From Farm to Consumer – Linking Crop Physiology and Production with Buyer-oriented Quality. I. Vegetables.

From Farm to Consumer – Linking Crop Physiology and Production

with Buyer-oriented Quality. I. Vegetables.

1 1 1 1 2

M.D. Kleinhenz , J.C. Scheerens , D.M. Francis , T.J.K. Radovich , D.G. French , A.

1 1 1 1 3 4

Gazula , A. Wszelaki , A. Sanchez-Vela , A.A.C. McIntyre , J. Delwiche , P. Ling ,

1 1

K. Amisi , and D.J. Doohan

1

Dept. of Horticulture and Crop Science, The Ohio State University, Ohio Agricultural

Research and Development Center, Wooster, Ohio, USA 44691-4096

2

formerly, College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio, USA 44691. Currently, Dept. of

Agricultural Education, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA 47907

3 Dept. of Food Science and Technology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio,

USA 43210-1086

4

Dept. of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, The Ohio State University,

Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster, Ohio, USA 44691-4096

E-mail: kleinhenz.1@osu.edu

Keywords: anthocyanin, antioxidant, chlorophyll, cultivar, hedonic, irrigation, lycopene,

management, organic, planting date, sensory, stress, vegetables, yellow shoulder

disorder

Abstract

Crop and product quality are based on the assignment of value to both by a

farmer, processor, wholesaler, or consumer. Physical, chemical, biological, sensory,

production method-based, and food safety- or human health-related characteristics

of the commodity may be used to assign value (i.e., rate quality). They may also

influence price and/or the frequency of initial or repeated purchase. Although crop

and product quality is increasingly important in the marketplace, many scientific

questions remain regarding mechanisms underlying its development and

maintenance at all levels of organization within the plant. Likewise, additional

questions persist regarding how crop or product quality may be managed during

production and after harvest for the potential benefit of farmers, processors,

wholesalers, consumers or others. Practical questions of immediate and long-term

importance, in particular, have driven integrated, multi-disciplinary efforts among

researchers in several departments within the College of Food, Agricultural and

Environmental Sciences at The Ohio State University to explore natural and human

forces which shape crop quality. We report here on a set of completed and ongoing

studies dealing with the separate and combined effects of biotic and abiotic factors

on vegetable crop quality. Numerous studies involving four crops (cabbage, Brassica

oleracea L., Capitata Group; lettuce, Lactuca sativa, L.; potato, Solanum tuberosum,

L.; tomatoes for processing, Lycopersicon esculentum, Mill.) grown in controlled

environments or the field, using conventional, organic, or transitional-organic

methods are discussed.

INTRODUCTION

Quality influences pricing and selection decisions made by wholesalers,

distributors, processors, consumers and others. The increase in number of quality-oriented

criteria and growing importance of quality in the marketplace suggest that more attention

should be given to defining quality in objective terms. To improve quality through

breeding, crop management and post-harvest handling, more must be known about

mechanisms driving quality and practices required to develop and maintain it at all stages

of crop production, processing, and distribution.

We summarize here numerous completed or ongoing studies exploring the

influences of production methods, genetics, and physiology on vegetable crop quality.

These studies help address practical considerations in the management of quality during

crop production and processing. They also provide firm rationale for additional study of

Proc. Int. Conf. Quality in Chains

Eds. Tijskens & Vollebregt 95