Vol. 1, Issue 2, Part D (2015)

Abstract
Strawberry, although nonclimacteric, is one of the most perishable fruit. During ripening, various physiological, morphological, and compositional changes transform inedible strawberry fruit into a highly cherished fruit. Loss of chlorophyll, gain of anthocyanin, increase in sugars, ascorbic acid and pectin, and reduction in acidity, phenolic and cellulose occur during the ripening stage. Also, fruit softening due to disassembly of cell wall mainly due to dissolution of middle lamellae occurs during this phase. Finally, fruits are harvested at fully ripened stage for its markedly favorable organoleptic features. However, these desirable fruit characters are accompanied by high respiration and tissue softening rate, water loss and susceptibility to physical damage and, hence, fungus infestations, particularly Botrytis rot and Rhizopus rot. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to develop and strictly adhere to strawberry-specific postharvest management procedures to ensure fruit quality and quantity for longer period. This paper deals with all information regarding handling of strawberry including Harvesting, Precooling, Grading, Packaging and storage in brief to curb Post harvest losses.