Vol. 6, Issue 2, Part B (2024)

This study investigated the impact of post-harvest curing duration and storage conditions on the physicochemical quality, physiological stability, and disease incidence of Sudanese onion (Allium cepa L.) cultivars. Three major cultivars—‘Saggai’, ‘Gadam El-Hamra’, and ‘Abu Sabein’—were subjected to varying curing methods (field curing for 7, 10, and 14 days, and shed curing for 10 days) and subsequently stored under three environments: ambient ventilated (30-35 °C; 50-60% RH), evaporatively cooled (22-25 °C; 70-75% RH), and low temperature (5 ± 1 °C; 70-80% RH). Physicochemical parameters including mass loss, total soluble solids (TSS), reducing sugars, pyruvic acid (pungency), and total phenolics were periodically evaluated over a 150-day storage period, along with assessments of sprouting and Botrytis neck rot incidence. Results revealed that both curing duration and storage environment significantly influenced bulb storability and quality attributes (p < 0.01). Optimized curing (14-day field or 10-day shed curing) combined with low-temperature storage markedly reduced mass loss (≈ 8%), sprouting (≤ 8%), and neck rot (< 4%) while preserving TSS and pyruvate levels throughout storage. Evaporatively cooled storage provided a comparable yet economically feasible alternative under local climatic constraints. Cultivar differences were also pronounced; ‘Gadam El-Hamra’ exhibited higher sprouting and weight loss, whereas ‘Saggai’ and ‘Abu Sabein’ demonstrated superior resistance to physiological and pathological stress. The study concludes that integrating optimized curing with low-temperature or evaporative storage significantly enhances bulb quality, reduces post-harvest losses, and extends shelf life.