Factors effecting fruit quality of banana cv. Grand Nain [Musa (AAA group, Cavendish subgroup)]

Studied on fruit quality of Grand Nain banana [Musa (AAA group, Cavendish subgroup)] grown at 3 different locations showed that average yield, fruit data, green and ripe fruit quality which was ripened with ethylene gas at 20 deg C and 85 percent RH were almost not statistically different. The exception included fruit thickness, weight and fruit volume as well as pulp thickness of green fruit, fruit thickness and peel dry weight of ripe fruit. When finger quality was compared among hands within the same cluster, hand No.1 was the heaviest and it contained the highest count of fingers, and their average weight and finger count decreased along the increase of hand. The average fruit data were not statistically different. When green and ripe fruit from the different hands within the same cluster were determined for quality, most of the data were not statistically different. The exception included pulp thickness, pulp/peel, starch content of green fruit and for ripe fruit which included its thickness, pulp/peel, pulp and peel dry weight, SS content and the fruit eating quality. Fruit quality of Grand Nain banana and other 3 cultivars in Cavendish subgroup. i.e. Williams Hochuchu and Hsien Jen Chiao was compared. It revealed that average cluster and hand weight. Williams and Hochuchu were greater than those of the other two cultivars. The difference was also statistically significant. The average finger count per hand was not statistically different, but Hsien Jen Chiao and Grand Nain had more finger count per hand than Williams and Hochuchu. The average values of fruit data on width, length, thickness, weight, fruit volume and specific gravity of Williams and Hochuchu were higher than other cultivars. However, fruit width and specific gravity of Hsien Jen Chiao were also high. The green or ripe fruit quality of all cultivars was generally insignificantly different, except pulp or peel thickness, pulp/peel, peel dry weight and total sugar content of green fruit. The exception included ripe fruit on its pulp and peel thickness, pulp/peel, peel dry weight, SS, total sugars content, flesh firmness, weight loss as well as fruit eating quality. When the effect of GA3 on pedicel strength and on other fruit quality of Grand Nain banana was studied, it showed that pedicel end smeared with GA3 was stronger with greener color than the control. The best result was from the 1,000 ppm treatment and no effect of GA3 was found on other aspects of fruit quality.