Preliminary studies on the postharvest physiology and storage of babaco fruit (Carica#xD7;heilborniiBadillo nm.pentagona(Heilborn) Badillo)

摘要

The babaco is a subtropical plant of the papaya family, indigenous to the mountainous regions of Ecuador. The fruit were found to be climactericrespiration and ethylene production increase as the fruit ripen and the colour changes from green to yellow. Fruit are chilling-sensitive below 3#xB0;C. Chilling injury is charact'erised by dark, sunken areas of skin, abnormal ripening, and increased susceptibility to fungal rots. Fruit at 6#xB0;C developed few rots and were of good quality after 5 weeks' cool storage followed by a week at 20#xB0;C. Fruit at 10#xB0;C ripened during storage and rapidly succumbed to fungal rots after transfer to 20#xB0;C followipg 5 weeks' cool storage. The main causal organisms of the rots were identified asPhoma exiguaandColletotrichum acutatum.