Delayed ripening of banana fruit by salicylic acid

Salicylic acid treatment has been found to delay the ripening of banana Fru its (Musa acuminata). Fruit softening, pulp:peel ratio, reducing sugar cont ent, invertase and respiration rate have been found to decrease in salicyli c acid treated fruits as compared with control ones. The activities of majo r cell wall degrading enzymes, viz. cellulase, polygalacturonase and xylana se were found to be decreased in presence of salicylic acid. The major enzy matic antioxidants namely, catalase and peroxidase, were also found to be d ecreased in presence of salicylic acid during banana fruit ripening. (C) 20 00 Published by Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.