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1-Methylcyclopropene 1-MCP on Fruits Banana Retard Ripeness

On September 20th 2018, Dora Agri began the new field trial of 1-Methylcyclopropylene on Banana, we collected the trial report and share with you.

The results show: 1-Methylcyclopropylene(1-MCP) can inhibit the ethylene release and PPO activity of banana fruits. It can delay the browning and softening of banana fruits, inhibits the production of banana total phenols, and reduces the banana’s respiratory intensity. Delay the ripening process of banana fruit. (More details of 1-MCP)

Bananas are extremely nutritious, integrating a variety of nutrients and dietary fiber. Banana is a typical respiration type fruit. When the banana fruit enters the respiration phase, after the catalysis of ethylene, the whole fruit will turn yellow and soft, accelerate the ripening, and increase the difficulty of storage and transportation.

1-MCP on Fruits Banana

This Field Trial mainly tested the changes in ethylene release, pulp browning, total phenol content, polyphenol oxidase activity, malondialdehyde content, hardness, and respiratory intensity after 1-MCP treatment of bananas fruits at 12 ℃.

The effect of 1-MCP treatment on ethylene metabolism and browning of bananas was confirmed, and it aims to provide a certain theoretical basis for the long-distance transportation and storage of bananas.

1. Effect of 1-MCP on Banana Fruits Ethylene Release

1-MCP on Banana Fruits Ethylene Release

The release of banana ethylene in the control group reached a peak on the 6th day, while the 1-MCP group reached a peak on the 9th day, the peak appearance time was delayed by 3 days, and the peak value of the 1-MCP group was also lower than that of the control group.

On the 6th day, the difference between the treatment group and the control group was extremely significant. On the 15th and 18th days, the difference between the treatment group and the control group was significant, indicating that 1-MCP not only significantly inhibited the production of banana ethylene but also delayed the appearance of peak time.

2. Effect of 1-MCP on Banana Fruits Browning

1-MCP on Banana Fruits Browning

The change of banana fruit color is an important basis for reflecting the ripening and senescence of bananas. When browning occurs, the normal color of the fruit changes, which affects the quality of the fruit.

During the storage of bananas, the browning degree of the two groups changed similarly, showing an increasing trend, but the change trend of the 1-MCP group was smaller than that of the control group.

Before storage for 12 days, there was no significant difference in the degree of browning of the two groups of banana fruits. On the 15th day of storage, the browning degree of the control group increased significantly, while that of the 1-MCP group increased slowly, showing a significant difference between the two. This indicates that the browning of banana fruits was significantly inhibited by 1-MCP after 15 days.

3. Effect of 1-MCP on Fruits Banana Polyphenol Oxidase (PPO) Activity

1-MCP on Fruits Banana Polyphenol Oxidase (PPO) Activity

As the storage time of bananas prolonged during storage, the activity of polyphenol oxidase showed a trend of first rising and then falling.

Both the control group and 1-MCP group reached the highest on the 9th day, and then gradually decreased. On the 15th and 18th days of storage, the difference between the 1-MCP group and the control group was significant, indicating that 1-MCP significantly inhibited the activity of polyphenol oxidase in the pulp during the later period of storage, so that the degree of browning was alleviated.

4. Effect of 1-MCP on the Fruits Banana Total Phenol Content

1-MCP on Fruits Banana Polyphenol Oxidase (PPO) Activity

After 1-MCP treatment, the total phenol content of bananas was lower than the control group on the 6, 9, 15, and 18 days, but there was no significant difference from the control.

The total phenol content of the control group and the treatment group reached the maximum on the 6th day, but the treatment group was lower than the control group.

It shows that 1-MCP inhibits the production of banana total phenols to a certain extent.

5. Effect of 1-MCP on Banana Malondialdehyde Content

1-MCP on Banana malondialdehyde

The content of malondialdehyde showed an overall upward trend with the extension of storage time.

9 days before storage, the increased rate of malondialdehyde content of 1-MCP group and control group bananas was relatively gentle, and the difference between the two was not obvious.

On the 12th, 15th, and 18th days of storage, there was a significant difference between the treatment group and the control group.

During the entire storage period, the content of malondialdehyde in the 1-MCP group was lower than that of the control group. ,

From the above, it can be seen that the malondialdehyde content of bananas treated with 1-MCP is significantly suppressed, reflecting that 1-MCP has an inhibitory effect on the degree of peroxidation of fruit cell membranes.

6. Effect of 1-MCP on Banana Firmness

1-MCP on banana firmness

The hardness of banana fruit showed a downward trend with the extension of storage time. From the 12th day of storage, the hardness of banana fruits treated with 1-MCP was significantly higher than that of the control.

It indicated that 1-MCP treatment significantly delayed the decrease of banana fruit hardness.

7. Effect of 1-MCP on Banana Respiration Intensity

1-MCP on Banana respiration intensity

The change of banana respiration intensity in the control group and 1-MCP group both increased first and then decreased. The control group reached the peak of respiration on the 6th day of storage, the peak value was 322.2 mg/(kg·h), while the 1-MCP group reached the peak of respiration on the 9th day, the peak value was 264.1 mg/(kg·h), which is higher than the control group was 57.1 mg/(kg·h) lower, and the difference in breathing intensity between the control group and the treatment group reached a very significant level on the 6th and 9th days.

It shows that 1-MCP significantly inhibited the respiratory intensity of bananas, and the time of the respiratory peak was delayed by 3 days, and the peak was significantly lower than that of the control banana.

Conclusion of 1-MCP on Banana


This experiment showed that the increase in browning degree, malondialdehyde content, and ethylene release in the banana pulp after 1-MCP treatment were significantly inhibited.

The polyphenol oxidase activity was also significantly inhibited in the late storage period. 1-MCP delays the decrease of banana hardness and respiratory intensity, and delays the emergence of fruit ethylene release peak and respiratory peak, inhibits the production of banana total phenols, delays the ripening of bananas, and maintains the color of the pulp.

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