Impact of Various Ripening Agents on Shelf Life and Quality of Banana (Musa Acuminata cv. Williams Hybrid) in Tropical Nepal

The research was conducted to evaluate the effect of different ripening agents (apple, tomato, paddy straw, and ethephon) on shelf life and quality of banana under tropical condition with high temperature and low humidity. The experiment was carried out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), with five treatments: one control and four ripening agents. The treatments were as follows: T1 (control), T2 (apple 130 ±10 gram), T3 (tomato 75±5 gram), T4 (paddy straw 220 gram), and T5 (Ethephon 500 ppm). Each treatment was replicated four times to ensure statistical validity. A dozen fresh Williams’s hybrid bananas were used and ripened in carton boxes for each treatment. Data were recorded on 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, and 10th days for key post-harvest quality parameters such as weight loss (%), firmness, pulp-to-peel ratio, specific gravity (SG), total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), days to complete ripening, and shelf life. Treatments showed significant differences for most of the parameters. Ethephon (T5) induced the fastest ripening (3 days) and the highest pulp-to-peel ratio (2.96), specific gravity (1.26), and TSS (18.37°Brix). However, it also had the lowest firmness (0.45 Newton (N)) and a shorter shelf life (5.75 days). In contrast, paddy straw(T4) delayed ripening (7.5 days) and maintained the highest firmness (1.82 Newton (N)), with a longer shelf life (11 days), though it showed the lowest TSS (14.70°Brix) and specific gravity (1.06). The treatments with the highest weight loss (%) were observed in ethephon (43.42%) and apple (37.25%), whereas the controls (31.23%) and paddy straw (33.24%) had the lowest. These findings suggest that Ethephon (T5) is most effective in accelerating ripening with improved sweetness but led to higher weight loss and softening, whereas T4 offers extended shelf life and better firmness, emerges as a cost-effective, safe, and natural alternative for maintaining fruit quality and shelf life.