Department of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences

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Browsing Department of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences by Author "Shibairo, Solomon I."

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    The physico-chemical characteristics and some nutritional values of vegetable amaranth sold in Nairobi-Kenya
    (Taylor & Francis, 2008) Onyango, Cecilia M.; Shibairo, Solomon I.; Imungi, Jasper K.; Harbinson, Jeremy
    Twenty one major supermarkets and ten independent green grocers in the city of Nairobi were surveyed for types of vegetable amaranths sold and their post harvest handling. The nutrient composition of the vegetables was also analyzed. In addition, information on three other traditional leafy vegetables (TLVs) namely, Cleome gynandra, Solanum nigrum, and Vigna unguiculata was obtained. All the vegetables were sold in bundles of average weight 0.45 kg. The edible fraction per bundle averaged 38.9%. Chemical analys showed that vegetable amaranth had a moisture content of 85.5%, therefore a dry matter content of 14.5%. Expressed on dry matter basis, the mean total ash content was 19.2%, crude protein content 26.1% and the crude fiber content 14.7%. The mean ascorbic acid content was 627 mg/100 g, zinc content 5.5m g/100 g and iron content 18 mg/100 g. The men nitrate content was 732.5 mg/100 g, total oxalates 5830 mg/100 g and soluble oxalates 3650 mg/100 g, while the lead content averaged 1.03 mg/100 g. The study concludes that vegetable amaranth has potential as popular vegetable in the diets of Kenyans to significantly contribute to provision of micronutrients, particularly iron and zinc. KEYWORDS traditional vegetables, marketing, postharvest handling, nutrition, Nairobi-Kenya
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    Postharvest moisture loss characteristics of carrot (Daucus carota L.) cultivars during short-term storage
    (Elsevier, 1998-02-13) Shibairo, Solomon I.; Toivonen, Peter; Upadhyaya, Mahesh K.
    Differences in moisture loss characteristics among carrot cultivars Imperator Special 58, Gold Pak 28, Caro-pride, Paramount, Eagle, Celloking, Top Pak and Caro-choice during short-term storage at 13 °C and at either 80% or 35% relative humidity were investigated. Experiments were conducted over two years with an early and late harvest in each year. Moisture loss was significantly greater when carrots were stored at low relative humidity compared to high relative humidity. Consistent cultivar differences in moisture loss characteristics were observed only in the late-harvested carrots at low relative humidity. Cultivars with higher specific surface area and relative electrolyte leakage, and lower water and osmotic potentials exhibited high moisture losses. Regression analysis, however, showed that moisture loss differences among cultivars were mainly associated with the specific surface area of the root.
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    Potassium nutrition and postharvest moisture loss in carrots (Daucus carota L.)
    (The Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology, 2015-11-07) Shibairo, Solomon I.; Upadhyaya, Mahesh K.; Toivonen, Peter M. A.
    The effect of potassium (K) nutrition on the shelf life of carrots (Daucus carota L., cv. Paramount) was studied using a hydroponic system involving rockwool slabs as an inert support. Carrots were grown for 192 d under greenhouse conditions and with 0, 0.1,1.0,10 and 15 mM K supplied in the nutrient medium. Increase in K concentration in the nutrient medium up to 1 mM decreased postharvest moisture loss. Carrot root weight and tissue K concentration increased, and water potential, osmotic potential and relative solute leakage decreased with increasing K concentration up to 1 mM. Concentrations greater than 1 mM had little or no additional effect on postharvest moisture loss, root water and osmotic potentials and relative solute leakage. Root weight did not increase above 10 mM K. The best subset model obtained by backward stepping and the optimum Mallow’s coefficient showed that carrot root weight and relative solute leakage accounted for most of the variation in moisture loss. Root weight correlated negatively and relative solute leakage positively to moisture loss.