ISOLATION OF MICROORGANISM ASSOCIATED WITH DETERIORATION OF BANANAS FRUITS

Abstract

Synopsis Musa sapientum and Musa 
acuminata var. dwarf Cavendish, two 
microorganisms linked to banana fruit 
degeneration, were isolated. Aspergillus 
niger was recovered from M. sapientum, 
and Rhizoctonia solani was obtained 
from the M. acuminata var dwarf 
Cavendish. Alcaligenes faecalis and 
Streptococcus faecalis were recovered 
from M. sapientum, while Streptococcus 
pyogenes and Proteus vulgaris (from M. 
acuminata var. dwarf Cavendish) were 
the bacteria that were isolated. On the 
fifth day of storage, the mean proximate 
composition of M. sapientum showed a 
rise in the contents of moisture (73.919 
to 85.425%), protein (1.375 to 1.554%), 
and ash (1.008 to 2.431%), but a 
decrease in the contents of fat (3.475 to 
2.852%) and carbohydrates (18.807 to 
5.334%). On the fifth day of storage, the 
Musa acuminata var. dwarf Cavendish 
mean proximate composition showed an 
increase in the contents of moisture 
(75.493 to 81.987%), protein (1.713 to 
1.947%), and ash (1.937 to 1.969%), but 
a decrease in the contents of lipid (3.292 
to 2.874%) and carbohydrates (16.919 to 
8.334%). Various methods were used to 
store the fruits. The findings indicated 
that fruits kept in a refrigerator at 4oC±1 
had a longer period of time before 
starting to ripen (20 days) than fruits 
kept in wet sawdust (7 days) or in 
polythene bags soaked with KMn04 
solution (3 days). The fruits' rate of 
decay was also looked at. Fruits kept in 
moist sawdust did not show any signs of 
deterioration over the 31-day storage 
period. On the tenth day, mould was 
found in fruits that had been stored at 
4oC±1. Fruits kept in polythene bags 
that had been wet with KMn04 solution 
started to grow contaminates on the 
seventh and eighth day, respectively. 
The work's findings indicate that wet 
sawdust seemed to be the best option for 
extending the shelf life of the banana 
fruits, while chilling (4oC±1) seemed to 
be the best condition for delaying the 
start of ripening of the varieties of 
bananas utilised