preharvest

Preharvest refers to the period and activities in crop production that occur before harvest. It encompasses a range of management decisions aimed at ensuring fruit, grain, or vegetable quality, yield, and safety as crops approach maturity. During this stage, growers monitor crop development, manage irrigation to optimize size and flavor, adjust nutrition to support ripening, and implement pest and disease control measures that align with regulatory guidelines and market requirements.

A key concept associated with preharvest is the preharvest interval (PHI), the required waiting period between the last pesticide or growth regulator application and harvest. PHIs are established to ensure pesticide residues decline to acceptable levels, and they vary by chemical, crop, and jurisdiction. Adherence to PHI and other label directions is essential for food safety and compliance with maximum residue limits or tolerances.

Preharvest practices may also include canopy management to improve light exposure and air circulation, growers’ decisions about harvest timing to achieve desired maturity and color, and, in some crops, the use of ripening agents or growth regulators within approved guidelines. In cereals, preharvest sprouting—the premature germination of grains during wet conditions before harvest—can affect quality and market value and is addressed through agronomic and harvest scheduling strategies.

Overall, preharvest decisions link agronomy to postharvest quality, with implications for yield, flavor, shelf life, and regulatory compliance.