Abstract
Plantain (Musa sp., genome AAB) is a major locally grown starchy staple food highly consumed by Ghanaians with a per capita consumption of 84.4 kg. However, the maturity index of the fruit has been dependent on various characteristics including angularity, fruit tip drying, etc. A physiological study was conducted on the fruit characteristics of Apantu at harvest to determine the appropriate maturity index to be used by smallholders. The results were subjected to correlative analysis and revealed a strong positive correlation between age at harvest and pulp to peel ratio. The number of leaves declined with age while pulp to peel ratio, bunch weight, peel weight and fruit weight showed positive correlation with age. The low correlations observed between the age at harvest and peel thickness, peel weight, density of fruit and pulp thickness makes them unreliable indices, possibly due to the difference in environmental conditions. Generally this is true since smallholders rely upon rainfed irrigation and physiological characteristics are greatly influenced by the watering component of the environmental. It is therefore recommended that farmers use bunch ages to determine harvest maturity. This could be done through tagging of plants at flower emergence due to the strong correlation it had with pulp:peel ratio. Further testing on each variety is needed to make tangible conclusions on some of the maturity indices to be adopted or must be backed with other variables. Key words: Musa, Apantu, physiology, postharvest, maturity indices.
Highlights
Plantain (AAB subgroup) is one of the earliest crops domesticated by man and grown in organized agriculture in the humid forest zones of West and Central Africa
Plantain (Musa sp., genome AAB) is a major locally grown starchy staple food highly consumed by Ghanaians with a per capita consumption of 84.4 kg
The maturity index of the fruit has been dependent on various characteristics including angularity, fruit tip drying, etc
Summary
Plantain (AAB subgroup) is one of the earliest crops domesticated by man and grown in organized agriculture in the humid forest zones of West and Central Africa. Plantain makes up the fourth most important world food item after cereals in terms of the gross value of production. They have been identified to be of great socio-economic and nutritional significance in growing regions (Dzomeku et al, 2011). Apantu cultivation has become a feature of great socioeconomic importance in Ghana from the point of view of food security and job creation. The common maturity indices used by most plantain farmers for assessing for harvest in view of the absence of universal criteria, are any combination of the following: (i) By experience and judged largely by the visual appearance of the hanging bunch and by the angularity of individual fingers (Palmer, 1971). The objective of this study was to critically evaluate the physiological characteristics of Apantu with maturity indices
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