Fruits of bilimbi (Averrhoa bilimbi L.) as a new natural source of ethylene for ripening of ‘saba’ banana (Musa balbisiana BBB)

Issue Date

12-2012

Abstract

Injured and uninjured fruits of bilimbi (Averrhoa bilimbi L.) at 0%, 5% and 10% (w/w) were packed with mature green ‘Saba’ bananas for 24 h and then allowed to ripen in open air. Use of 5% uninjured bilimbi fruits hastened ripening of bananas compared with the control treatment. Increasing the concentration of bilimbi fruits to 10% and injuring them with three 5-mm deep punctures or 4-cm long, 1-cm wide and 0.2-cm deep scrape bruises from a piece of stainless steel further hastened ripening of banana. Use of 10% injured bilimbi fruits effectively ripened bananas to table ripe stage after 5 d, while the control fruits were just beginning to develop color. Ethylene production of bilimbi fruits was high. Bilimbi fruits stressed by transport and injury evolved as much as 2403.8 nL g-1 h-1 after 24 h. The relatively high amounts of ethylene produced by bilimbi fruits effectively induced the ripening of mature green ‘Saba’ bananas. Based on the results, bilimbi fruit may be an effective natural source of ethylene for ripening of ‘Saba’ banana.

Source or Periodical Title

Philippine Agricultural Scientist, The (Formerly: The Philippine Agriculturist)

ISSN

0031-7454

Volume

95

Issue

4

Page

406-410

Document Type

Article

College

College of Agriculture and Food Science (CAFS)

Frequency

quarterly

Physical Description

graphs; references

Language

English

Subject

Averrhoa bilimbi, ethylene, natural ripening agent, ‘Saba’ banana

En – AGROVOC descriptors

AVERRHOA BILIMBI; MUSA BALBISIANA; BANANAS; ETHYLENE; ETHYLENE PRODUCTION; POSTHARVEST RIPENING

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