عوامل آموزشي ترويجي جلوگيري كننده از ايجاد ضايعات پس از برداشت سيب از ديدگاه باغداران سيب شهرستان دماوند

Extension Educational Factors Preventive of Apple Postharvest Losses, as Viewed by Damavand Township Apple Producers, Iran

Every year about 15 percent of apple produced in Tehran Province apple orchards become wasted, which is referred to as apple postharvest losses. For diminishing the problem, one should promote the level of knowledge, technology to human resources to reduce the risk of loss production to consumption. The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of extension education factors onprevention of apple postharvest losses in Damavand Township, Iran. Thestudy was carried out employing a descriptive-correlational surveying approach.The population of the study included all apple growers in Darnavand (N= 4400). Orchard owners (n= 354) were selected through stratified random sampling technique. Questionnaires as well as interview were the tools used for gathering data. Content and face validity were established by a panel of experts comprised of faculty members of the college of agriculture (Extension and Education Department) of Tarbiat Modarres University. A pilot test was conducted with the participation 30 orchard owners. Reliability for the overall instrument was estimated at 0.86. Apple producers believe that an appropriate method of harvesting is the most effective factor regarding a reduetion in apple postharvest losses. The next important factor which affects apple postharvest losses is the time of harveting. There are significant differences among apple orchard ownersʹ age, academic degree, land size, place of dwelling, and their attitude towards the extension education factors as regards a reduction in apple postharvest losses.