ISHS Acta Horticulturae 628: XXVI International Horticultural Congress: Issues and Advances in Postharvest Horticulture
BANANA RIPENING: SUPPORTING THE ART WITH SCIENCE |
| Authors: | A. Klieber, N. Bagnato, M. Sedgley, B. Barrett |
| Keywords: | Musa acuminata, ripening, senescence, temperature, 1-methyl cyclopropene, ethanol, quality |
| Abstract:
Banana (Musa acuminate ‘Williams Cavendish’ Colla) marketable life is governed by ripening conditions and can be manipulated with post-ripening treatments; however, these processes are poorly understood. We examined the effect of ripening temperatures throughout the year, post-ripening 1-methyl cyclopropene (1-MCP) exposure and vacuum ethanol infiltration on banana marketable life and quality. Ripening fruit throughout the year at 18-20 °C resulted in fruit with less peel discolouration, due to in-field chilling in colder months or cyclones in warmer months, compared with 14-16 °C; however, in summer 14-16 °C extended marketable life. 1-MCP at 300 nL∙L-1 doubled banana marketable life to more than 6 days at 20 ºC without affecting fruit quality, but 3 nL∙L-1 had little effect and 30,000 nL∙L-1 stopped ripening all-together. Vacuum-infiltration with ethanol did not extend marketable life as ethanol did not penetrate into pulp tissues. | |
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