ABSTRACT

The present study comprised two separate experiments. The experiments were carried out at the laboratories of the Departments of Horticulture, Plant Pathology, and Biochemistry, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh during the period from March to August 2009. Experiment 1 attempted to screen commercially important banana varieties of Bangladesh in relation to their nutritional composition, storage behaviour and levels of natural tolerance to postharvest diseases. Mature-green bananas of 10 different varieties namely Agniswar, Champa, Safa, Tulapait, Baisa, Jat, Gera Sundari, Shabri, Amritasagar and Mehersagar were the experimental materials. The fruits were held at ambient conditions for ripening. The single factor experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with three replications of 20 fruits. Among the physico-chemical parameters studied, color, firmness, total weight loss, pulp to peel ratio, percent moisture content, total sugar content, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, disease incidence, disease severity increased, whereas percent dry matter, vitamin C, and pH of banana pulp decreased with the progress of storage. At the 16th day of storage the highest levels of weight loss (44.91%), disease severity and disease incidence (100%) were in Jat and the lowest levels of weight loss (23.94%) and disease severity (2.07%) were in Safa. At the 16th day of storage the highest moisture content (77.34%) and total sugar content (29.98%) were in Agniswar variety, dry matter content (38.89%) in Safa, pulp to peel ratio (5.25), and pH (5.94) in Jat, vitamin C (5.57mg/100g), TSS (32 o B) in Amritasagar, titratable acidity (2.16%) in Safa and the lowest moisture content (61.93%) in Safa and total sugar content (20.92%) in Gera Sundari, dry matter content (22.67%) in Agniswar, pulp to peel ratio (1.14), and pH (5.35) were in Safa, vitamin C (2.67mg/100g) in Jat, TSS (26.73o B) in Shabri, titratable acidity (1.06%) in Tulapait. Safa showed the longest shelf life (17.9 days) and Jat showed the shortest shelf life (6.5 days). Experiment 2 was carried out to evaluate the effect of different treatments in the reduction of postharvest spoilage and extention of shelf-life of banana. Mature-green bananas of Shabri variety were the experimental materials in this experiment. The experimental treatments were control, hot water treatment, pre-cooling at 10oC and 5oC for 30 minutes, low temperature (15oC and 20oC ) and neem extract (1:1 and 1:2). The single-factor experiment was laid out in completely randomized design with three replications of 10 fruits in each replication. During storage, colour, firmness, disease incidence, disease

severity, moisture content increases and dry matter content decreases. At the 16th day of storage the highest levels of weight loss (35.73%), disease severity (48.67%) and disease incidence (100%), %moisture content (70%). TSS (31.4 oB) and lowest dry matter content (30%) were found in untreated control and the lowest weight loss (12.72% and 13.7%), disease severity (1.93% and 4.67%) and disease incidence (33.33% and 53.33%), %moisture content (63.67% and 67%). TSS (18.53 oB and 19.67 oB) and highest dry matter content (36.33% and 33%) were found in refrigerated fruits (15oC and 20oC respectively). The refrigerated fruits (15oC and 20oC respectively) showed the longest shelf life (20.13 and 19.2 days) and untreated banana fruits showed the shortest shelf life (11.13 days). To read full report visit: http://creativerezwan.wordpress.com/research-report/banana/

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