PENGARUH GIBERELIN DAN JENIS KEMASAN UNTUK MENEKAN SUSUT CABAI KOPAY SELAMA PENGANGKUTAN JARAK JAUH
Authors: Iswari Kasma , Srimaryati Srimaryati 
Published: January 2017

<p align="justify">Cabai Kopay termasuk jenis cabai keriting spesifik Kota Payakumbuh Propinsi Sumatera Barat, yang mempunyai keunggulan hasil tinggi (18-21 ton/ha), dengan panjang buah 30-35 cm. Kondisi fisik menjadi kendala dalam pengemasan/pengepakan karena mudah patah. Oleh karena itu, diperlukan penelitian untuk menekan susut selama pengangkutan. Tujuan penelitian adalah untuk memperoleh teknologi menekan susut cabai Kopay selama pengangkutan jarak jauh (750 km). Penelitian terdiri dari dua tahap. Tahap I mengamati kriteria fisik dan kimia cabai Kopay. Tahap II penekanan susut cabai Kopay selama pengangkutan, menggunakan rancangan acak lengkap dua faktor dengan tiga ulangan. Faktor I adalah konsentrasi Asam giberelat (AG) yaitu (A) : A1) AG (C12H22O5) 20 ppm, A2) AG 30 ppm, dan A3) AG 40 ppm. Faktor ke II adalah jenis kemasan (B) yakni: (B1) kemasan karton dengan bantalan berlapis guntingan kertas koran, (B2) kemasan karton tanpa bantalan, (B3) keranjang bambu dengan bantalan berlapis guntingan kertas koran, (B4) Keranjang bambu tanpa bantalan, (B5) karung plastik dengan bantalan berlapis guntingan kertas koran, (B6) karung plastik tanpa bantalan. Sebagai pembanding diamati cara pedagang, dan kemasan karton tanpa bantalan dan tanpa AG, kemasan keranjang bambu tanpa bantalan dan tanpa AG, serta karung plastik tanpa bantalan dan tanpa AG. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa, susut cabai Kopay segar selama pengangkutan pada jarak 750 km berhasil ditekan melalui penyemprotan buah cabai segar dengan asam giberelat (AG) 30 ppm dan dikemas dengan karton pakai bantalan berlapis kertas koran dengan losses sebesar 7,31 %, perlakuan petani mengalami kerusakan 38,71%. Kadar vitamin C meningkat menjadi 0,35% dari 0,29% sebelum perlakuan, sedangkan tingkat kekerasan buah dapat dipertahankan pada 127,25 kg/cm2, kadar air 79,12% dan kadar capsaicin 4,65%.</p><p><strong>Kata kunci :</strong>Cabai Kopay, susut, asam giberelat, pengemasan</p><hr /><p align="center"><strong>English Version Abstract</strong></p><p align="justify">Curly chili peppers ‘Kopay’ is a chili germ plasm of Payakumbuh city. This variety has superior traits such as high yield potential (18-20 t/ha) and longer fruits (30-35 cm). However, the longer fruits result in difficulty in their packaging and causes breaking or damage of the fruits. The objective of the research was to find technology to suppress the losses of the chili peppers ‘Kopay’ during a long range transportation. Step 1 of the research was to observe the physical and chemical characteristics of the chili fruits, and step 2 was an experiment to find the method for suppress the loses during transportation. The experiment was conducted using a factorial in Completely Randomised Design with three replication. The first factor of GA concentration: 20, 30, and 40 ppm, and the second factor was type of the packaging: (B1) corngated fibreboard with pads chopped used newspaper, (B2) paperboard packaging without pad, (B3) bamboo basket lined with pads of newspaper chopped, (B4) bamboo basket without pad, (B5) plastic bags with pads of newspaper chopped, (B6) without plastic in woven pad. For comparison, the traders methods, cardboard packaging without pads without GA, bamboo basket without pad and without GA, and a plastic without pads without GA. The results showed that losses during long range transportation can be suppressed by spraying the fruit with Gibereline acid (GA) 30 ppm and packed with cardboard disposable pads of newsprint with losses of 7.31%, while without treatment the loses amount is to 38.71%. Levels of vitamin C increased to 0.35% from 0.29% before treatment, whereas the level of fruit hardness can be maintained at 127.25 kg/cm2, water content 79,12%, and 4.65% capsaicin content.</p><p><strong>Keywords :</strong>Chili peppers ‘Kopay’, losses, gibberellic acid, packaging</p>