Effects of Simulated Rural Storage Conditions on the Quality of Plantain ( Musa paradisiaca ) Fruits

摘要

Mature, green, healthy, unbruised plantain fruits were completely separately covered with wood ash and sawdust in earthenware pots with cover. Some others were separately stored in wooden cabinets, desiccators or earthenware after inoculation with conidia of Fusarium verticillioides . All storage was at 25-26°C. The fruits were daily observed for rot development and peel colour change as indicator of ripening. Weight loss from fruits was determined at the end of storage. Fruits stored in wooden cabinets attained full yellow colour on 15 day, those in pots on 17 day and those in desiccators remained green throughout the storage period. Fruits covered with wood ash were still more green than yellow by 12 day while those under sawdust were at this same stage by 8 day. Disease development was slow throughout the storage period in wooden cabinets and for the first 19 days in earthenware pots, while there was no symptom of decay in desiccators. The green life of fruits was 13 days in pots and wooden cabinets while it was more than 24 days in desiccator. As fruits ripened, the carbohydrate content decreased while moisture content increased. Fruits covered with ash lost slightly more weight than those covered with sawdust. Weight loss was highest in wooden cabinets and lowest in desiccator.