香蕉催熟之研究（三）臺蕉對外加乙烯之後熟反應與溫度及香蕉成熟度間之關係

In response to exogenous ethylene treatment (1000 ppm for 24 hrs), the respiration rate, ethylene production and color change of Taiwan bananas varied greatly with the temperature and fruit maturity. At 16℃ or below, exogenous ethylene initiated the climacteric rise and autocatalytic ethylene production of those fruits with higher maturity. For fruits with lower maturity, ethylene stimulated the respiration rate but it declined rapidly after removal of ethylene. No climacteric rise nor autocatalytic ethylene production were induced in these fruits. With ethylene treatments at 20℃, or at 25℃ then transferred to 20℃, all fruits showed climacteric rise and autocatalytic ethylene production regardless of maturity. High temperature increased the sensitivity if bananas too exogenous ethylene with respect to the initiation of climacteric rise. Ethylene treatment at 27℃ for 8 hours initiated the subsequent climacteric ruse at 20℃. It took 16 hours ethylene treatment at 20℃ to obtain the same result. At 15℃, ethylene treatment for as long as 43 hours could not induce the banana to ripen. It was found that the respiration rate must exceed 60 mg CO2/Kg/hr in order to inducer the climacteric rise and ripening of Taiwan bananas.