Crop and Pasture Post Harvest Technologies

Post-harvest technologies for crops and pastures encompass a continuum of practices designed to retain nutritional, sensory and safety attributes of agricultural products from the moment of harvest through distribution and consumption. Key elements include mechanised and manual harvesting methods optimised for varietal and climatic conditions; pre-treatments such as blanching, chemical or biological dips to suppress sprouting and microbial growth; and a spectrum of dehydration techniques—from traditional sun and shade drying to convective hot-air, microwave-assisted and freeze-drying—to stabilise moisture and preserve bioactive compounds. Storage innovations range from hermetic bags and aerated silos to full cold-chain logistics and controlled or modified atmosphere systems that slow respiration, inhibit pests and delay senescence. Packaging solutions, including baleage, pelleting and densified feed blocks, enable efficient transport and on-farm feeding of bulky forages, while sensor networks, non-invasive diagnostics and computational models support real-time monitoring of temperature, humidity and gas composition. Together, these technologies form an integrated post-harvest value chain that mitigates losses, enhances food security and reduces environmental impact across global agricultural systems.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent work has quantified how specific dehydration methods shape the yield and chemical profile of aromatic crops. Convective shade and microwave-assisted drying of oregano markedly elevated the proportion of carvacrol—its principal bioactive terpenoid—while reducing less stable monoterpenes, thereby offering a path to tailor essential-oil chemotypes for medicinal or flavouring applications. In parallel, simple organic acids have emerged as low-toxicity, cost-effective sprout suppressants in potato storage. Trials with maleic and l-tartaric acids demonstrated up to six-week inhibition of tuber bud growth at ambient temperature, without compromising moisture content or tuber appearance, providing an environmentally benign alternative to conventional chemical inhibitors.

Crop and Pasture Post Harvest Technologies publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in crop and pasture post harvest technologies across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Transcriptomics: The comprehensive study of all RNA transcripts in a cell or tissue, used to elucidate gene-expression changes under specific conditions.

Volatilomics: Analysis of volatile organic compounds emitted by biological samples, employed to detect metabolic shifts or disease markers.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive molecules, such as hydrogen peroxide, generated by stress or wounding that can signal defence pathways or cause cellular damage.

Quiescent infection: A latent stage of pathogen colonisation in harvested produce that remains asymptomatic until storage conditions induce disease.

Hermetic storage: Airtight containment of grain or produce in moisture- and oxygen-limited conditions to prevent insect infestation and microbial spoilage.

Controlled atmosphere storage: Postharvest technique that regulates oxygen and carbon dioxide levels to slow respiration and delay ripening in perishable commodities.

References

1. Impact of drying methods on the yield and chemistry of Origanum vulgare L. essential oil. Scientific Reports (2022).
2. Maleic and l-tartaric acids as new anti-sprouting agents for potatoes during storage in comparison to other efficient sprout suppressants. Scientific Reports (2021).
3. Transcriptomic and volatilomic profiles reveal Neofabraea vagabunda infection-induced changes in susceptible and resistant apples during storage. Postharvest Biology and Technology (2024).
4. Reactive oxygen species turnover, phenolics metabolism, and some key gene expressions modulate postharvest physiological deterioration in cassava tubers. Frontiers in Microbiology (2023).
5. Harvest and Conservation.