Effects of humidity on the ripening characteristics of banana fruit

In this paper, effects of humidity on the physiological responses and the ripening characteristics of the Philippine bananas (Musa AAA group, Cavendish subgroup cv. Giant Cavendish) were studied at 95%, 80% and 60% relative humidity for the fundamental consideration of postharvest handling in bananas. Though almost no effect of humidity on the time of onset of respiration climacteric and ethylene emanation was observed, high respiration rates and elevated ethylene productions occurred during subsequent ripening at low humidity. Yellowing of peel color and softening of pulp were also accelerated at low humidity. Furthermore, changes in citric and malic acid contents of pulp which increased during ripening following decrease prior to climacteric peak of respiration rate, were hastened at low humidity. From the results above, it may be concluded that the ripening processes of bananas are promoted by the increased water deficiency at low humidity.