Temperature Programmes for Commercial Ripening of Banana

Abstract

Banana is the most popular fruit in the Sudan. For good quality banana, different temperature programmes were tested, and the following are recommended for banana ripening to stage 5 (yellow fruits with green tips) which will stand the high marketing temperature of around 36°C in the shade. Four days programme is recommended, for quick returns, in which room temperature should be at 25°C once any day of the four days and the other three should be at 20°C. For five days ripening period, the temperature should be at 20°C continuously. For six and seven days ripening period, the temperature should be at 20°C on the first and last days of the programme while for the intermediate days the temperature should be at 15°C, i.e. for 4 and 5 days in case of six and seven days programmes, respectively. The five, six and seven days programmes could be used in case the banana are shipped to distant markets.