Physical and Mechanical Properties of Three Commercially Grown Banana (<i>Musa acuminata </i>Colla) Cultivars in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Physical and mechanical properties of banana (Musa acuminata Colla) are necessary to design handling and packaging equipment, and for safe transportation. The postharvest losses of banana in Sri Lanka are about 30 % and the mechanical damage during transport and handling contributes largely for these losses. Further, about 97 % of fruits are handled by the traditional marketing channels under poor postharvest handling practices and therefore, safe handling and transport is of prime importance at present. The bulk transportation is generally considered as the most cost effective method. Therefore, this study was conducted to assess the physical and mechanical properties related to handling and transport of commercially grown local banana cultivars namely, Seeni, Embul and Kolikuttu. The moisture content, linear dimensions of bunches and fruits, sphericity and aspect ratio of fruits, bulk density and true density, coefficient of static friction and the angle of repose on different surfaces such as wood, steel and Styrofoam, and fruit firmness were measured for the above three cultivars at the harvest maturity. The average bunch length of the banana cultivars Embul and Kolikuttu were higher than those of Seeni. The geometrical mean diameters of Embul and Kolikuttu fruits were also higher than Seeni (p<0.05). The average fruit length of Embul, Seeni and Kolikuttu cultivars were 10.5 (±0.86), 10.5 (±0.86) and 14.3 (±1.66) cm, respectively. The fruit finger sphericities were between 0.37-0.38 for all cultivars tested (p>0.05). The bulk density of fruits and hands were higher than those of the whole bunch. The lowest coefficient of static friction was on Styrofoam and the highest was on a wooden surface. There was no significant difference of firmness of mature green banana fruits among the cultivars (p>0.05). This data could be used for appropriate designs and improvements of postharvest handling and packaging in future.

Physicochemical and antioxidant properties of banana varieties and sensorial evaluation of jelly prepared from those varieties available in Sylhet region

“…The Shail variety contained the highest amount of moisture (76.23%) whereas the Bichi variety contained less moisture (73.49%). The approximate moisture content of Embul, Seeni and Kolikuttu varieties of banana at the harvest maturity were 77.86%, 72.46% and 75.97% respectively, according to Wasala, Dharmasena, Dissanayake, and Thilakarathne (2012) which supports the present study. Similar values were reported by Kachru, Kotwaliwale, and Balasubramanian (1995) for some Indian banana varieties at maturity.…”

Physico-Chemical Characterization of Keitt Mango and Cavendish Banana Fruits Produced in Mozambique

“…Reference [18] characterizing agronomically, physically and chemically banana fruits reported similar length and diameter values in 26 banana accessions of the active genebank of Embrapa. Average fruit lengths of Embul, Seeni and Kolikuttu cultivars are 10.5 ± 0.86, 10.5 ± 0.86 and 14.3 ± 1.66 cm, respectively according to Reference [29] report. The length values reported were significantly lower than those observed in the current work.…”

“…Reference [28] reported similar centesimal mango composition as obtained in the current work. Reference [29] reported that the average centesimal composition of Embul, Seeni and Kolikuttu cultivars of banana at the harvest maturity indicated that the moisture, protein and fiber contents of three banana cultivars are not significantly different (p < 0.05). Therefore, Mozambique mango and banana fruits present high moisture than reported in some literatures depending on local fruit production and the moisture increases from green to the ripe fruits for all regions.…”

Vibration simulation testing of banana bulk transport packaging systems

“…1). Styrofoam sheets were identified as the cushioning material to be used for banana bunches in bulk transportation after evaluating its protective qualities on banana (Wasala et al, 2012). Styrofoam, a commonly used cushioning material for fruits, has a high mechanical strength in compression, tension, bending and shear, and has smooth surface, high water and vapour resistance properties.…”