Post-harvest banana peel splitting as a function of relative humidity storage conditions

Peel splitting is a major physiological disorder affecting post-harvest banana quality. This phenomenon occurs only 3-6 days after ripening induction in specific cultivars such as cv. 925 when stored in saturating humidity conditions. In these conditions, Cavendish cultivars (Grande Naine, cv. GN) are not susceptible to splitting. Cvs. 925 and GN were thus investigated to detect possible determinants associated with splitting. Splitting intensity was tentatively found to be associated with an inverse water flux at high relative humidity (RH) through an osmotic peel to pulp water flux resulting from the higher sugar content in the pulp than in the peel. Rheological properties were measured, and although the peel resistance and elasticity in cv. 925 were surprisingly higher than in cv. GN, saturating humidity conditions (100 % RH) substantially reduced the peel resistance. However, the peel epicuticular wax in cv. 925 was clearly thinner than that in cv. GN, thus leading to limitation of peel hydration in cv. GN. Peel splitting in cv. 925 was also associated with a boost in respiration, an increase in oxidative stress markers (H2O2), resulting in an increase in cellular damage markers (MDA, PEL). Overall, our results suggest that peel splitting at high RH in cv. 925 is related to fast decrease peel water content and the induction of high oxidative stress damage.