Indah Oktaviani, Fitri Hasnaulia Wargadipura, Mochamad Firman Ghazali, Husna Nugrahapraja, Ketut Wikantika, Fenny Martha Dwivany
Effective non-destructive monitoring of banana ripening is essential for banana postharvest management. This study integrated physicochemical parameters, gene expression, and spectral reflectance to characterize the ripening dynamics in Cavendish bananas. Fruits were analyzed for visual peel color change, starch degradation, firmness, total soluble solids, and fruit weight loss, as well as the expression of cell wall-related genes, such as expansin (EXP) and pectinesterase (PE31). Spectral data were collected from three different parts of the fruit (tip, middle, and stalk) using an ASD spectroradiometer with a wavelength range of 325–1075 nm. These data were used to address spatial ripening heterogeneity and processed to extract the red-edge position and five spectral indices: index of absorbance difference, greenness, chlorophyll index, carotenoid-to-chlorophyll ratio, and structure-insensitive pigment index. Increased total soluble solids and fruit weight loss and reduced firmness coincided with the upregulation of EXP and PE31. Moderate to strong correlations were found between gene expression, firmness, and pigment-related spectral indices. In the predictive modelling, support vector machine regression achieved the optimal prediction for firmness and fruit weight loss, with correlation coefficients (R2P) of 0.889 and 0.942 and residual predictive deviation (RPD) of 2.998 and 4.148, respectively, when employing standard normal variate in conjunction with Savitzky–Golay second-derivative preprocessing. Meanwhile, partial least squares regression with first-derivative preprocessing performed best for total soluble solids (R2P = 0.890; RPD = 3.021). This integrated approach enables a reliable, non-destructive assessment of banana ripening, offering promising prospects for real-time postharvest monitoring. © 2026
Doctoral Study Program, School of Life Sciences and Technology (SITH), Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha No. 10, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia; School of Life Sciences and Technology (SITH), Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha No. 10, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia; Faculty of Engineering (FT), University Lampung, Jl. Prof. Dr. Soemantri Brojonegoro No. 1, Gedong Meneng, Rajabasa District, Lampung, Bandar Lampung, 35145, Indonesia; Geodesy and Geomatics Engineering, Faculty of Earth Science and Technology (FITB), Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha No. 10, Bandung, 40132, Indonesia; Departement of Biology, Faculty of Science, Institut Teknologi Sumatera (Itera), Jl. Terusan Ryacudu, Way Huwi, Kec. Jati Agung, Lampung Selatan, Lampung, 35365, Indonesia