Judul: Kalium Permanganat Sebagai Penyerap Etilen Untuk Memperpanjang Umur Simpan Pisang Raja Bulu
Abstrak: Pisang temasuk buah klimakterik, dimana selama proses ini terjadi serangkaian perubahan biologis yang diawali dengan proses pembentukan etilen. Pembentukan etilen menyebabkan terjadinya proses pematangan pada pisang. Namun, proses pematangan dapat menyebabkan menurunnya kualitas pisang jika disimpan dalam jangka waktu yang lama. Proses pematangan dapat ditunda dengan menggunakan bahan penyerap etilen yaitu KMnO4. Kalium permanganat dapat ditambahkan dengan silika gel sehingga mampu menyerap etilen dan uap air pada pisang. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui pengaruh bahan penyerap etilen yang terbuat dari campuran kalium permanganat dan silika gel terhadap umur simpan pisang. Pengujian yang dilakukan antara lain susut bobot, uji warna, total padatan terlarut (TPT),edible part, dan kadar vitamin C. Umur simpan pisang raja bulu tanpa penambahan KMnO4 mengalami kerusakan pada hari ke-6 penyimpanan. Konsentrasi KMnO4 sebanyak 0.25 g dan 1.25 g dengan kemasan berlubang mampu memperpanjang umur simpan pisang raja bulu selama 8 hari penyimpanan.
Keyword: Banana, ethylene absorbent, potassium permanganate

Judul: Penggunaan Kalium Permanganat sebagai Oksidan Etilen untuk Memperpanjang Daya Simpan Pisang Raja Bulu
Abstrak: Banana is a climacteric fruit which has an advance rate of respiration. The increasing of respiration rate in the ripening process is triggered by emission of ethylene in autocatalytic. The respiration rate of the banana can be inhibited by deactivated the ethylene using chemical treatments, such as KMnO4. The aim of this study are to study the inhibition of Raja Bulu banana respiration rate during storage using KMnO4 and have KMnO4 concentration to extend the shelf-life of Raja Bulu banana. This study was conducted during a month since from February until March 2013 at Postharvest Laboratory, Department of Agronomy and Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture, Bogor Agricultural University. The experimental design was arranged in a randomized complete block design with 4 treatments and 5 replications, which were KMnO4 7.5%, 15%, 22.5%, and control (without KMnO4). Collected data was analyzed using F test method and if the treatments result showed a significantly affect was analyzed by Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) test method. Parameters measured was the respiration rate, peel color index, shelf-life, weight reduction, edible part, rind firmness, total soluble solids, total titratable acids, and vitamin C. The results showed that the use KMnO4 of 7.5%, 15%, and 22.5% can inhibited the respiration rate of banana during storage so that suspend the peak of the climacteric Raja Bulu banana 1-2 days compared to control. The use KMnO4 of 7.5%, 15%, and 22.5% was not affect the quality of the physical and chemical of Raja Bulu banana
Keyword: ripening, respiration rate, postharvest, climacteric

Judul: Thermal Characteristics and Dynamics of Tropical Cyclone over Western North Pacific Ocean: A Case Study of Typhoon Songda (Chedeng) 2011
Abstrak: The frequent occasion of Tropical Cyclone (TC) over Western North Pacific (WNP) Ocean lies from 10˚N to 26˚N and 121˚E to 170˚E. Sources of TC development come from warm ocean temperature where latent heat is released during condensation processes and subsequently concentrated in the boundary layer. Relative humidity at 850-700 hPa is responsible to produce the most intense storm. Meanwhile, weak vertical wind shear between 850-200 hPa is one of the dynamical factors that lead to the development of TC. Pressure level of 850-200 hPa is chosen to minimize the thermodynamic effect in the lower troposphere. Typhoon Songda (Chedeng in the Philippines) or TSC lasted from May 18th to 30th, 2011 and strengthened into powerful Super Typhoon stage between May 24th and 27th. Long curving track and the exhibition of all sequences of TC life cycle, TSC is then considered as an ideal case of TC. The objective of the study with case of TSC is to investigate the role of thermal characteristics and dynamics on TC intensity. The research is carried out by using Advanced Research of Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF ARW model) version 3.3. Two domains are employed in the model. The first domain situate from 02˚N to 40˚N and 118˚E to 149˚E and cover spatial resolution () of 33.1 km. The second domain situate from 09˚N to 27˚N and 119˚E to 132˚E with of 11 km. Timestep of the model () is 120 seconds. The model is supported by the following physical parameterization, i.e., Yonsei University Scheme (YSU) in the boundary layer, Kain-Fritsch scheme (KF) in the cumulus, and WRF Single-Moment 3-class scheme in the microphysics. Initial meteorological condition prior to the formation of the cyclone is generated using WRF ARW standard-release model. Sensitivity of the model output is obtained from a selected single-parameter change scenarios, namely, 10 % to 20 % decrease and increase of wind shear initial data at 850-200 hPa, and by 10 % to 20 % decrease of relative humidity initial data at 850-700 hPa. The result showed that the negative correlations between wind shear and intensity are found in wind shear scenarios. Wind shears of 10 ms-1 which lead to strengthening of the wind intensity in the early period of Typhoon development are found in wind shear scenarios. The effect of wind shear changes on wind intensity is statistically significant in the 20 % wind shear scenarios. During mature stage, weak wind intensity occurred when wind shear increase as given in the WRF standard-release and the 20 % decreasing scenario. Different situation is found in the 20 % increasing scenario where wind shear tend to weak and lead to strong wind intensity at this stage. Meanwhile, the reduction of moisture supply at 850-700 hPa resulting from 20 % decreasing relative humidity play a major role in the weakening of wind intensity and reduces mechanical energy of the cycle process as much as 300 J kg-1.
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