Influence of the main stem pruning and fruit thinning on quality of melon
Palavras-chave:
Cucumis melo L., fonte, dreno, pós-colheita.Resumo
Among many management practices used in melon crops, those that change source: sink relationship, such as
pruning and fruit thinning, directly influence production, affect fruit size and its composition, including sugar and
vitamin contents. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of pruning of the main stem and time of fruit
thinning in melon postharvest quality. Thus, two experiments were set up in Mossoró, state of Rio Grande do Norte,
each with a melon hybrid (Amaregal and Banzai). Each experiment was conducted in a randomized block, in a (2 x 4) + 1
factorial design, 2 pruning management (with and without pruning), 4 levels of fruit thinning (3, 6, 9 and 12 DARB – days
after removal agro textile blanket) and a control (without pruning and thinning), and four replications. Fruits were
harvested at commercial maturity and transported to the Laboratory of Food Technology of UFERSA, where they were
evaluated for the following characteristics: weight, diameter, length, flesh thickness, flesh firmness, soluble solids, pH,
and titratable acidity, soluble solids: titratable acidity ratio and vitamin C. No interaction between factors in any of the
experiments was found. Titratable acidity (0.077%) and vitamin C content (3.4 mg/100 g) in Amaregal melon and soluble
solids (10.2%) in Banzai melon were lower in the treatments with stem pruning. In Amaregal melon, fruits showed longer
length (134 mm) and greater flesh firmness (40 N) when thinning was carried out on 6 DARB, and as thinning was
delayed, it found a decrease in the values of soluble solids, SS: TA ratio and pH. In Banzai melon, fruits showed greater
flesh thickness (33.5 mm) and SS: TA (247.5) ratio when thinning was carried out on 6 DARB. However, delay in thinning
promoted an increase in pH and vitamin C content of the fruits. Pruning of the main stem and thinning season had effect
on the quality of Amaregal and Banzai melons in different ways.
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