PhYSIOLOGICAL STUDIES ON BANANA

Abstract

lbis investigation was carried out during two successive seasons of 1997 and 1998 . Mature green bunches of" Grand Nain" banana cultivar were obtained from a private orchard in El Nobaria area, Behira governorate . This work aimed to study the effect of sweating periods ( 0 , 2 , 4 , 6 , and 8 days) before ripening banana fruits at two temperatures ( l6°C and 200C) on complete bunches and six's hand of other bWlches. Fruits were exposed to acetylene gas generated from calciwn carbide as an ripening processes accelerator . Banana fruit quality as physical and chemical properties and marketability of fruits were measured during this study .The obtained results could be summarized as follows: Ripening "Grand Nain" banana fruits at 160C and 200C mentain the fruit with good quality . The choice of temperature depending on the speed which is required to accelerate the ripening of banana fruits . Under the same sweating and ripening conditions , banana bm1ch fruits had better fruit properties than hand ones . Keeping fruits for sweating before ripening leads to weight loss which increase as sweating period progress. So , 2 and 4 days sweating were enough to initiate ripening processes with best fruit characters and lowest weight loss . , \ftcr the acceleration with acetylene , fruits extended for 6 days at ripening ro:>m tended to appear quick fruit ripening , inunigrantion of the water from peel to pulp , development of skin color and