Storage principle and techniques of garlic

The dormancy period of garlic is only 2-3 months after harvest, then the buds in the hypertrophic bulbs begin to grow, and the nutrition needed to extend from the beginning to the apical hole comes entirely from the outer cloves of garlic. Garlic cloves gradually softened from the original crisp state, the commodity quality decreased obviously, and it was easy to sprout and mildew.

I. principle of storage

Garlic is eaten with its enlarged bulbs, and when it matures, the outer bulbs become dry and fat into a film, which can prevent internal water evaporation, external Rain Water entry and mechanical damage, which is conducive to dormancy and is a self-protective function.

After garlic is unearthed, it is still a living organism, and it is necessary to continue to maintain life activities after ripening and aging. The main manifestation of its life activity is that respiration is still going on continuously, which is necessary for respiration to maintain life activities, and at the same time, it consumes a lot of organic matter, which makes the flavor and quality of garlic worse. The central link of storage and preservation is to create conditions to reduce respiration to a minimum and maintain its life activity level, so as to prolong the dormancy period of garlic and inhibit its germination.

2. Factors affecting storage

1. Storage-tolerant varieties.

Generally speaking, garlic in China is more storable, and the storability of garlic in the north is higher than that in the south. In the later stage, excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer and watering, pests and mechanical injuries will affect the storage capacity of garlic. The storage resistance of late-maturing varieties and garlic is higher than that of garlic, and the storage resistance of small and medium-sized garlic is better than that of garlic.

2. Harvest in time and pre-cooling in time.

Timely harvest and timely pre-cooling can prolong the storage period. The harvest is too early, the maturity is not enough, the yield is low, and the loss in storage is large; if the harvest is too late, it is easy to break the petal, which is easy to make the buds germinate and grow, which is very disadvantageous to the storage.

3. Control of temperature and humidity.

Garlic has strong cold tolerance, and the bulb can resist the low temperature of-6 ℃ ~-7 ℃. The suitable storage temperature is-1 ℃ ~-3 ℃. Garlic likes to be dry, and the relative humidity of the air is 70% and 75%. The freezing point of garlic is-3 ℃. If the storage temperature is lower than-7 ℃, garlic will suffer frost injury. Storage fluctuation should be as small as possible, temperature fluctuation should be large. It is easy to cause physiological changes. In addition, the temperature requirement of garlic is relatively strict, the relative humidity is too high, the bulb absorbs water and suffers moisture, the garlic surface is easy to mildew, and gradually affects the internal quality; the relative humidity is too low, the dry consumption is large, the garlic is easy to dry out.

4. Gas composition.

Suitable gas index for garlic storage: oxygen concentration 2.2%-4.3%, carbon dioxide 3%-5%. If the oxygen is less than 1% and the carbon dioxide is higher than 7% 13%, the storage effect is poor.

Third, storage methods

There are many storage methods of garlic, such as hanging storage, cellar storage, liquid treatment (spraying penicillin a week before harvest), radiation treatment and so on.

1. Hang and hide. This method is simple and easy, does not reverse during storage, and the management is extensive. The harvested garlic and selected garlic cloves are enlarged, white in color, disease-free and wound-free. First bask in the sun for 2-4 days, then form a group of garlic every 40-4 leaves, every two together, do not bind them. In a cool, dry, well-ventilated house or shade, hang the garlic on the shelf and surround it with a mat. do not lean against the wall to prevent rain or flooding.

2. Cellar. Most of the storage cellars are underground or semi-underground. The pit site should be selected in a dry, high-lying, non-stagnant and well-ventilated place. The temperature in the cellar is determined by the depth of the cellar, and the forms of the cellar are various. Most of them are kiln cellar and well cellar. Garlic can be scattered or stacked in the cellar. It is best to cover the bottom of the cellar with a layer of dry straw or husk, and then a layer of garlic, do not pile it too thick, set up vents in the cellar, clean the cellar frequently and remove the diseased garlic in time.