TITLE:
Interactive Effect of Variety and Irradiation Dose on Postharvest Behaviour of Fruits of Two Plantain (Musa sp AAB) Varieties from the Green Stage to the Onset of Ripening
AUTHORS:
Daniel Osei Ofosu, Francis Appiah, Bernard Banful
KEYWORDS:
Plantain, Gamma Irradiation, Ethylene, Respiratory Rate, Ripening
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Plant Sciences,
Vol.11 No.3,
March
24,
2020
ABSTRACT: Controlling ethylene production and respiratory rate
of climacteric fruits is reported to extend the shelf-life of those produce.
The aim of this present research was to determine the effect of five (5) doses
of gamma irradiation as an ethylene and respiration inhibitor on two (2)
distinct varieties of plantain (Musa sp AAB) up to the onset of
ripening. The variety and irradiation dose applied had a significant
interaction on the number of days to the onset of fruit ripening. The daily
mean ethylene production for both varieties was lowest at 200 Gy. Even though
Apantu had a lower daily average as compared to Apem, it reached the onset of
ripening relatively quicker than Apem. Irradiation caused a significant
decrease in the respiratory rate of the plantains. Irrespective of the dose
applied, the unirradiated usually had a significantly higher respiratory rate
and the accompanying carbon dioxide production. Plantain varieties irradiated
at 1000 Gy had the highest amount of total soluble solids contents (10.7°Brix)
significantly higher than the other stages of ripening yet similar to the
plantain varieties irradiated at 600 Gy (10.6°Brix), 800 Gy (10.6°Brix) and the
unirradiated (0 Gy) plantain varieties (10.3°Brix). The lower levels of soluble
solids may confer a better cooking quality as plantains would be less sweet and
also less prone to textural breakdown when cooked.