What causes water rot in bananas? A detailed explanation of the latest prevention methods

Every year from June to August is the hot and rainy season, and it is also the peak season for banana water rot. Once water rot occurs, bananas often cannot be sold normally, which is a huge loss for both growers and wholesalers. So what causes banana water rot? How should it be prevented? Let's take a look together.

I. Causes of water rot

1. Improper fertilizer and water management

Improper fertilizer and water management during banana cultivation causes the banana peel to be damaged, making water rot very likely to occur; improper field management leaves bananas with diseases; if the harvest time is not well controlled and bananas become overripe, water rot is very likely to occur during storage and transport, or if harvesting is carried out on rainy or foggy days, water rot can also occur. Overall, the banana industry generally concentrates a great deal of manpower and resources on the front end, while later stages such as harvesting, packaging, preservation and logistics are relatively rushed, which very easily leads to banana water rot.

2. Improper washing

After bananas are harvested, they need to be washed and soaked and coated once with a preservative fungicide to ensure they stay fresh during transport, but if the water is not blown dry, a lot of moisture will remain in the packing boxes, and combined with economic losses caused during transport, water rot is very likely to occur.

II. Preventive measures

1. At planting

Preventive measures for the rainy season should be taken at planting time, with timely drainage to avoid soaking the bananas. Fruit growers should not be overly greedy for yield and make the bananas over-fertilized. Generally, shipping is best when bananas are 60-70% mature. During banana growth, nitrogen fertilizer application should be controlled, and no more fertilizer should be applied before harvest.

2. Harvesting

Operations such as cutting bananas, loading bananas and washing bananas during harvest should be planned and standardized to avoid unnecessary losses and give pathogens an opportunity to take advantage. Bananas soaked in preservative should be drained to reduce the moisture content in the boxes and lower the incidence of water rot. Harvesting should preferably be carried out on sunny days or days without rain.

3. Transport

During transport, pay attention to hot weather and try to avoid prolonged exposure to strong sunlight. Cold-chain transport should be chosen as much as possible, and transport time should not be too long.

3. Sales

After arriving at the transport destination, put them into cold storage as soon as possible. At the same time, control the storage time and the gas content in the cold storage to keep the bananas as fresh as possible. They should also be sold as early as possible, and mechanical damage should be reduced during handling.

The above is an introduction to the causes of banana water rot and prevention methods. We hope it can help you. If you want to learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.