IJSRP, Volume 6, Issue 5, May 2016 Edition [ISSN 2250-3153]
Dr. Eric Randy R. Politud, Ph.D. and Charlie S. Nacaya
Abstract:
Mangoes, papayas and bananas are among the high value fruits where ethephon and storage conditions play a great role on their ripening quality. The study was conducted at Barangay 2, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental from December 6, 2011 to January 21, 2012 to determine the quality and ripening of selected high value fruits in response to varying levels of ethephon applications and packaging materials. It was laid-out in 5x3 factorial in Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and replicated four times. Results revealed that dipping papaya, mango and banana fruits to 10 ml ethephon/liter of water induced their earlier ripening; color index, physical appearance, resistance to pests and diseases, organoliptic test and weight loss. For the TSS, dipping papayas in 7.5 ml ethephon solution and the untreated mangoes gave the sweetest fruits. Dipping bananas with ethephon showed resistance to pests and diseases. For Factor B, the ambient/polyethylene bags ripened banana fruits at earlier time; wrapping in newspapers fastly developed colors, TSS, least weight loss, while at ambient condition showed better pests resistance. Wrapping mangoes and bananas in newspapers showed very firm fruits, pest and diseases resistance, good taste, TSS and least weight loss. On interaction effects, dipping fruits in 10 ml ethephon solution in newspapers gave better results for earlier, quality and uniform ripening and least weight losses of fruits, thus recommended. Although the ambient condition gave sweeter fruits especially among mangoes. Obtaining fruits of equal age of physiological maturity is also recommended to avoid biases in the study.