TITLE:
Effect of Post-Harvest Handling and Ripening Methods on Quality and Shelf-Life of Banana
AUTHORS:
Berhane Mezenghea Abraham, Brhan Khiar Saleh, Daniel Zeru Zelelew
KEYWORDS:
Post-Harvest Handling, Banana, Ripening, Quality, Shelf Life
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.13 No.2,
February
16,
2022
ABSTRACT: Banana (Musa spp.)
is a highly perishable fruit that requires special handling. In Eritrea,
post-harvest handling practices are characterized to be poor and as a result,
poor fruit quality and high post-harvest loss are common. Thus, the purpose of
this study was to evaluate the effect of different post-harvest handling and
ripening methods on quality and shelf-life of banana. A Complete Randomized
Design (CRD) was used for evaluating a combination of two levels of
post-harvest handling and four ripening methods in a factorial combination
conducted in the laboratory of Horticulture at Hamelmalo Agricultural College.
Peel colour change, physiological weight loss, pulp to peel ratio, total
soluble solids (TSS), pulp pH, ripening period and shelf life were parameters
studied. The results showed fruits treated with ripened tomato showed improved
characteristics in all parameters compared to those treated with smoke from
kerosene burning or mixed with moringa leaf. Similarly, fruits brought directly
from the farm were better than those collected from the ripening room after
passing the conventional post-harvest handling. Based on the results of this
study, it can be concluded that ripening
of banana with the help of tomato improves fruit quality and shelf life. Thus,
it can be a safe and better alternative to smoking from kerosene burning. While
moringa leaf has no potential as an alternative.