Post Harvest Handling of Pumpkins:

Handling:

Pumpkins are handled in bulk. When harvested, they are loaded into bulk bins directly from the field or loaded directly to transport vehicles. Handle pumpkins from the bottom and carefully arrange the fruits in bins to protect the stem and other pumpkins from puncture wounds. Punctures and bruising will compromise the long-term storage qualities of the fruit. Pumpkins should placed in a single layer where they do not touch each other. Good air circulation helps to prevent moisture from forming on the surfaces of the fruit and retards the growth of decay fungi and bacteria. Placing the pumpkins in piles generates unwanted heat, which may result in the rotting of some fruit.

Containers:

Wooden bulk bins: Large bins are able hold large quantities but pumpkins are heavy causing injury to neighboring produce if handled roughly. This encourages too much produce in bins, resulting in surface damage. It also requires a forklift; this is not practical in Trinidad. 

Plastic crates: These are commonly used to harvest and transport the pumpkins. They are durable and easily clean and sanitized. These are preferable in harvesting and transporting pumpkins.

Field Pre-cooling:

Typically trailers and pick-ups are used in the field to load produce after harvesting. It is recommended that these should be padded and an appropriate cover should be used to prevent direct scorching of the fruit from the sun’s rays.

After fruits are harvested they should be moved to a shaded area away from direct sunlight and high temperatures. The field shed should be situated away from direct sunlight. A polyethylene plastic spread on the floor prevents contaminants from the field to shed and reduces deterioration.

Pre-cooling for 4-6 hours after harvesting helps maintain quality of the fruit.

• Cold water dip: Pumpkins placed in cold water at a temperature of 13 to 15 0C removes field heat.Once water is used for pre-cooling, the fruits should be dried immediately as excess moisture can promote fungal infections.

The objective of curing is to prolong the storage life of the fruit by slowing the rate of respiration and protecting against storage rots. Fruits should be dry before entering storage.
Lowering the temperature most effectively controls respiration rate. For each 10 0C reduction in fruit temperature, the respiration rate reduces by approximately one half. Curing promotes wound healing by producing corky tissues, hardening of the skin, heal surface cuts and ripening of immature fruits. Relative humidity (air moisture) has little effect on respiration, a relatively high level (70 to 75%) is needed to protect against excessive shriveling. Relative humidity greater than 85% can enhance disease development and shortens storage life.
Curing can be done on the field with protection from the sun by placing under leaves before handling and stacking into bins or wagons will help to harden the skin after harvesting. A shed situated away from the field, protected from rain and sunlight can store the pumpkins during curing. Temperatures not exceeding 30  0C for 3-5 days promote curing of pumpkins.
Ideally, when storing pumpkins, place them in a single layer but practically not exceeding 5 units high for proper airflow.  Good air circulation helps to prevent moisture from forming on the surfaces of the fruit and retards the growth of decay, fungi and bacteria. Placing pumpkins in piles generates unwanted heat, which may result in the rotting of some fruit. Periodically check pumpkins in storage and discard any fruit, which show signs of decay.

Transportation:

Transport vehicles should be clean, padded at the bottom to prevent bruises and wounds while transporting. Pumpkin of the same size should be transported together to reduce friction and bruising of the fruits. It is recommended to pad between each layer.

Transport to the packinghouse should be done in the cooler parts of the day to prevent over heating. Loaded field vehicles should be parked in shaded area to prevent warming and sunburns. During transportation, fruits should be covered and taken directly to the packinghouse to reduce the risk of potential contamination that may occur between field and pack-house/ storage facility. Pumpkins are then transported to packinghouse.

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