Relation between oxygen tension, biosynthesis of ethylene, respiration and ripening changes in banana fruit

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Abstract
Summary. The ability of unripe bananas to synthesize ethylene is dependent on the oxygen tension of the atmosphere surrounding the fruit. Unripe bananas do not synthesize significant amounts of ethylene at 18°C unless the oxygen tension is above 7–8.0%. At oxygen tensions of 10–13% synthesis does occur but it is delayed compared with fruit in the air. It has been demonstrated that delay in the onset of the ripening syndrome occasioned by holding fruit in 5–7.5% oxygen is caused by their inability to synthesize ethylene. The ripening syndrome may, however, be initiated even in atmospheres of low oxygen by the inclusion of exogenous ethylene in physiological concentrations. Once the synthesis is initiated, the fruit are capable of producing ethylene even in atmospheres of low oxygen.