Effect of Plastic Crate Packaging on the Marketable Shelf Life of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in South East Nigeria

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is highly perishable, and packaging method is a key determinant of the duration over which fruits remain marketable after harvest. In South East Nigeria, tomatoes are predominantly transported and marketed in open baskets that offer minimal mechanical protection, resulting in high post-harvest losses. Plastic crates have been proposed as an alternative that reduces bruising and extends marketable life. This study evaluates the effect of plastic crate packaging compared to traditional open basket packaging on the marketable shelf life and physical quality of tomato fruits sourced from Ebonyi State farms and tracked through the Abakaliki-Enugu market corridor. Tomatoes in both packaging types were assessed daily for five market days for weight loss, visual damage score, surface color change, and marketable percentage. A completely randomized design with five replications was used. Results demonstrate that plastic crate-packaged tomatoes retained marketable quality for significantly longer, averaging 4.7 days against 2.9 days for basket-packaged fruits. Mechanical damage was 60 percent lower in crate-packaged fruits. The study recommends the adoption of plastic crate packaging for tomato marketing in South East Nigeria, supported by government and NGO programs that subsidize initial crate procurement for smallholder farmers. Keywords: tomato packaging, plastic crate, marketable shelf life, post-harvest, South East Nigeria