MSc

ABSTRACT
The study entitled “Postharvest quality management in banana cv. Nendran
(Musa spp.)” was conducted in the Department of Post Harvest Technology, College of
Agriculture, Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram during the year 2018-2020. The objective
of the experiment was to standardize the postharvest management for delayed ripening
and extended shelf life of banana cv. Nendran with minimum nutritional loss through
postharvest handling practices.
Good quality banana fruits (cv. Nendran) of uniform size and maturity, procured
from progressive farmers of Farmer Producer Organization, Kalliyoor,
Thiruvananthapuram were used for the study. The fruits were de-handed and sanitized
with ozonation at 2ppm. The sanitized fruits were subjected to different postharvest
treatments viz., Calcium chloride (CaCl2 4%), Gibberellic Acid (GA3 150 ppm), Oxalic
Acid (OA 20 mM), Salicylic acid (SA 2 mM) as against fruits without any treatment as
control. The treated fruits after the removal of excess moisture were stored in
Corrugated Fibre Board boxes under room temperature conditions (30 ± 2 0C, RH 85-
90 %). Effectiveness of the treatments was analysed based on physiological,
biochemical, physical and sensory parameters at an interval of 3 days till the end of
shelf life.
After 15 days of storage, Nendran banana fruits treated with Salicylic Acid (SA
2 mM) recorded the least Physiological Loss in Weight (PLW) of 13.43 % and
respiration rate of 102.70 mL CO2 kg-1h-1 with a pulp percentage of 70.61 %, 29.39 %
peel percentage and pulp to peel ratio of 2.40 with a fruit firmness of 10.13 N. The
stored fruits also recorded an increase in the moisture content (61.27 %), Total Soluble
Solids (24.60 o Brix), reducing sugar (17.34 %), total sugar (20.21 %), and acidity (0.45
%) with 10.19 % of starch content, 75.52%antioxidant activity and 9.30 mg 100g-1
ascorbic acid content after 15 days of storage. The fruits had acceptable sensory
attributes viz., appearance, colour, flavor, taste, texture and overall acceptability and
resulted in a shelf life of 15.67 days.
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Nendran banana fruits treated with Gibberellic Acid (GA3 150 ppm) recorded a
shelf life of 14.3 days next to SA (2 mM) with a respiration rate of 112.38 mL CO2 kg-
1h-1, Physiological Loss in Weight of 14.3 %, pulp percentage of 73.32 %, 26.68 % peel,
pulp to peel ratio as 2.75, 17.80 % reducing sugar, 21.05 % total sugar, 74.31%
antioxidant activity, and 8.59 mg 100g-1ascorbic acid content after 15 days of storage.
The untreated Nendran banana fruits recorded a shelf life of 11.13 days with the highest
rate of physiological, biochemical, and physical changes and the lowest mean scores for
organoleptic qualities.
Application of postharvest treatments significantly reduced the rate of
physiological activities which contributed to the delay in ripening and extension of shelf
life of Nendran banana. Nendran banana fruits harvested at uniform maturity, sanitized
with ozonation (2 ppm) and subjected to postharvest treatment with salicylic acid (2
mM) for 10 minutes as dipping was standardized as the best postharvest treatment based
on physiological, biochemical, physical and sensory analysis which recorded a shelf life
of 15.67 days under room temperature storage as against 11.13 days in fruits without
any postharvest treatments.