Tropical & Subtropical Fruits

Fruit maturity and harvest

Under favorable conditions, banana starts flowering in 9-12 months and fruits matures in about 4-5 months depending upon varieties, climate etc. Banana are harvested at 3/4th maturity stage for distant markets or for chips making purpose while, for local markets are harvested at full maturity.
The following are the indications of maturity of banana.

• Drying of top leaves.
• Changing of fruit colour from green to light green.
• The floral ends of fruits are shed with slight hand touch at apices.
• Fruit become plumpy and angles are filled & disappear.
• One or two fruits ripe at the basal end (yellow colour).
• Starch content of the fruit (22-25%).
The bunches are to be harvested by leaving 2 ft of peduncle on the bunch.