Tolerance of tropical fruits and a flower to carbonyl sulfide fumigation

The tolerance of ‘Apple’ banana (Musa sp.), avocado (Persea americana Mill.), mango (Mangifera indica L.), papaya (Carica papaya L.), and red ginger (Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K. Schum) inflorescences to carbonyl sulfide (COS) fumigation was studied. Commodities were exposed at 25°C to COS at various concentrations (1–6% (v/v) for banana; 1% and 2% for the other fruits for various times from 1 to 24 h. Fumigation of bananas with 4% for 1.5 h, 2% for 2.5 h and 1% for 4 h did not cause significant skin or flesh injury when evaluated 7 d after treatment. Fumigated bananas and mango softened faster than unfumigated fruit when the treatment did not cause severe skin injury When the dosage and exposure time were increased for these fruit and the treatment caused severe or extreme skin injury, softening was delayed. COS treatments retarded papaya fruit skin coloration and flesh softening, while it promoted avocado softening. Avocado tolerated 1% for 7 h and 2% for less than 4 h, while mango tolerated 1% for 3 h and 2% for 1 h and papaya 1% for 16 h. Red ginger inflorescences were less tolerant of COS than fruit, being able to withstand 2% for less than 0.75 h and 1% for less than 2 h. COS may be suitable as a fumigant for surface insects on papaya and avocado. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.