Impacts of Paraffin Wax and Propolis on Controlling Crown Rot Disease and Maintaining Postharvest Quality of Banana

Crown rot disease is a major cause of losses during transportation, storage, and marketing of banana. In this study, the effects of paraffin wax, propolis extract and their combination on controlling crown rot disease and maintaining the quality of banana cv. Hom Thong were investigated. Crown of banana fruit were coated with 50% propolis, 100% paraffin wax and 100% paraffin wax combined with 50% propolis. Banana crown treated with 250 ppm prochloraz and non-coated fruit were used as the controls. All treatments were packed in corrugated box, stored at 13°C for 21 days (simulation for the transportation and storage) and then moved to ambient temperature for 6 days (simulation for the retail market). Results found that coating with paraffin wax combined with propolis showed the efficacy on controlling crown rot disease as same as using 250 ppm prochloraz. While coating with paraffin wax or propolis alone showed the incidence and severity of disease similar to non-coated fruit. Beside, coating with paraffin wax alone or combined treatment of paraffin wax and propolis could maintain some plant resistant mechanisms such as the content of total phenolic and the activity of phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) in the crown of banana. For the quality of banana showed that coating with paraffin wax alone or the combination of paraffin wax and propolis were able to reduce weight loss, maintain firmness and color change of banana crown, and it did not affect to color change of peel and firmness of banana fruit.