Densidades de plantio e irrigação nas características físicas e químicas do abacaxi cultivar Smooth cayenne

Abstract

Pineapple is a tropical plant which requires special care with irrigation and choice of planting density. The use of a greater planting density should meet the farmer s requirement for yield and the consumer s desire for fruit quality. This study analyzed the effect of different planting densities and irrigation replenishing the culture s evapotranspiration (Etc) on fruit yield and productivity of pineapple Smooth cayenne cultivar in Uberaba, MG. The study was done at Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica de Uberaba MG, on red latosol, medium texture, flat topography, 1600 mm average annual rainfall, 22.6° average annual temperature, and 68%average air relative humidity. The experimental design was randomized blocks with six planting densities treatments and five repetitions. Two levels of irrigation at 100 and 120% replenishment of ETc were applied daily. Irrigation was done by conventional aspersion. The experimental unit consisted of three 5-m long double lines, 4.2 m wide. The 10 middle plants in each plot were used for evaluation. The results indicated that using a irrigation level corresponding to 120% ETc led to a decrease in fruit firmness, diameter, fruit stem and number of filhote seedlings; to an increase in the relation SST/ATT, and titratable acidity; and did not result in differences on fruit weight, average fruit diameter, total soluble solids, total solids, juice density and yield, ascorbic acid, total fruit yield by the F test (p<0.05). The use of greater planting densities increased fruit production, reduced fruit weight and average diameter and the number of filhote seedlings; however, it did not affect fruit firmness, total titratable acidity (ATT), total soluble solids (SST), total solids (ST), relation SST/ATT, ascorbic acid, and number of ratoon seedlings.