Leaf pruning intensities at flowering of banana (Musa AAA, cv. Grande Naine) did not influence fruit green and yellow life and quality

This study examined the effects of leaf pruning intensities at flowering on the green and yellow life and fruit quality of bananas (Musa AAA, cv. Grande Naine). The fruit from banana plants that retained 7, 9, 11 and 13 leaves after pruning were packed in carton boxes of 13.7 kg and stored in a cold room at 14 °C for 21 days to simulate transportation conditions. During this period, eight visual evaluations of fruit peel colour were made. Next, fruits were induced to commercial ripening using ethylene at 100 μl/ml. Four evaluations (every 2 days) on fruit firmness, soluble solids, titratable acidity, fruit weight and peel colour were made to assess fruit yellow life. No interaction between evaluations and number of leaves retained was found for pulp firmness, soluble solid percentage, fruit acidity, fruit weight and maturation grade. The fruit green life and peel colour was similar for plants retaining different number of leaves. After the application of ethylene, there were no differences in fruit firmness (P > 0.62), percentage of soluble solids (P > 0.24) nor in the percentage of acidity (P > 0.32). No difference in fruit weight (P > 0.07) and ripening grade (P > 0.17) were observed among plants retaining different number of leaves. The results suggest that in tropical commercial banana plantations, producing for international markets, it is possible to defoliate the banana plants to seven leaves at flowering without causing a reduction on the green and yellow life and quality of fruit.