Quality Evaluation of Green Banana (cv. Nendran) in Different Stages of Maturity

Abstract

Aims: Banana (Musa spp.) is a globally significant tropical fruit crop, valued for its economic importance and as a staple food that contributes significantly to human nutrition. The Nendran banana variety (Musa AAB) is widely cultivated in the South Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka, and is also well-known in other regions worldwide. This study aims to examine the physical, chemical, and nutritional characteristics of Nendran bananas at various maturity stages—75, 80, 85, and 90 days after flower emergence. Study Design:  Completely randomized design (CRD). Place and Duration of Study: Department of Community Science, College of Agriculture, Vellayani, Kerala Agricultural University, between February 2024 to October 2024. Methodology: Nendran bananas for this study were obtained from a local farmer in Vellayani, Thiruvananthapuram. Maturity was monitored by tagging the plants on the day of flower emergence, and the fruits were harvested at intervals of 75,80,85, and 90 days post-emergence. At each stage, green fruits were selected from the middle three fruits of the third hand from the top of each bunch and taken for physical (fruit weight, fruit length, circumference, peel weight, pulp weight), chemical (moisture, acidity, TSS, crude fiber and tannin) and nutritional (starch, protein, total sugar, reducing sugar) analysis. Results: The result indicate that the ripening process significantly impacts the physical, chemical, and nutritional properties of Nendran bananas. Physical attributes such as fruit weight, pulp weight, fruit length, and diameter reached their maximum at 90 days, while peel weight was highest at 75 days. Chemical analysis demonstrated that moisture content, acidity, and total soluble solids (TSS) were greatest at 90 days, whereas crude fiber and tannin content peaked at 75 days. Nutritional analysis revealed that protein, total sugar, and reducing sugar levels were highest at 90 days, while starch content was highest at 75 days. These findings highlight how understanding the nutritional profile of unripe green Nendran bananas at different maturity stages offers valuable insights into the chemical transformations that occur throughout the ripening process.