Suplementação de silício e cálcio na produção e qualidade pós-colheita de morango

Abstract

The strawberry is inserted in the ranking of the small fruits. Beauty, flavor and shape are peculiar characteristics that differentiate it from the other fruits, in the acceptance of consumers. The state of Minas Gerais gained notoriety in the national production of strawberry, mainly in the southern region of Minas Gerais. The objective of this work was to evaluate the supplementation of silicon and calcium fertilization in production and postharvest quality of strawberry fruits. The cultivars evaluated were Aromas and San Andreas treated and not treated with the combination of silicon and calcium. For the field test, the factors studied were: four methods of applications with nutrient combinations (silicon in the soil + foliar calcium; foliar silicon + foliar calcium; silicon in the soil + foliar silicon + foliar calcium; and without calcium and/or silicon application) and Two commercial strawberry cultivars (Aromas and San Andreas), in a randomized block design with four replications. The production components (number of fruits, total mass of fruits, mass of commercial fruits and mass of non-commercial fruits and average weight of fruits) were evaluated. For the postharvest conservation assay, the cultivar San Andreas was used and the following characteristics were evaluated: firmness, soluble solids, titratable Acidity, PH, ratio, anthocyanin, vitamin C, soluble pectin, hue angle and mass loss In a completely randomized design in a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement, three storage periods (0, 3 and 6 days) and three treatments (silicon in soil + foliar calcium; foliar silicon + calcium Leaf and without calcium and/or silicon application). As for the production, the cultivars responded differently to the method of silicon and calcium application. The highest total fruit yield was observed for cultivar Aromas when applied Si via soil + Si and Ca leaf and to San Andreas for Si and Ca via foliar. Thes characteristics of postharvest, except for the loss of mass, firmness and hue angle, were influenced by the interaction between treatments and storage time. In view of the results obtained in the present study, it was verified the benefit of the use of silicon and calcium in strawberry crop, improving production characteristics and postharvest quality.