Aplikasi Kalium Permanganat sebagai Oksidan Etilen dalam Penyimpanan Buah Pepaya IPB Callina.

Abstract

Papaya is a climacteric fruit that have good nutrient content. The main problem in papaya fruit postharvest is short shelf life so it needs postharvest handling to increase fruit shelf life. Pottasium permanganate (KMnO4) can extend shelf life by oxidize ethylene that released by fruit. Ethylene oxidant treatment was assumed can extend fruit shelf life. The research aims to obtain right dosage of ethylene oxidant in storage of IPB Callina papaya fruit and to study inhibition of respiration by ethylene oxidant treatment. The fruits were harvested at green ripe stage. The experiment was conducted in one factor completely randomized block design that blocked depend on harvest date. The treatment that given was dosage of ethylene oxidant: 0 g (control), 15 g, 30 g and 45 g for one papaya fruit. The results of this research indicated that 15 g and 30 g of ethylene oxidant could delay climacteric respiration of IPB Callina papaya. Fruits with 0 g, 15 g, and 30 g of ethylene oxidant treatment reached peak of respiration rate at 8 days of storage. The peak of respiration rate in the fruit with ethylene oxidant treatment lasted for 2 days, while the fruits without ethylene oxidant straight decreased. Ethylene oxidant treatment had not been able to extend shelf life and did not affect the physical and chemical character of papaya fruit at same postharvest maturity stages.