Horticulture-post Harvest Banana

AGR 452 HORTICULTURE CROP

POST HARVEST HANDLING OF BANANA GROUP MEMBERS: NAME MUHAMMAD RASHIDI BIN MD YUSOF MUHAMMAD AMIRUL BIN JAMALUDIN AHMAD JALALUDDIN BIN ABDULLAH ZAWAWI

CLASS:  AT2202A2 LECTURER IN CHARGE:  DR MOHD YUSOFF BIN ABDULLAH  MADAM NORAZMA BINTI YUSOF

ID NUMBER 2011495944 2011235438 2011445056

IC NUMBER 900719-04-5319 901218-07-5063 900317-05-5039

POST HARVEST HANDLING OF BANANA

TABLE OF CONTENT DESCRIPTION INTRODUCTION  Taxonomy,Origin,Varieties,Description  Malaysia Banana Scene  Why Do We Choose Post Harvest Banana Process?

PAGE 3 4-6 7-9 10

POST HARVEST PROCESS  Post-Harvest Characteristic At Harvest  Dehanding

 Washing, Delatexing And Disease Control  Grading  Packing

11-15

 Pre-Cooling  Removal Of Air And Ethylene  Storage  Marketing CASE STUDY MAJOR PROBLEM IN POST-HARVEST HANDLING OF BANANA  Crown Rot  Anthracnose  Early Ripening Before Matured

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MINOR PROBLEM IN POST-HARVEST HANDLING OF BANANA  SOLUTION

CONCLUSION REFERENCE

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

Introduction

TAXONOMY Bananas and plantains are most extensively grown in Malaysia. It’s belonging to the order of Zingiberales and family Musacea. Members of this family are large herbs 2-9 meters tall with an aerial trunk consisting of compacted leaf sheaths which grow directly to the top of the corm. Musa contains two genera that are Musa and Ensete. Genus of Ensete distributed in a wild state from Cameroon to Transvaal in South Africa. The genus differs from Musa by being monocarpic, non-suckering with a distinctively in swollen base and having large sized seed. The genus Musa contains 30-40 species. The genus is divided into 5 series, based mainly on the basic chromosome number, orientation and arrangement of flowers in the inflorescent. The wild species of Musa can reproduces both sexually and asexually, by sucker or corm. Musa acuminate and Musa balbisiana, both of which have contributed to the origin of the majority of edible bananas. ORIGIN Edible bananas originated in the Indo-Malaysian region reaching to northern Australia. They were known only in the Mediterranean region in the 3rd Century B.C. It believed to have been first carried to Europe in the 10th Century A.D. Early in the 16th Century, Portuguese mariners transported the plant from the West African coast to South America. The types found in cultivation in the Pacific have been traced to eastern Indonesia from where they spread to the Marquesas and by stages to Hawaii.

Bananas and plantains are today grown in every humid tropical region and constitute the 4th largest fruit crop of the world. World production is estimated to be 28 million tons, 65% from Latin America, 27 % from Southeast Asia, and 7 % from Africa. One-fifth of the crop is exported to Europe, Canada, the United States and Japan as fresh fruit. India is the leading banana producer in Asia. The crop from 400,000 acres (161,878 ha) is entirely for domestic

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consumption. Indonesia produces over 2 million tons annually, the Philippines about 1/2 million tons, exporting mostly to Japan. Taiwan raises over 1/2 million tons for export. Ivory Coast and Somalia grows nearly 9 million tons of bananas each year and exports large quantities to Europe.

VARIETIES Bananas come in many varieties, therefore selection of the species should be based on its demand and yields. The most commonly cultivated bananas in Malaysia are Berangan and Canvendish and the remaining popular cultivars are Emas, Rastali, Raja Awak, Abu, Nangka and Tanduk. The schedule below shows the characteristic of the different varieties.

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DESCRIPTION Leaves 

The entire above ground portion of the plant is not a true woody trunk, as in other trees that consist of leaves and their fused petiole bases, referred to as a pseudostem. The pseudostem supports a canopy consisting of 6–20 or more leaves.

Fruit 

Musa fruits are variable in size, shape, and color. They are generally long cylindrical, 3–40 cm long, and 2–8 cm in diameter. The fruit apex is important in variety identification. It may be tapered, rounded, or blunt. The skin is thin, thick and leathery, and silver, yellow, green, or red in color. Inside the ripe fruit, the flesh ranges from starchy to sweet, and in color from white, cream, yellow, or yelloworange to orange. Bananas also vary in peel thickness. Some varieties have a thin peel and are more exposed to damage in transport.

Seeds 

Cultivated varieties are typically seedless. When seeds are present, they vary among species in shape and morphology. Seeds of Musa balbisiana, parent of many commercial edible banana varieties, are dark brown, ovoid, about 4 mm long, with a conspicuous white, powdery endosperm.

Rooting habit 

Plants have numerous (200–500) fibrous roots. In well drained, deep, and fertile soils, roots may extend 1.5 m deep and 4.9 m laterally. In dry, shallow, or rocky soils, roots of Musa may not compete well; otherwise, Musa is an average to good competitor.

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Flowers 

Upon flowering, the true stem emerges from the center of the rolled bunch of leaves. This flower cluster is actually an elongated, plump, purple to green bud. As the bud elongates, it exposes semicircular layers of female flowers, then neutral flowers, and finally small, generally male flowers. Each group of flowers is arranged radially on the stem. Each flower cluster is borne on the stem bearing the fruit (peduncle) and covered by a modified leaf. About 12–20 flowers are produced per cluster. The flowering parts and fruit are referred to the bunch. Individual clusters of fruits are known as hands, and individual fruits are known as fingers.

BANANA HEART

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MALAYSIA BANANA SCENE

In Malaysia, banana is the second most widely cultivated fruit .Malaysia produces more than 170,000 metric tons of bananas per year from a production area of more than 31,000 hectares. About 50% of the banana growing land is cultivated with Pisang Berangan and the Cavendish type, and the remaining popular cultivars are Pisang Mas, Pisang Rastali, Pisang Raja, Pisang Awak, Pisang Abu, Pisang Nangka and Pisang Tanduk. The banana production statistics in year 2000 is given in Table 1. About 30% of the total production is exported mainly to Singapore, Brunei, Hong Kong and the Middle East, comprising mostly the dessert varieties and the remainder is for the domestic market. Banana production in 2002 showed a slight decrease in acreage and the production acreage by states are presented in Table 2. Domestic market estimates indicates that 90% of the bananas are of the dessert types and 10% comprise the cooking bananas.

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Table 1: Banana Production Statistics (2000)

Production: 179,000 mt Acreage: 33,600 ha Av. Yield: 5.33 ton/ha Export: 31,000 mt (RM 33.02 million) Import: 300 mt (RM 0.4 million) Balance of Trade: 30,700 mt (RM32.62 million) Domestic supply: 148,000 mt Per capita consumption: 6.3 kg Source: Balance of trade plan, Department of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, Malaysia.

Table 2 : Banana Production By States (2002) States Hecterage: Johore Kedah Kelantan Malacca Negeri Sembilan Pahang Perak Perlis Penang Selangor Terengganu

8776.5 1430.1 2298.0 183.6 503.6 1789.2 3003.8 8.6 600.0 2770.1 708.6

West Malaysia (sub-total) 22,072.1

Sabah 4474.5 Sarawak 3616.0 Federal Territory/Labuan 70.0 =TOTAL 31,233. Source: Department of Agriculture Commodity Statistics.

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Below is banana production by country: ry:

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WHY DO WE CHOOSE POST HARVEST BANANA PROCESS?

Banana is one of Malaysia’s major planted in present the horticulture industry after palm oil. Banana has higher chances to develop because Malaysia has a favorable tropic region that suitable for growing banana. Even though it is second most planted in Malaysia but it is not being commercialized seem that most of the farmer come from rural area and their production are for their own uses. So we need to improve and commercialized the production of the banana so that we can compete with other main producer country and finally be one of the exporters of banana in the world. From our observation, we can say that our post harvest is still behind compare to other country such as Thailand and Philippine because farmer still practicing traditional method. In order to improve the quality of the banana, a proper handling of post harvest banana process should take an action by make other main producer country as a model and practice new method that we have suggested such as banana conveyer, ethylene absorber and protective pad. Otherwise, we choose this topic to be discussed because of lack of proper handling from early of stage harvesting banana until to the consumer such as disease, physical damage that lead to food waste. By a proper precaution we can also minimize the disease such crown rot and anthracnose that usually happen during the process of post harvest. Besides that, we also focus on transportation of the banana from the factory or packing shed to the wholesalers. This is because the mentality of the farmers and other parties, that afraid to invest more on transportation because their aim is just to get a higher profit. We want to target a high quality of banana when it delivered to a customer.

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POST HARVEST PROCESS The post-harvest characteristics at harvest essential in the screening of new banana, cooking banana and plantain hybrids include: 1. Bunch and fruit characteristics 2. Post-harvest quality attributes Depending on the locality or country, most producers and consumers of banana, cooking banana and plantain usually prefer large size bunches with large or small size fingers and long or short fingers. Therefore, assessment of bunch weight and fruit characteristics such as fruit weight, length, circumference and volume are important in post-harvest

selection

criteria.

Screening

of

new

Musa

hybrids

for

their

fruit

characteristics at harvest may be important for the purpose of packaging of the fruit which would enhance efficient handling and transportation. It is also important in the assessment of fruit maturity at harvest. Assessment of the post-harvest quality attributes such as peel and pulp colour, pulp firmness, total soluble solids, moisture and dry matter content are important in determining fruit maturation. Screening of new banana, cooking banana and plantain hybrids for their post-harvest characteristics at harvest would provide the plant breeder useful information for future breeding work. It would also enable meaningful comparison of new Musa hybrids to existing cultivars.

POST-HARVEST CHARACTERISTIC AT HARVEST. By experience and judge largely by the visual appearance of the hanging bunch and particularly by the angularity of individual finger. Fruit are harvested when the finger of the first hand of the bunch shows sign of ripening or yellowing or when the finger tips turn black. For local market fruits are often harvested when fingers are full or rounded. Usually coloured ribbons are use to provide information regarding bunch weight. Fruit diameter and fruit length maybe used as criteria to determine when to harvest.

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DEHANDING The bunch is unloaded from the trailer into a shaded holding area. Here, the bunch covers are removed. The hands are cut smoothly from the peduncle using a sharp knife. The hands are then placed in dehanding tank water.

WASHING, DELATEXING AND DISEASE CONTROL The dehanding water tank consist of clean flowing water is used to remove dirt from the fruit surface and latex from the cut surface of the crown. Fungal spores, if present must also be removed from the fruit surface because they can cause crown rot.The hands are then broken into clusters of 4-8 joined fingers. Small and defective fingers are removed. The clusters are then removed. The clusters are then removed from the water tank dried and transferred to cluster tanks containing fungicides such as TBZ (Thiabendazole) or Benomyl for 2-10 minutes. The next operation is to dry the fruits by normal drying method (fan).

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GRADING The fruits are graded based on maturity index. It is divided into 7 types of index colour:

1- Dark green overall. Fruit are immature to harvest. 2- Green with a bit yellowish. Mature fruit and can be harvested for far delivery through ship. 3- Green yellowish. Mature fruit and not suitable to harvest for far delivery using ship. 4- Yellowish with a bit green. A fruit almost ripe and only suitable for local market. 5- Yellowish with a little bit green colour at the tips of the fruit. Ripe fruit and suitable for local market only. 6- Yellowish. Ripe fruit and suitable for local market. The best stage to eat fresh. 7- Yellowish orange. Fruit are over ripe and suitable for local market. Short life period.

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PACKING First grade bananas are packed into cardboard cartoons as whole hands, clusters or singles. The maximum weight of each cartoon should not exceed 12kg. the cartoon is lined with polyethylene of about 0.04mm. For exports, bananas are removed from the stem and hands and clusters of the bananas are packed in corrugated boxes. The curved side of the hands is kept facing upwards making sure that the crown of the upper hands do not damage the banana underneath.

PRE-COOLING The temperature of the fruits need to be reduced to the storage temperature (14°C) using pre-cooling tools of 8-10°C for 70-90 minutes.

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REMOVAL OF AIR AND ETHYLENE The next step is to incorporate ethylene absorbing materials into the cartoons. Ethylene accelerates fruit ripening and must be removed. The atmosphere in the cartoon is also removed in order to reduce the rate of respiration of the fruits and hence delays ageing. Vacuum cleaners can be use for this purpose. The polyethylene film can be secured by tying it up and the cartoon is closed and labeled. STORAGE In the cold storage, bananas are stored at 13-14°C with 90-95% relative humidity before being transported to market destiny. Under controlled atmospheric conditions, 2-5% oxygen and 2-5% carbon dioxide should be used to supplement temperature and humidity management during transport and storage. Maintaining ethylene concentration below 1 ppm can extend postharvest life of mature green bananas. Mature-green bananas can be stored for up to 3 weeks in ethylene-free air or up to 6 weeks in a controlled atmosphere at 14°C. MARKETING For small scaled banana farmers their harvests are sold to the local wholesale buyers or retailers. Bigger plantations sell their product to big whole sale merchants who in turn market them in the exporters, wholesale markets, hotel, restaurants or the processors and retailers.

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POST HARVEST HANDLING OF BANANA CASE STUDY.

Post-harvest disease can directly give influence to the market structure of banana. Based on our observations in some supermarkets, such as Tesco and Giant in Shah Alam, we found that anthracnose and crown rot is the major problem that change the appearance and thus reduce the market price of fruit. This is because consumer demands on the products that have a good appearance and free from disease. Continuously if this thing happens, we will face a big amount of food waste. Other than that, we also found that our country banana producers are not concern about the step of post-harvest such as transportation. An example, before transportation, banana should be packed properly to reduce the physical damage, overheating or any infection of disease. But in our country we can see improper post-harvest handling occur. Producers do not follow the step that should be followed such as uses of box before transportation and proper transportation (cold storage transportation).

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MAJOR PROBLEM IN POST-HARVEST HANDLING OF BANANA CROWN ROT Major losses often occur during shipping of bananas to their final market, mainly because of ripening during shipping where bananas should reach ripening rooms unripe, appearance defects, and storage decay such as anthracnose and crown rot that occur during shipping. Such post-harvest diseases give negative impact to the market value of bananas, especially when they undergo process of ripening. It contributes to banana quality depreciation and constraining export trade. Crown rot affects export bananas in all banana country producers. It is considered to be one of the main export banana post-harvest diseases. This became a major problem in the banana industry. Bananas were cut into clusters consist of several banana fruits joined by the crown tissues (Picture 1) and boxed for shipping. The crown became a target area for infection by pathogens. The incidence of crown rot periodically increases during the rainy season.

Picture 1

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Crown rot affects tissues of the crown, which unites the peduncles. The rot is not visible when the bananas are boxed, and symptoms generally appear only after shipping. The bananas may detach from the peduncle in cases of severe infection. Crown rot results from the development in the crown of several common fungi, which constitute a fungal complex, and leads to softening and blackening of tissues at the site of the wound left when the cluster was cut from the bunch. The symptoms develop rapidly during ripening when the fruit undergoes modifications that facilitate fungal development. Crown rot affects fruit quality because of the development of necrosis on the fruit, and it can also trigger early ripening of bananas during shipping. Ripening may be caused by ethylene released by stressed and necrotic tissues, but also by ethylene produced by mycelia of fungi such as Colletotrichum musae . The disease cannot be predicted, and it spreads in an irregular pattern on all clusters in a shipping box. The same box may contain both healthy and infected clusters.

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ANTHRACNOSE

Anthracnose and early ripening of fruit are serious problems that decrease the quality of export bananas. Anthracnose is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum musae, which spreads from the floral parts to contaminate fruit in plantations. Fungi reach the fruit surface in runoff rainwater on the banana bunch. Symptoms occur as black or brown, sunken spots of various sizes on fruits. Spots may have triangular-shaped or angular edges. The pathogen may cause symptoms on green fruit and may also enter the crowns after fruits are severed from stalks. As with crown rot, fruits may ripen prematurely. When fruits are wounded, rot develops long before the fruit ripe. This form of the disease, called wound anthracnose, can cause early fruit ripening, sometimes seriously damaging fruit when it develops during container transport. Early ripening of fruit can be due to postharvest disease development. Banana must be harvested green until reaching the ripening room, where it undergoes an ethylene treatment to induce ripening. Harvesting fruit too late is also called the green life .These qualitative problems generally arise during the hot rainy season and especially affect fruit growing in lowland plantations. Previous studies revealed that bananas grown in lowland areas are more susceptible to wound anthracnose than those grown in highland zones. Bananas produce more ethylene in response to wounding than highland-grown bananas, especially during the rainy season.

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EARLY RIPENING BEFORE MATURED Ripening is a normal phase in the maturation process of fruits and vegetables. Upon its onset, it only takes about a few days before the fruit or vegetable is considered inedible. This unavoidable process brings significant losses to both farmers and consumers alike. Ethylene is a natural plant hormone associated with the growth, development, ripening and aging of many plants. This is to promote ripening in a variety of fruits including bananas, pineapples, tomatoes, mangoes, melons, and papayas. It is produced in varying quantities depending on the type of fruit. Normally, farmers pick their produce while they are still green. The ripening process is then induced by spraying the fruits with ethylene gas when they reach their destination. For long period, fruits and vegetables are refrigerated to prevent damage and delay their ripening. The fruit requires careful handling, rapid transport to ports, cooling, and refrigerated shipping but without proper handling and cooling, banana is able to produce their own ethylene from their necrotic tissue. If this happen we not be able to control the ripening stages, not uniform grade and early ripening will occur. When an early ripening occur it will lead to post harvest disease such as crown rot and anthracnose.

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SOLUTION The present of ethylene gas in packaging major factor that cause all the problem above. Ethylene gas is the ripening agent which occurs naturally in nature. It will cause fruits to ripen and decay. Controlling ethylene gas after picking will extend the life cycle of banana to be held for a much a longer period of time. Even small amounts of ethylene gas during shipping and storage causes most fresh produce to deteriorate faster. Banana is sensitive to ethylene gas and can ripen or mature quicker when exposed to ethylene gas. In Malaysia banana scene nowadays, they only use vacuum to remove ethylene gas from the packaging. This process will only effective for a short period because we know that ethylene gas can be produce by fruit naturally. Based on our observation from other country such as Thailand and United States, we have found several alternatives to overcome this problem. Both of this country creates a material called ethylene absorber. It is an Activated Clay-type of desiccants made from natural mineral Diatomaceous Earth. It is a newly developed desiccant that shows greater water vapor adsorption capability. It divided into two type, granule and packaging. For granule it use for a large scale of transportation (warehouse) and packaging use for small scale such as in the box.

PACKAGING

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GRANULES

POST HARVEST HANDLING OF BANANA

MINOR PROBLEM IN POST-HARVEST HANDLING OF BANANA 1. Early damage during harvesting and processing of banana.  The minor problem exists when fruit bunch drop on the ground during harvesting since most of the banana are planted by the rural people which is called traditional method. Increases in normal physiological changes can be caused by high temperature, low atmospheric humidity and physical injury. Such injury results from careless handling, causing internal bruising, splitting and skin breaks and rapidly increasing water loss needed by the banana. In order to minimize the early damage during harvesting, farmers should minimize bruising fruits such as sleeving the bunches, preventing bunches from dropping to the ground during harvesting, and avoiding excessive stacking of bunches. Furthermore, in the packing shed, the procedure for dehanding the bunch, washing the hands to remove grime and latex, and treating the hands with fungicide to control crown rot should be done with caution to minimize bruising.In addition, storage of bananas either green or ripe, not less than 14˚c is recommended. Lower temperatures will cause chilling injury which the surface of the banana will scald. Poor quality of local bananas also may result from a lack of the necessary equipment to handle and pre-condition bananas at some wholesale outlets. Nowadays, we can see the situation in Malaysia that farmers practising traditional method in banana harvesting. This can be seen by farmers using a wheelbarrow to carry the banana to the packing shed which actually exposed the fresh fruit bunch of the banana to physical damage and can cause or expose the bunch to the infection of disease. This happen because those fruit which already have a disease are transferring the disease in the wheelbarrow to other none disease of when the wheelbarrow is not cleaned after carry the banana to the packing shed. In order to solve this problem, farmers should take an action by ensuring that the transport they used is cleaned and free from disease. Plus, the traditional method only using one harvester to cut and carry the harvested bunch to the factory or packing shed.

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To carry all the bunches at once, this may cause the bunches to have a physical injury that comes from the pressure of the fruit in the wheelbarrow that will make the fruit bruising, broken finger and exposed of the disease between the fruit bunch. For the conclusion, effect from all the problems above which mainly came from a poor harvesting handling, this may cause food waste and lower the market outlook of the fresh fruit bunches of the banana.

Finger injury while harvesting

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SOLUTION For the solution in small scale or large scale productionof banana, we suggest that during harvesting, farmer should practice a new method that requires only a harvester and a carrier. If we refer the traditional method, we can see that the damaged always happen when the fruits are fall to the ground because there is only a harvester that doing two things in one time which require the harvester to cut and carry the harvested bunches of the banana. In order to solve this problem, we suggest to all the farmer especially for the small scale production of banana to practice a method that require two person, one as a cutter, and one as a carrier. Addition to these, the carrier must avoid the bunches from fall to the ground by placing the bunches on their shoulder. However, the banana or bunches may face some physical damage due to the pressure on the shoulder. So we suggest to provide the carrier with a soft liner that are made from fabric, span, or anything that can absorb pressure and put on their shoulder when carry the bunches of the banana. This method can minimise physical damage due to the absorption that come from the soft liner.

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Otherwise, we are also suggesting putting a protective pad between the clusters of the banana which means that one protective pad for each layer of the cluster. This method may reduce a physical damage of the banana during harvesting period. Minimum physical damage also will reduce the disease and any losses.

For large scale area of banana production, we suggest farmers to practice the method that called as “banana conveyor” which this system is being introduced from the company named DOLE origin from Costa Rica. When crops are harvested at some distance from the packinghouse, the produce must be transported before packing. The gravity driven conveyor system for bananas illustrated below provides an example of how handling can be minimized during preparation for market. Harvested bananas are carried to the platforms set up along the conveyor route, then lifted and hung from hooks attached to the wire. Transport speed is controlled by workers who lead the produce to the packinghouse at the bottom of the hill. This conveyor used the concept of cable car, by hanging the bunches up until arrive at the packaging house. This method may increase the productivity of banana by reducing the physical damage, more systematic method to transport the bunches from farm to the packaging house. Now days, Malaysia banana industries still applying the old or conventional method of harvesting banana, thus, this is why Malaysia banana industry are not develop well.

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



Banana Conveyor Draft

Implemented Banana Conveyor

With all the suggestion being applied, we believe that the losses of banana fruit, postharvest disease and physical damage that usually occur can be minimize . The system of harvesting also can be improved, more systematically thus this will increase the production of banana fruits.

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2. Transportation  The problems occur when the harvested banana are transfer from factory to the wholesalers and lastly to the consumer. Otherwise, the problem also exists to export from our local country to the overseas. For information Malaysia was the 21st banana producer in the world which mainly export banana to the whole Asian country and banana production in Malaysia was ranked number 2 most planted in Malaysia. In order to make sure the banana is in well condition during transportation process, farmer should able to handle the fresh fruit bunches of banana in a method by which the banana are handle in proper ways starting from harvesting of the banana, transport the banana to the factory or packing shed, packaging of the banana and until the banana are arrived properly to the wholesaler. The problems exist when the farmers stillpack their bananas in cartons which give pressure to the physiological appearance of the banana. The mentality of the farmer as a producer either in small or large scale production of the banana, they only realize that they are a producer only. Their responsible are just plant, harvest and transport the banana to the factory or to the packing shed only. To maximise the production of the harvested banana, the farmer usually fill the banana in the wheelbarrow or any carrier machine at the early stage of the harvesting process at the maximum bunches, and also they transport to the factory at the maximum bunches. In addition, transportation form the factory to the wholesalers at the maximum bunches and some of them are just using a normal truck without provided with a cold storage is also cause a problem. The need to maximise the bunches are usually because to minimise their cost in transportation, uses of the proper transport and to minimise their usage of workers and usually this problem happen not only from the farmers but also from the factory and the wholesaler itself. Proper transportation system ensure the quality, good condition of banana looks, control and minimize the physical or mechanical damage so that, it reach the consumer, in a good conditions without any food losses.

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SUGGESTION SOLUTION. From all the problems that exist , especially the problem related to the physical damage, we come out with some suggestion. First, the arrangement of the banana cluster in the box should be arrange properly, with the crown being put downward. The latest situation happen in Malaysia now days, show that some of the banana that being transport experience damaged when it reach the consumer or wholesaler. This is because, the arrangement of the banana cluster in the box still allow the movement of the cluster, due to the space exist between it. So, as a solution to this problem, we suggest that, the arrangement of the cluster to be modified, by putting some protective sponge pad between the banana cluster to minimize the space and movement of the cluster during transportation.

Protective sponge pad

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Second, to control the movement of the box of banana cluster that may generate the physical damages of the banana, we can apply the “Seismic Base Isolation System” which is the system used to avoid the vibration during earthquake. This system being introduced by Japan engineer to control and minimize the damages during earthquake. Although the system are not specify to agriculture industry, but, with this idea, we generate the solution for absorb the pressure and vibration during the transportation process of banana. As we know, the transportation period expose the banana with many movements and pressure that may cause the banana finger facing physical damages, thus, will brings to food waste. Seismic isolation system acting to reduce the potential damage caused by vibration, past methods increased the boxes rigidity by adding shear walls or braced frames. The "Seismic Base Isolation System" is a flexible approach for isolating the boxes from the transportation base, reducing seismic shock propagation into the structure. In addition to reducing the chance of structural damage, the "Seismic Base Isolation System" also minimizes secondary damage to equipment inside the boxes.The "Seismic Base Isolation System" is applying between the base and the upper structure of boxes.

Without Seismic isolation system

With Seismic isolation system approach

The actual concept.

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MODIFICATION OF CONCEPT Although the concept can absorb most of the vibration, but, it cannot absorb most of the vibration inside the box and the box still can run off from the track or the basement. So, a little modification of this concept is made. The space between the basement and the boxes are placed with one wide rubber base. Rubber base will avoid the arrangement of the boxes from run off the track or basement, absorb more vibration thus this will minimize the movement, vibration and pressure toward the banana finger inside the boxes. This concept can be applied for any general transportation used to transport banana to the consumer, such as truck.

Arrangement of boxes unit.

The system is a combination seismic isolation bearing, consisting of two load plates with matching sandwiched over a steel ball bearing. This unique design allows the platform to roll smoothly and evenly while accepting input ground accelerations from any direction. Using gravity as a restoring force, the bearing re-centres itself as shaking intensity decreases.

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CONCLUSION In conclusion, we think that the post-harvest of banana is the topic that has many problems that can be solved. Seems that banana is the 2 nd most planted in Malaysia but this type of fruit is not being commercialize because the purpose of the planted banana in Malaysia are just a side-income planted and mostly planted by rural people. They are many types problem during harvesting banana until reach to the customer. The major problem during postharvest of banana comes when the banana are ripening before matured. So, when this case happens, it will expose to infection and disease. In addition, minor problem such as physical injury happen during transportation and harvesting process. This minor problem may cause a lot of food waste and the quality of the banana is low while the market demand for the banana is also decrease. Based on the problem we stated above, we had list down the solution to farmers that can be practiced to minimize those problem. For your information, the solution that we had suggested comes from others country especially from Thailand, Philippine and Costa Rica which practicing a system during post-harvest. We think that our farmers could follow their system to get a better quality of banana. Moreover, we also provided a solution based on our critical and logical thinking. We had been inspired during the process to finish this assignment through discussion that based from current post-harvest banana in Malaysia. Finally, we hope that farmers can practicing the solution that we had been suggested to get a good quality of banana and start to commercialize banana fruit that will lead to healthy competition among banana producer in the world.

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REFERENCES Books and Joural : 1. SMALL-SCALE POSTHARVEST HANDLING PRACTICES:A MANUAL FOR HORTICULTURAL CROPS (4TH EDITION) Lisa Kitinoja and Adel A. Kader 2. ROUTINE POST-HARVEST SCREENINGOF BANANA/PLANTAIN HYBRIDS:CRITERIA AND METHODS B.K. Dadzieet J.E. Orchard 3. MUSA PROCESSING BUSINESS IN MALAYSIA: MALAYSIAN AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INSTITTUTE (MARDI) NikMasdek, Abu Kasim Ali and Zainun Che Ahamad 4. SPECIES PROFILES FOR PACIFIC ISLAND AGROFORESTRY Scot C. Nelson, Randy C. Ploetz, and Angela Kay Kepler 5. SIRI PANDUAN KUALITI PISANG Cawangan Pembangunan Kualiti dan Pengembangan FAMA. 6. PREVENTION OF POST-HARVEST FOOD LOSSES: FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND ROOT CROP VOLUME 2 By Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 7. STATUS OF BANANA CULTIVATIONAND DISEASE INCIDENCES IN MALAYSIA Crop Protection & Plant Quarantine Division Department of Agriculture, Malaysia Mokhtarud-din Husain and Robert William 8. ADVANCING BANANA AND PLANTAIN R&D IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC - VOL. 10 Proceedings of the 10th INIBAP-ASPNETRegional Advisory Committee A.B. Molina, V.N. Roa and M.A.G. Maghuyop 9. BANANA R&D IN MALAYSIA:UPDATES AND HIGHLIGHTS Nik Mohd. Masdek bin Nik Hassan

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POST HARVEST HANDLING OF BANANA

Internet : 1. Banana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.htm 2. Banana Cultivation Guide « Banana Planters.htm 3. banana-in-malaysia.html 4. NationMaster - Malaysian Agriculture statistics.htm 5. Synergy Farm - Malaysian Banana Growing gets a Boost.htm 6. facts_7528585_anthracnose-disease-bananas.html 7. Banana Improvement.htm 8. Banana-post harverst.htm 9. Bananas Documents (KIT Library) Commodities Demanding Innovation Dossiers Home - Knowledge for Development.htm 10. Horticultural Crops.htm 11. Post-harvest handling of bananas ACIAR.htm

Observation : 1. Giant hypermarket 2. Tesco hypermarket

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