Effect of Elevated Temperatures on Ripening of Banana Fruit

Physiological studies on fruit ripening in relation to heat injury (Part I)

Abstract

Mature-green banana fruit was stored at temperatures of 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40°C. The initiation of ripening and subsequent ethylene evolution, pulp softening and sugar accumulation were accerelated with elevation of storoge temperature up to 35°C. But the degreening of peel was inhibited above 30°C and the evolution of volatile compounds was suppressed at 35°C and over. When mature-green banana fruit was stored at 40°C, it showed no ethylene evolution and nothing of ripening phenomenon and external ethylene treatment to the fruit did not induce ripening. The fruit which was once initiated ripening with ethylene treatment showed ethylene evolution and pulp softening during subsequent storage at 40°C, but sugar accumulation in the fruit was smaller than that of fruit ripened at 20°C and evolution of volatile compounds was prevented during the storage. When mature-green banaa fruit stored at 40°C for 1, 2, 3 and 5 days were transfered to 20°C and then treated with 500ppm ethylene for 24hr, the fruit stored at 40°C for 1, 2 and 3 days ripened, but for 5 days did not.