Effect of ethrel on fruit ripening in a farm level ripening chamber

Abstract

This work describes the effect of ethrel in aqueous solution and ethylene gas liberated from ethrel in an alkaline medium on uniform ripening of selected fruits namely mango, banana and papaya. Experiments were conducted with different levels of temperature (20,25 and 30"C), ethylene concentration [100, 150 and 200ppm) and exposure time [15, 20 and 25h). Banana fruits exposed to 100ppm ethylene for 25h and subsequently stored at 20"C retained significantly higher values of quality parameters. Mango fruits exposed to 150ppm ethylene for 25h and subsequently ripened at 23oC and papaya fruits exposed to 200ppm ethylene for 25h and subsequently stored at 30"C retained significantly higher values of quality parameters among different treatment combinations. Ethylene released from ethrel triggered fruit ripening at all concentrations used and the effect of ethylene on fruit ripening was evaluated by enhanced climacteric peak of respiration, increase in peel color, increase in total soluble solids, decrease in flesh firmness and number of days to attain bright yellow color. This work demonstrated that matured green banana, mango and papaya fruits took four, five and three days respectively to ripen uniformly. A low- cost fruit ripening chamber at farm level was developed by this ripening study.