AAU - The embryo of the agricultural research in the state of Assam was formed as early as 1897 with the establishment of the Upper Shillong Experimental Farm (now in Meghalaya) just after about a decade of creation of the agricultural department in 1882. However, the seeds of agricultural research in today’s Assam were sown in the dawn of the twentieth century with the establishment of two Rice Experimental Stations, one at Karimganj in Barak valley in 1913 and the other at Titabor in Brahmaputra valley in 1923. Subsequent to these research stations, a number of research stations were established to conduct research on important crops, more specifically, jute, pulses, oilseeds etc. The Assam Agricultural University was established on April 1, 1969 under The Assam Agricultural University Act, 1968’ with the mandate of imparting farm education, conduct research in agriculture and allied sciences and to effectively disseminate technologies so generated. Before establishment of the University, there were altogether 17 research schemes/projects in the state under the Department of Agriculture. By July 1973, all the research projects and 10 experimental farms were transferred by the Government of Assam to the AAU which already inherited the College of Agriculture and its farm at Barbheta, Jorhat and College of Veterinary Sciences at Khanapara, Guwahati. Subsequently, College of Community Science at Jorhat (1969), College of Fisheries at Raha (1988), Biswanath College of Agriculture at Biswanath Chariali (1988) and Lakhimpur College of Veterinary Science at Joyhing, North Lakhimpur (1988) were established. Presently, the University has three more colleges under its jurisdiction, viz., Sarat Chandra Singha College of Agriculture, Chapar, College of Horticulture, Nalbari & College of Sericulture, Titabar. Similarly, few more regional research stations at Shillongani, Diphu, Gossaigaon, Lakhimpur; and commodity research stations at Kahikuchi, Buralikson, Tinsukia, Kharua, Burnihat and Mandira were added to generate location and crop specific agricultural production packages.

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20151
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Subject: Horticulture × Author: Bhuyan, Namita × End date: 2019 × Type: Thesis ×
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    ThesisItemOpen Access
    Uni-packaging for shelf life extension of Khasi mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco.
    (AAU, 2015) Bhuyan, Namita; Baruah, P. C.
    A laboratory experiment was carried out in the Quality Control and PHT Laboratory, Department of Horticulture, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat during 2012-2014, to study the effect of packaging materials, storage conditions and different altitudes on quality and storability of Khasi mandarin. The fruits were harvested at physiologically mature, i.e. colour break stage from three different altitude viz., relatively high altitude, medium altitude and low altitude. Healthy fruits were treated with 100 ppm sodium hypo chloride solution for 2 minutes. After drying the fruits in shade, fruits were uni-packed in different perforated packaging films viz., low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyolefin films. The film-packed fruits were then stored under ambient (22-27°C and 70-75% RH), A.A.U developed semi-underground evaporative cool chamber (17-24°C and 89-90% RH) and cold storage conditions (6°C and 68-72% RH). The various physico-chemical and sensory attributes of fruits were recorded at weekly intervals during the entire storage period. Among the packaging materials, fruits packed in perforated HDPE films retained the highest sensory and nutritional quality (ascorbic acid, total carotenoid and pectin content) with slow and steadier change in the respiration rate, ethylene evaluation, PME activity, moisture content, titrable acidity and weight loss as compared to control (unpacked fruits). In all the packaged fruits under different storage conditions, the value of CCI (Citrus colour index) increased with progress of storage period. Fruit packed in perforated HDPE films under cold storage registered lower CCI value (1.66) compare to other packaging materials and storage conditions. Highest value was recorded in unpacked fruits (3.01) under cold storage condition. Higher amount of juice per cent was found in low altitude fruits but acidity and vitamin C was lower as compared to high altitude fruits. From the sensory quality study, it was observed that higher and medium altitude fruits packaged with perforated HDPE films scored the highest values on colour, texture, flavour and overall acceptability under all the storage conditions during the entire storage period. The lowest acceptability and sensory quality was registered in lower altitude fruits without packaging films. Individual Khasi mandarin fruit packed with perforated HDPE films can be successfully stored for 32 days under ambient condition, 40 days under evaporative cool chamber and 59 days under cold storage condition with highly acceptable sensory quality. The control (unpacked) fruits, on the other hand, maintained postharvest shelf life of 15, 28 and 37 days under ambient condition, evaporative cool chamber and cold storage condition, respectively. These results indicate that use of perforated HDPE films can prolong the shelf life by maintaining quality attributes and external appearance of Khasi mandarin fruits and hence extend their marketing period.