M.A.Rahman
Senior Scientific Officer
Postharvest Technology Section, HRC,
BARI, Joydebpur
Dr. M. Miaruddin
Chief Scientific Officer (I.C.)
Postharvest Technology Division
BARI, Joydebpur
M.G. F. Chowdhury
Senior Scientific Officer
Postharvest Technology Division
BARI, Joydebpur
The influence of aqueous 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) on the ripening of harvested banana fruit was investigated. Banana fruits at mature green stage were fully immersed in aqueous 1-MCP at 100, 200, 400 and 600 µgL-1 for 10 min, quickly dried and then stored at 20±2 °C and 85-90% RH for 30 days. 1-MCP treatment delayed peel colour change and fruit softening, and thus, extended green life. Banana ripening was delayed when exposed to 100-600 µgL-1, however; higher concentrations of 1-MCP were usually more effective for longer periods. The changes in fruit firmness, TSS, ascorbic acid contents and surface colour of fruit treated at two higher levels of 1-MCP remained strongly suppressed and consequently extended at least 20 days extra storage life compared to control fruit. Thus, postharvest application of 1-MCP at 400 µgL-1 can be a feasible alternative technology for long distance transport of green banana fruit for marketing without refrigeration.
Banana; Firmness; Ripening; 1-MCP; Storage
Post Harvest Technology Division, Joydebpur, Gazipur
Postharvest and Agro-processing
• To assess the doses used to accelerate/retard the ripening time of banana
• To standardize the dose of 1-methylcyclopropene for banana
Hands of mature green ‘Cavendish’ bananas obtained from local grower’s field (Gazipur, Bangladesh) were cut into fingers. The fingers were then sorted for freedom from visual defects, uniformity of developmental stage, weight and size, and then randomly divided into five treatment groups.
Five groups of 50 fruit each were treated with aqueous 1-MCP (0.18% active ingredient, Nan Ning Oyan Hi Tech Agriculture Co. Ltd. China). Solutions were prepared with 1-MCP powder at 100, 200, 400 and 600 µg L-1 (active ingredient). Quantities of powder containing the desire levels of active ingredient were suspended in 15L of distilled water in 25L plastic buckets and swirled gently with a plastic spatula for 1 min. Five minutes after preparation, banana fingers were immersed in the solution for 10 min, and all treatments were completed within 30 min. Banana fingers dipped in blank distilled water for 10 min were used as control. After removal, the fingers were quickly drained and dried the surface water with a table fan. The fingers were then placed into 1% perforated low-density polyethylene bags (0.03 mm thick) and each bag contained 10 fingers. After that the treated fingers were transferred to storage at 20 ± 2 °C and 85 ± 5% RH for five weeks. The experiment was laid out in complete randomized design replicated thrice. Data on the changes in different physico-chemical attributes during storage were collected every five days started on the first day after treatment application.
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In terms of delaying banana fruit ripening, results of the present study confirm that 1-MCP is an effective anti-ethylene compound. The changes occurred during ripening, such as peel colour and fruit softening were markedly delayed, illustrating potential for commercial control of banana fruit ripening. Postharvest application of 1-MCP on mature green banana fruits delayed the ripening process and prolonged storage life up to 30 days at 20±2 °C and 85-90% RH retaining desirable colour, texture and quality.
Report/Proceedings