Effect of Finger Size and Variety on Mechanical Properties of Intact Plantain (Musa paradisiaca) Finger under Quasi-static Loading

The mechanical properties of two varieties of unripe plantain fruits (Fingers), namely, Dwarf hybrid and local, were evaluated in this study. Six mechanical parameters (bio-yield force, bio-yield energy, maximum compressive force, rupture force, rupture energy and relative deformation at rupture) of the plantain fingers were evaluated at two different finger sizes (small and large), under a compressive loading speed of 20 mm/min, using the Universal Testing Machine. The results obtained statistically showed that plantain variety significantly (P < 0.05) affected only the rupture energy and the relative deformation at rupture; whereas, plantain cultivar had no significantly influence on the remaining four parameters. In respite to the finger size, the all the six mechanical parameters studied increased from the small size to the large size. The results also show that for both varieties, the local plantain variety had higher values than in the improved variety. For the local variety, the bio-yield force and bio-yield energy increased by 13.8%, and 37.5%; 16% and 29.18% for the improved variety. Similarly, all the rupture parameters (rupture force, rupture energy, relative deformation at rupture) values increased by 11.9%, 11.14%, and 15.49% for the local variety; and 13.94%, 11.81% and 12.06% for the improved variety.