| Abstract: | An examination of the coordination of ripening changes in plantain fruits (Musa AAB, cultivar ‘Apem’) showed that water stress had no effect on the respiratory rate at the climacteric maximum nor on the time between initiation and maximum. Similarly, water stress had little or no effect on the coordination of changes in CO2 and C2H4 evolution, although it slightly increased the magnitude of C2H4 production and of the ACC content of the pulp. Stressed and unstressed fruits showed similar synchronised ripening changes after 2 and 3 days from the commencement of the climacteric. However, after 1 day, peel colouration, pulp softening and total soluble solids were less in stressed than in unstressed fruits. The results are discussed in the light of reported work on dessert bananas (Musa AAA cultivars). |
