AN OVERVIEW OF POST-HARVEST ASPECTS OF BANANA

Bananas are living organs subject to continuous changes after harvesting.
The major problems affecting banana quality are physical damage, decay and uneven and unpredictable ripening.

To control the banana quality, knowledge and understanding of involving physical, chemical, biological and environmental factors are necessary.
Over the past few years the mechanism of fruit evolution are often clarified.

The concept of quality has changed in recent years.
Standards define the requirements in quality assurance and banana production will comply with these standards.

The breeding programmes are aimed at enhancing banana resistance to Sigatoka leaf spot; but the post-harvest behaviour and quality of banana should be modified.
In the future other breeding programmes could perhaps enhance banana quality and resistance to other parasites and contribute to a production with low pesticide residue level.

II International Symposium on Banana: I International Symposium on Banana in the Subtropics

J. Marchal

Banana, post-harvest, overview, recent improvement

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1998.490.53