Impact of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the postharvest fruit qualities of four "musa" (AAB sub-group) genotypes in sub-humid zone of Nigeria

Abstract

The postharvest fruit quality responses of four plantain genotypes (‘29525’, ‘30456-3’, ‘PITA 14’ and Agbagba) to fertilizer types (inorganic fertilizer, organic fertilizer and control (no fertilizer) were evaluated in 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 cropping seasons. The experimental design was a 4 x 3 factorial in randomized block design with three replications. There were significant differences (P<0.05) among the genotypes for fruit weight, edible proportion of fruits, pulp and peel dry matter contents, pulp colour rating and fruit ripening pattern. The mean over the two cycles showed that Agbagba had the heaviest fruit, edible proportion of fruits, pulp and peel dry matter contents. Agbagba and ‘PITA 14’ had the highest degree of lightness, redness and yellowness while fruit shelf life was longest in ‘29525’. The fertilizer type was not significant for most of the traits except edible proportion of fruits, pulp dry matter content and pulp degree of yellowness. Fertilizer types reduced the pulp degree of yellowness. The heaviest fruits and longest fruit shelf life were observed when organic fertilizer (poultry manure) was applied to Agbagba and ‘29525,’ respectively.

KEYWORDS: Plantain, hybrid, postharvest fruit quality, fertilizer and pulp colour,