2nd September
Today I received my project on Onion Preservation. This raised several key questions in my mind: Which types of onions can be preserved effectively? Why do onions degrade during storage? To guide my work, Prasad Sir instructed me to gather information directly from farmers who own onion farms and to understand their concerns regarding onion storage.
3rd September
I contacted Lakshman Jadhav Sir to obtain farmer contact details in Pabal and nearby villages. Through him, I collected around 12–15 contacts, which will be valuable for farmer consultations. Visited the nearby village chals.
5th September
Using the phone numbers, I connected with farmers to learn about their storage practices. Simultaneously, I began reviewing literature on onion storage. From my discussions, I identified three common types of onion damage:
- Sprouting
- Fungi (rotting)
- Physical weight loss
As advised by Prasad Sir, I visited the Agrorangrs office for additional data and insights. There, I met Vivek, who provided me with an overview of onion farming and common storage issues.
6th September
With the help of Ganesh Pinggale Sir, I got in touch with an administrative officer at the ICAR – Directorate of Onion and Garlic Research. I scheduled a meeting for the 8th of September. Visited one of the farmers who stored onions in a circular iron net structure.
7th September
I reviewed all the data collected so far and prepared a PowerPoint presentation to summarize the problems associated with post-harvest losses and onion storage. During the review, Prasad Sir emphasized the importance of studying the gases released by onions at different stages, as this could help detect the degradation period more accurately.
8th September
I visited the ICAR – Onion and Garlic Research Centre, where I met with Dr. Bhushan Sir to discuss post-harvest problems and potential solutions. I also obtained a manual on onion storage, which will be very useful for the project.
9th September
To collect further farmer data, I visited the Sarpanch of Pabal village and later consulted with the Krishi Sevak. These interactions provided more on-ground insights into local storage challenges.
10th September
Today, I gave my final IITB internship presentation. Alongside this, I also guided visiting students from different colleges on a tour of Vigyan Ashram, marking my first experience in this role.
11th September
I studied the sprouting process in onions and focused on the acids responsible for its initiation. I found that Abscisic acid (ABA), produced by onions, initially inhibits sprouting. However, over time, the ABA level decreases, which allows the production of Gibberellin acid (GA) along with small amounts of ethylene. This biochemical shift triggers the onset of sprouting.
12th September
I visited the nearby village to take measurements of a small iron-net storage unit used by farmer Pandhurang Gavle. The structure dimensions were 2 ft in diameter and 5 ft in height. These details will be important for evaluating storage design and capacity. In the afternoon, I continued my literature review on onion sprouting, specifically focusing on techniques to reduce the sprouting rate.
13th September
Prasad Sir assigned me the task of calculating the capacity of the storage unit I measured yesterday. Using the given dimensions, I applied the volume formula for a cylinder and multiplied by the bulk density of onions.
- Height (h): 5 ft = 1.524 m
- Diameter (d): 2 ft → Radius (r) = 1 ft = 0.305 m
- Volume (V): π × r² × h = 3.1416 × (0.305)² × 1.524 ≈ 0.446 m³
- Bulk density of onion (ρ): 400 – 600 kg/m³
- Mass capacity (M) min : ρ × V = 400 × 0.446 ≈ 178 kg
- Mass capacity (M) max: ρ × V = 600 × 0.446 ≈ 267 kg
Thus, the storage unit can hold approximately 178 to 267 kg of onions.
Alongside this calculation, I also studied whether abscisic acid can be applied externally to onions, and searched for any research conducted on this approach. In the afternoon, I guided a group of five students from Nashik on a tour of Vigyan Ashram.
