Tropical and subtropical fruits (2+1)

Post harvest management

• Banana can be stored at about 130C with the Relative Humidity of 85-95 per cent for 3 weeks and is ripened in a week at 16.5-21.00C.
• The fruits should not be stored / shifted under refrigerated condition.
• The storage life can be increased by keeping the fruits in high concentration of carbon dioxide and low concentration of oxygen.
• Also storing in sealed polythene bags containing ethylene absorbent like potassium permanganate.
• Shrink film wrapping or Waxol (12 per cent) treatment can extend shelf life up to 3 weeks.
• Bananas are not usually allowed to ripen on the tree; Smoking done with straw, leaves & cow dung in a closed chamber for 18-24 hours in summer and 48 hours in winter and later shifted to ventilated room for uniform ripening.
• The exogenous application of 100 ppm ethylene gas in an enclosed chamber for 24 hrs for will produce uniform colour and ripening.