CONTROL OF FINGER DROP IN 'LATUNDAN' BANANA (MUSA ACUMINATA AA GROUP) WITH PREHARVEST CALCIUM SPRAY

‘Latundan’ is one of the varieties of banana that is highly susceptible to finger drop once the fruit is already ripe. Finger drop is associated with the weakening and softening of the pedicel during ripening causing individual fingers to dislodge easily from the crown. This limits its shelf life and results in lower price hence the need to develop methods of controlling finger drop. One week before harvest maturity of ‘Latundan’ bananas (reckoned from the date of shooting), hands of bananas especially the pedicel portion, were sprayed with calcium chloride (4 and 8%), gibberellic acid (200 ppm) and ethanol (60%). At harvest maturity, the hands were dipped in 125 ppm azoxystrobin for crown rot control followed by 1-min dip in 1000 ppm ethephon to induce uniform ripening of fingers within a hand. Ripening behavior and incidence of finger drop were monitored daily during storage at 23-25°C. Finger drop occurred once the fruits reached the full yellow color which was about 5 to 6 days after harvest. Among treatments, 4% calcium chloride delayed the onset of finger drop by 2 to 4 days after the attainment of full yellow color hence an extension of shelf life of the fruit. This treatment resulted also in the lowest incidence of finger drop. Ripening of the fruit treated with calcium chloride proceeded normally and there was no effect on the physico-chemical and sensory attributes at the ripe stage. Gibberellic acid and ethanol slightly retarded ripening but did not control finger drop.