Ripening of bananas using Bowdichia virgilioides Kunth leaves

Rivaildo da Costa Nascimento; Oliveiros de Oliveira Freire; Lylian Souto Ribeiro; Mikael Bolke Araújo; Fernando Luiz Finger; Marcus Alvarenga Soares; Carlos Frederico Wilcken; José Cola Zanuncio; Wellington Souto Ribeiro

doi:10.1038/s41598-019-40053-3

Ripening of bananas using Bowdichia virgilioides Kunth leaves

Sci Rep. 2019 Mar 5;9(1):3548. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-40053-3.

Authors

Rivaildo da Costa Nascimento¹, Oliveiros de Oliveira Freire¹, Lylian Souto Ribeiro², Mikael Bolke Araújo³, Fernando Luiz Finger⁴, Marcus Alvarenga Soares⁵, Carlos Frederico Wilcken⁶, José Cola Zanuncio⁷, Wellington Souto Ribeiro⁸

Affiliations

¹ Departamento de Agroecologia e Agropecuária, Sítio Imbaúba s/no, Campus II, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, 58117-000, Lagoa Seca, Paraíba, Brazil.
² Departamento de Fitotecnia de Ciências Ambientais, Campus II, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, 58397-000, Areia, Paraíba, Brazil.
³ Departamento de Fitossanidade, Faculdade de Agronomia Eliseu Maciel, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, 96010-610, Capão do Leão, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
⁴ Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-900, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
⁵ Departamento de Agronomia, Universidade Federal do Vale do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, 39803-371, Diamantina, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
⁶ Departamento de Proteção Vegetal, Universidade Estadual Paulista, 18610-307, Botucatu, Brazil.
⁷ Departamento de Entomologia/BIOAGRO, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570-000, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
⁸ Programa de Pós-graduação em Horticultura Tropical, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, 8, Rua Jairo Vieira Feitosa, 58840-000, Pombal, Paraíba, Brazil. [email protected].

Abstract

Bananas are usually ripened with calcium carbide (CaC₂), a dangerous substance that can cause food poisoning. The objective was to test the empirical ripening banana method using Bowdichia virgilioides leaves compared to carbide. Ripening tests were carried out using 'Pacovan' banana fruits with B. virgilioides leaves and carbide following the empirical method used by Borborema farmers, Paraíba, Brazil. Bowdichia virgilioides leaves induced increased respiration and ascorbic acid production and reduced acidity, chlorophyll and pH in banana fruits like CaC₂. Leaves of B. virgilioides induce ripening of 'Pacovan' banana with safer and same results than with CaC₂.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Cell Respiration
Ethylenes / metabolism
Ethylenes / pharmacology
Fabaceae / metabolism*
Fruit / drug effects
Fruit / growth & development
Fruit / metabolism
Musa / drug effects
Musa / growth & development*
Musa / metabolism
Plant Leaves / metabolism*

Substances

Ethylenes
ethylene