COIMBATORE: Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) in collaboration with the University of Guelph, Canada has developed a basket of technologies which can reduce the post harvest losses to the tune of 10 to 15 per cent, which is an economic boon to India.

The technologies developed are pre-harvest spray or post harvest dip of hexanal formulation, hexanal vapour, nano-stickers, nano-pellets and nano-film developed from banana pseudostem.

Hexanal is a bio-molecule derived from plants possessing the capability of inhibiting phopholipase D enzyme and slowing down ethylene thereby shelf-life of fruits and vegetables get extended besides minimizing post-harvest losses, a TNAU release said on Wednesday.

All these technologies singly or in combinations can reduce the post-harvest losses to the tune of 10 to 15 per cent of the total about Rs. 2.40 lakh crore annually due to lack of proper harvesting, handling, transport of fruits and inadequate cold storage facilities in India.

A Rs.11.4 crore project ‘Enhanced Preservation of Fruits Using Nanotechnology’ jointly funded by Global Affairs Canada and International Development Research Center in TNAU for the last five years (2012-2018), was aimed to reduce the post harvest losses in fruits and vegetables, which is a global challenge, it said.

As part of project review, Consulate-General of Canada, Jennifer Daubeny will narrate the significance of Canadian funding in developing nanotechnologies to reduce post-harvest losses while enhancing the food security, at a workshop organised tomorrow at the University.

University Vice-chancellor Dr. K. Ramasamy will highlight TNAU’s role in knitting nanotechnology research framework and serving as a torch bearer in the country, at the workshop to be attended by 200 scientists and diplomats from Canada and, students, scholars and officials from TNAU.