Gerival Vieira

Indução do amadurecimento de mangas cv. Tommy Atkins e cv. Ubá pela aplicação de ethephon pós-colheita

This work was developed aiming to induce ripening of mangoes (Mangifera indica L.) cv Uba e cv Tommy Atkins after postharvest application of ethephon and to evaluate its effect on physical and chemical attributes that characterize preservation and quality of fruits. Half of fruits sample was submersed in water, while other half of fruits was submersed in water solutions containing 1,000 mg.L-1 of ethephon. A split plot design with three replications was used. The main plot was composed of treatments with application and no application of ethephon and the by-plots were composed of five periods of evaluation (in the day of harvest and 3, 6, 9, and 12 days after harvest). Based on analyses of pulp firmness, weight loss, contents of soluble solids (SS) and total titratable acidity (TTA), starch degradation index and ratio SS/TTA, postharvest application of ethephon was efficient to accelerate the ripening of mangoes cv Tommy Atkins e cv Uba and to contribute for obtaining desirable characteristics in a smaller storage period at environmental conditions, except for regarding pulp firmness. In this case, having in mind the importance of this characteristic to determine quality in fresh fruits, the application of ethephon was damaging, mainly for mangoes cv Uba, reducing shelf life of fruits because of total softening of pulp verified at least three days after harvest.

Growth and development of litchi fruit cv. Brewster

Fruit growth and development of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) cv. Brewster, were observed during growing season in Vicosa, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil. From panicle flowering to about 45 days after flowering (DAF), 95% of fruit fresh weight was due to the seed and skin. Fruit weight increased exponentially from 45 to approximately 80 DAF, but lower increases were observed until 104 DAF. At a later stage of drupe development, the aril accounted for 60% of fruit fresh weight, while 14% consisted of seed and 26% skin. Soluble solids reached maximum value at about 77 DAF, becoming somewhat stable afterwards. Acidity, on the other hand, dropped from 6.0% at 45 DAF to 0.6% at 89 DAF onwards. Mature red fruits were present 89 DAF from panicle flowering, but after 104 DAF fruit skin became brown.

Yellow passion fruit postharvest conservation and quality according to organic and mineral fertilizer

1M.Sc., PhD in Fitotecnia, Federal University of Viçosa, Departamento de Fitotecnia, UFV, 3670-000 Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Email: analia.pacheco@ufv.br 2M.Sc. in Fitotecnia, Federal University of Viçosa, Departamento de Fitotecnia, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Email: matpagliarini@gmail.com 3Professor D. Sc. of Federal University of Viçosa, Departamento de Fitotecnia, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Email: bernardo@ufv.br 4Professor D. Sc. of Federal University of Viçosa, Departamento de Fitotecnia, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Email: gerival@ufv.br Abstract-Yellow passion fruit are highly perishable after harvest. Organic products may have better nutritional quality and better postharvest conservation due to the application of different cultural practices such as organic fertilization and non-use of synthetic pesticides. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of organic fertilization on the quality and postharvest conservation of yellow passion fruit. The orchard was installed in a completely randomized design with four replications and four plants on the same row per experimental unit. The treatments were three types of fertilization applied in the orchard: mineral (MIN) recommended for the crop; organic (ORG), equivalent to the recommended potassium fertilization for the crop and 2 × ORG with twice the ORG dose. The organic fertilizer used was partially cured cattle manure. The mineral and organic fertilizers were applied superficially. During the harvest, the fruits were classified according to mass, type A (above 175 g), B (between 125 and 175 g) and C (below 125 g). The experiment was developed in a completely randomized design, in a factorial scheme (fertilization x fruit mass classes), with six replications and 90 fruits per treatment. Fruits of plants fertilized with 2 × ORG showed the same pulp yield (PY) of those that received MIN fertilization. Fruits of class C and fruits from plants fertilized with MIN showed greater weight loss. No difference between fertilization and mass classes was found for soluble solids (SS) and titratable acidity (TA). There was also no effect of fertilization on the SS / AT ratio, pH and vitamin C content, however, class B fruits showed, on average, higher values for these pulp aspects. The dose of ORG fertilizer was not enough to keep the fruit quality in relation to the PY, but the fruits from plants fertilized with ORG and 2 × ORG kept up with better commercial quality for a longer period. The organic fertilizer with cattle manure is an efficient alternative to maintaining postharvest conservation of yellow passion fruit.