Temperature is a key tool improving the postharvest life and for preventing the development of postharvest diseases. In this study rasthali banana fruits treated with different ethylene inhibitors (α- Amino isobutyric acid (AIB) and 1-MCP) and chemicals (Hexanal and CaCl2 ) were stored under ambient and cold storage (CS) (17°C) condition and morphological characters were recorded. The physiological loss in weight were minimum under CS condition in that AIB treated banana fruits recorded 39.54 per cent on the 11th day of storage (DOS) compared to AS control fruits compared to other treatments. Rigid nature of the fruit was maintained high in CaCl2 treated fruits under both CS and AS conditions compared to other treatments. Likewise CaCl2 treated fruits under CS recorded 1.40 mm peel thickness on the 11th DOS were under AS it is very much reduced in control on 7thDOS itself. Fruits stored under low temperature also showed delayed ripening by measuring low chrome b value. In that the fruits treated with 1-MCP recorded minimum chrome value of 48.73 and 51.18 in CS and AS respectively. Percent Disease Index (PDI) on the 7thDOS were recorded which is found to be low in cold storage condition and ethylene inhibitor AIB recorded minimum disease incidence symptoms of anthracnose, collar rot and crown rot followed by 1-MCP. Postharvest life of banana was found to be high in the CS fruits treated with ethylene inhibitors (AIB and 1-MCP) with the extent of 15 days compared to AS (8 days). Hence the fruits treated with ethylene inhibitors and stored under low temperature will prolong the storage life of the banana fruit..
Key Words: :AIB, 1-MCP, Hexanal, CaCl2, Postharvest, Shelf life, CS, AS