Effect of ripening temperatures on shelf life and quality of partially ripened 1-MCP-treated bananas

Also published as a journal article: Acta Horticulturae, 2010; 877(353-357)We examined the effect of ethylene and 1-MCP treatment on shelf life and fruit quality in bananas ('Williams') ripened at different temperatures. Fruit was treated with ethylene at 100 μl L-1 for two consecutive days and then were exposed to 1-MCP at 0 or 300 nl L-1 for 24h at 22°C. Thereafter, bananas were placed into temperature controlled rooms at 16, 19, 22 and 25°C with approximately 90% RH. 1-MCP was most effective at increasing shelf life and firmness when fruit were ripened at 16°C. The results showed that response of fruit to 1-MCP treatment was dependent on storage temperature after ripening initiation by ethylene. These observations suggest that a combination of optimum ripening storage temperature and application of 1-MCP to partially ripened bananas will further extend shelf life and also improve fruit quality.F. Moradinezhad, A. Klieber, A. J. Able and M. Sedgleyhttp://trove.nla.gov.au/work/3865037