The aim of this study was to estimate the amount of energy losses caused by post-harvest strawberry losses in the Kurdistan province of Iran. Preserving the shelf life and quality of fresh fruits and vegetables, necessitates reducing respiration rates and protecting these fresh produce items from postharvest infection by moulds and microorganisms. This can be accomplished in most cases through storage at reduced temperatures and through modified atmosphere storage. The most common decay of strawberry is Botrytis rot, also called Gray Mold, caused by Botrytis cinerea. The disease can begin pre-harvest, remaining as latent infections, or begin postharvest. The total strawberry production was about 22,679 ton in Kurdistan province. The average strawberry post-harvest losses were found to be 28% in the study area, thus the total post-harvest strawberry losses were estimated as 6350.12 ton. The total energy losses of strawberry production in Kurdistan province were evaluated to be 12.065 TJ. This amount of losses is equal to 1971.4 BOE (Barrel of Oil Equivalent). Also the total post-harvest strawberry losses were equal to 7,809,200 $. The amount of losses could be reduced by using controlled atmosphere storage technology and by improving the quality of inputs, cultural practices, harvest operation methods, packing and packaging, sorting, transport, and storage. Also the amount of post-harvest losses could be reduced by using the breeding varieties instead of landrace variety, because the landrace variety has a very soft tissue and it is tremendously sensitive to mechanical injury. Biological control of post-harvest disease might be effective. Perhaps the antagonists could be used at harvest to prolong the shipping and marketing periods. The Botrytis responsible for pre-harvest and post-harvest rotting of strawberries could be reduced by spraying with Trichoderma species. Additional studies are needed in this context to survey the biological control.
