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Inhibition of degreening in the peel of bananas ripened at tropical temperatures
Author(s) -
SEYMOUR G. B.,
JOHN P.,
THOMPSON A. K.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.1987.tb03242.x
Subject(s) - ethylene , banana peel , ripening , musaceae , carbon dioxide , horticulture , biology , oxygen , botany , chemistry , biochemistry , organic chemistry , ecology , catalysis
SUMMARY An investigation was undertaken to examine the roles of ethylene, oxygen and carbon dioxide in the failure of bananas to degreen at high temperature. Also a comparison was made of the response of bananas and plantains to storage at high temperature. Bananas produced more ethylene at temperatures where they failed to degreen than at those where they turned fully yellow, and supplying high levels of exogenous ethylene to bananas ripening at high temperature did not induce the development of a yellow peel. Isolated peel tissue held, in the presence of ethylene, at 20 or 35°C failed to develop a yellow colouration at 35°C in air or 80% oxygen, while all detached peel tissue held at 20°C degreened. However, when atmospheres were enriched with carbon dioxide degreening of detached peel was suppressed at both 20 and 35°C. In contrast to bananas, plantain fruit degreened more rapidly at 35°C than at 20°C. The way in which high temperatures may inhibit degreening in bananas is discussed.