Effect of Maturity Stages on Physiological Properties of Banana Fruits

This study was conducted to understand changes of physicochemical properties of fruits of two apple cultivars (red and yellow) as influenced by stage of maturity and physiological properties of banana fruits. Results indicated that maturity stage at harvest significantly (P<0.05) affected quality of apple cultivars and banana fruits. The result of study showed red apple cultivar has higher TSS, diameter, weight and a-value while the yellow cultivar apple has higher firmness, b* and L*- values. Apple red cultivar showed higher diameter (65.9 mm), higher TSS (14.6%), L* (46) and a* (22) values and yellow apple cultivar depicted higher firmness 10.04 N and b* values (26.7). The study also depicted that, ripe banana exhibited higher intensity respiration CO2 and ethylene production compare to green banana. However, during storage conditions, the cold storage exhibited lower intensity respiration CO2 and ethylene production. Ripe banana showed maximum intensity respiration 7.6 CO2 (LCO2 /kg/h) and ethylene 7.4 μLC2 H4/kg*h. However, during room temperature at 32o C and cold storage at 13oC temperature, bananas stored at room temperature revealed higher respiration 1.2 CO2 (LCO2 / kg/h) and 1.64 μLC2 H4 /kg*h ethylene compared with cold storage 0.9 CO2 (LCO2 /kg/h) and 1.1 μLC2 H4 /kg*h respectively. Thus, it can be concluded that the choice of fruit picking time (maturity stage) plays a key role in influencing the quality attributes of apple cultivar fruits. Further research is recommended on more quality parameters with different types of apple and banana varieties.