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Abstract

This study was executed to investigate the potential of agar-agar, a nontoxic and non-degradable

gelling agent, as a promising coating agent to improve and protect banana fruit

against fungal postharvest diseases i.e., crown, finger, neck and flower end rots which are

caused by fungal isolates of Colletotrichum musae and Fusarium moniliforme. Coated-ba-nana

fruit samples with different concentrations of agar-agar suspension particularly at

2.0 g · l−1 exhibited a significant reduction in incidence and severity of postharvest diseases

compared to untreated fruit. Banana fruits dipped in agar suspension at 2.0 g · l−1 for 5, 10

and 15 min showed significant reduction in disease incidence and severity. Moreover,

application of agar suspension as a coating agent at 2.0 g · l−1 significantly decreased

weight loss (%), firmness loss (%), and soluble solid concentration of banana fruit for

15 days at 25 ± 2°C. Scanning electron microscopy observation confirmed that the fruit

coated with agar colloid at 2.0 g · l−1 had significantly fewer cracks and showed smoother

surfaces than untreated fruit. This explains the quality improvement in agar-coated fruit

compared to uncoated fruit. Overall, agar colloid, a safe coating agent, could be used to

protect banana fruit against postharvest rot diseases and extend fruit storage life during

ripening and storage.

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Authors and Affiliations

El Sayed Hussein Ziedan
Hassan Mohamed El Zahaby
Hanafey Farouk Maswada
El Hassan Abd El Rafh Zoeir

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