The aim of this work was to evaluate physiological changes in 'Nanica' and 'Pacovan' bananas treated with high doses of calcium carbide (CaC2) as a generator of acetylene. Fruits were harvested in the maturity stage II (green fruit with light yellow stains). Hands were placed into wood boxes (50 x 50 x 40 cm) internally covered with foil paper, hermetically closed, and treated with 4 doses of calcium carbide (0, 15, 30 and 45 g. m-3) and (0, 7, 15 and 30 g. m-3) for 'Nanica' and 'Pacovan', respectively. It was utilized a completely randomized experimental design, 4 x 6 factorial scheme (4 doses and 6 evaluation periods). The characteristics evaluated were: respiratory activity, starch and reducing sugars (RS), total chlorophyll, and color evolution (1-7 scale). The acetylene released from CaC2 resulted in an increase of respiratory rate, starch degradation and RS increase, chlorophyll degradation and yellow color intensification, and uniform ripening, mainly for Pacovan cultivar.
Fruit climatization; acetylene; ripening control; Musa spp
