Post-harvest life of fruits and vegetables is governed by water content, respiratory rate, ethylene production, endogenous plant hormones, and exogenous factors such as microbial growth, temperature, relative humidity and atmospheric compositions.
Excessive rain leaches nutrients needed to develop the crop. Insects and mites, diseases, and weeds reduce fruit and vegetable quality if not managed properly. Insects and mites may eat and diseases may damage crops so that they can not produce enough energy to develop high yield or quality of the harvested part.
