Respiration and Ripening of Banana Fruit Slices

Transverse slices of green banana fruit (2-6 mm thick) exhibit after cutting an initial burst of respiration which largely subsides within 2 hr, and a broad peak of "induced" respiration at 15-20 hr. Respiration subsequently declines and within 4 days stabilizes at a rate two to three and a half times that of matched, intact fruits. Ripening of the slices occurs naturally within 4 weeks after cutting; it may also be induced at any time by treating with ethylene. In all attributes studied (sensitivity to ethylene, respiratory climacteric, respiratory quotient, peel colour changes, starch to sugar conversion, softening, and aroma development), the slices are comparable to whole fruit. Inhibitors or metabolites may be introduced into the slices by vacuum infiltration. The slices provide a suitable model system for studying the biochemistry of fruit ripening at the tissue level.