Articles
FRUIT QUALITY FACTORS AFFECTING SELECTION OF BANANA CLONES
Article number
57_24
Pages
205 – 212
Language
Abstract
Bananas of new tetraploid clones were screened for transportability, shelf life and flavour under conditions relating to the transatlantic trade.
The triploid ‘Highgate’, female parent of the tetraploids, and the commercial triploid ‘Valery’, were included as reference clones.
Transportability was assessed by measuring the mean preclimacteric period at commercial shipping temperature (13.5 – 14.0°C). One tetraploid clone had a slightly longer storage life than did ‘Valery’ but all others had 50–90% shorter lives.
Shelf life of tetraploid and ‘Highgate’ fruit was limited by finger drop which did not normally occur in ‘Valery’. Senescent peel speckling which terminated shelf life in ‘Valery’ rarely occurred in tetraploids.
The mean peel breaking force, adjacent to the pedicel of ripe fruit, showed variation between tetraploid clones but ‘Valery’ peel was always stronger than tetraploid peels.
Taste panel analysis showed organoleptic acceptability of two tetraploid clones as equal to that of ‘Valery’ although others had bland or obnoxious flavours.
No tetraploid clone combined commercially acceptable flavour with storage performance and shelf life equal to present commercial cultivars.
The behaviour of ‘Highgate’ suggested that the shorter storage and shelf lives of most tetraploid clones may be inherited from this triploid rather than be inherent effects of tetraploidy.
The triploid ‘Highgate’, female parent of the tetraploids, and the commercial triploid ‘Valery’, were included as reference clones.
Transportability was assessed by measuring the mean preclimacteric period at commercial shipping temperature (13.5 – 14.0°C). One tetraploid clone had a slightly longer storage life than did ‘Valery’ but all others had 50–90% shorter lives.
Shelf life of tetraploid and ‘Highgate’ fruit was limited by finger drop which did not normally occur in ‘Valery’. Senescent peel speckling which terminated shelf life in ‘Valery’ rarely occurred in tetraploids.
The mean peel breaking force, adjacent to the pedicel of ripe fruit, showed variation between tetraploid clones but ‘Valery’ peel was always stronger than tetraploid peels.
Taste panel analysis showed organoleptic acceptability of two tetraploid clones as equal to that of ‘Valery’ although others had bland or obnoxious flavours.
No tetraploid clone combined commercially acceptable flavour with storage performance and shelf life equal to present commercial cultivars.
The behaviour of ‘Highgate’ suggested that the shorter storage and shelf lives of most tetraploid clones may be inherited from this triploid rather than be inherent effects of tetraploidy.
Authors
S. New, J. Baldry, J. Marriott, E.A. Dixon
Keywords
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