Pruning Intensity and Lopping System in Fig Plants in the Brazilian Semiarid Region

Author(s):  
Francisco Sidene Oliveira Silva ◽  
Vander Mendonça ◽  
Anderson Araujo Alves ◽  
Wagner Cesar De Farias ◽  
Elizangela Cabral Dos Santos ◽  
...  

Aims: Fig plants produce fruits in branches of the year, which grow after emission of buds from the leaf armpits. And the lopping system is one of the most common practices among the green fig farmers to increase production. Thus, the present work aimed to improve the physical, chemical and productive characteristics of fig trees in the semiarid region of Brazil. Study Design: A complete randomized block design was used in a 3x2 factorial scheme (three pruning intensities: 5, 10 and 15 cm in length; and two lopping systems: with and without lopping), constituting six treatments with four replicates. Each experimental plot consisted of five plants, but only the three central plants were used. Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was conducted in the didactic orchard of the Federal Rural University of Semiarid (UFERSA), Mossoró, RN. Methodology: The treatments were: 5 cm pruning without lopping; 5 cm pruning with lopping; 10 cm pruning without lopping; 10 cm pruning with lopping; 15 cm pruning without lopping; 15 cm pruning with lopping. The following variables were analyzed: fruit weight (g), fruit length (cm), fruit diameter (cm), pulp firmness (N), soluble solids content (ºBrix), titratable acidity (%), vitamin C content (mg ascorbic acid 100 g-1 pulp), fruit yield (number of fruits plant-1 and kg plant-1). Data were submitted to analysis of variance by the F test at 5% probability and means were grouped using the Tukey test at 5% probability. The analysis was performed using R software version 3.5.2. Conclusion: Pruning intensity 10 cm in length and the use of lopping system influenced the physical, chemical and productive characteristics of fig plants in the Brazilian semiarid region.

Author(s):  
S. P. S. Solanki ◽  
Naveen C. Sharma ◽  
J. S. Chandel ◽  
Debashish Hota

The present studies were carried out in Experimental Block, Department of Fruit Science, Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (HP) during the year 2015-16. Nine years old trees of uniform size and vigour planted at 4.0 x 2.0 m spacing were selected for the studies. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with 11 treatments. The maximum increased in fruit set (87.70%) and yield (20.16 kg/tree) were observed significantly higher under 75% RDF + vermicompost 15 kg/tree. Maximum fruit length (64.06 mm), breadth (61.89 mm), fruit weight (129.51 g), total soluble solids (13.33 ºB) and total sugars (7.51%) were recorded under 75% RDF + vermicompost 15 kg/tree, however, highest fruit firmness (6.56 kg/cm2) and lowest titratable acidity (0.50%) were found with 4 applications of jeevamrut.


2021 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-20
Author(s):  
Vander Mendonça ◽  
◽  
Francisco Sidene Oliveira Silva ◽  
Anderson Araujo Alves ◽  
Elania Guadalupe Paiva Martins ◽  
...  

Fig production and quality are associated with the number of branches per plant and may vary among regions according to the climatic conditions and crop management. In this work, we studied the influence of the number of branches per plant on the production and fruit quality of 'Roxo de Valinhos' figs under semiarid conditions. The experiment was carried out at the didactic orchard of Federal Rural University of Semiarid (UFERSA), Mossoró city, Rio Grande do Norte state, Brazil. Fig plants were grown with 6, 12, 18, or 30 branches in a completely randomized block design with four replicates and four plants per plot. Plants without thinning were also cultivated as controls. The number of fruits per plant, productivity, fruit length, fruit diameter, and fruit weight were evaluated. Additionally, fruit firmness, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids content (SS), maturation index (SSC/TA), and vitamin C content were analyzed. The results showed that plants cultivated with 12, 18, and 24 branches produced fruits with higher weight, more fruits per branch, and more fruits per plant and thus were more productive. Additionally, fruits showed a high vitamin C content and maturation index


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 416
Author(s):  
Ana Maria Alves de Souza Ribeiro ◽  
Robson Bonomo ◽  
Moises Zucoloto ◽  
Fábio Oseias dos Reis da Silva ◽  
Mariana Vasconcelos Barroca ◽  
...  

Pineapple is a nutritionally demanding crop, with emphasis on potassium and nitrogen nutrients. In this context, the aim of this paper was to study the effect of nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) fertigation frequencies on the physical-chemical fruit characteristics of ‘Pérola’ pineapple crop. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design, with 18 treatments and 4 replications. It was used a factorial scheme (4 × 4) + 1 + 1, which represents: four N fertigation frequencies applied by surface drip irrigation (4, 7, 27 and 54 times throughout the crop cycle); four K fertigation frequencies (4, 9, 35 and 70 times); one additional treatment (irrigated, but without fertigation); and one control (non irrigated and non fertigated). The fruit characteristics analyzed were: fruit mass with crown, yield, soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity and SS/TA ratio. The N fertigation frequencies had no effect on variables evaluated, however, the K frequencies had a significant influence on fruit mass with crown, yield and pH. The results showed that the effect of K frequencies applied through fertigation on pineapple yield and fruit physical-chemical quality was more pronounced in comparison to the effect of N applications. Monthly potassium fertigations, followed by four applications throughout the crop cycle, provided the greatest increase in fruit quality, allowing higher values of fruit mass, yield and pH.


Agriculture ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 448
Author(s):  
Leontina Lipan ◽  
Aarón A. Carbonell-Pedro ◽  
Belén Cárceles Rodríguez ◽  
Víctor Hugo Durán-Zuazo ◽  
Dionisio Franco Tarifa ◽  
...  

Mango is one of the most cultivated tropical fruits worldwide and one of few drought-tolerant plants. Thus, in this study the effect of a sustained deficit irrigation (SDI) strategy on mango yield and quality was assessed with the aim of reducing irrigation water in mango crop. A randomized block design with four treatments was developed: (i) full irrigation (FI), assuring the crop’s water needs, and three levels of SDI receiving 75%, 50%, and 33% of irrigation water (SDI75, SDI50, and SDI33). Yield, morphology, color, titratable acidity (TA), total soluble solids (TSS), organic acids (OA), sugars, minerals, fiber, antioxidant activity (AA), and total phenolic content (TPC) were analyzed. The yield was reduced in SDI conditions (8%, 11%, and 20% for SDI75, SDI50, and SDI33, respectively), but the irrigation water productivity was higher in all SDI regimes. SDI significantly reduced the mango size, with SDI33 generating the smallest mangoes. Peel color significantly changed after 13 days of ripening, with SDI75 being the least ripe. The TA, AA, and citric acid were higher in SDI75, while the TPC and fiber increased in all SDI levels. Consequently, SDI reduced the mango size but increased the functionality of samples, without a severe detrimental effect on the yield.


Author(s):  
Bianca M. Reges ◽  
Anielly M. Maia ◽  
Diogenes H. A. Sarmento ◽  
Mayara S. Silva ◽  
Sandra M. L. dos Santos ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Characterization of cocoa clones produced in the semiarid region is necessary to enlarge the database about these implanted clones and thus enhance the quality of their by-products. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate physical, chemical, and physicochemical characteristics of the CCN 51, CEPEC 2004, CEPEC 2005, and PS 1319 clones, produced in the region of Vale do Jaguaribe in the state of Ceará (Brazil), and to suggest food processes or products for them. The clones were evaluated according to their physical traits (total fruit mass, rind, pulp, seeds, and placenta and pulp with seeds), fruit transverse diameter (FTD), fruit longitudinal diameter (FLD), the ratio FTD/FLD; rind external thickness (ERT), rind internal thickness (IRT), the ratio ERT/IRT, number of seeds, seed thickness, seed transverse diameter (STD), seed longitudinal diameter (SLD), and the ratio STD/SLD, yield, pulp color, chemical traits (humidity, lipids, proteins, ashes, crude fiber, and carbohydrates), and physicochemical traits (titratable acidity, pH, soluble solids, and reducing sugars) were evaluated. The CCN 51 and CEPEC 2005 clones are the most suitable for the process of cocoa fermentation. For desserts, jams, pulp, and nibs for fat-restricted diets, the most suitable clones are CCN 51, CEPEC 2005, PS 1319 and CEPEC 2004, respectively.


HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory M. Peck ◽  
Preston K. Andrews ◽  
John P. Reganold ◽  
John K. Fellman

Located on a 20-ha commercial apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) orchard in the Yakima Valley, Washington, a 1.7-ha study area was planted with apple trees in 1994 in a randomized complete block design with four replications of three treatments: organic (ORG), conventional (CON), and integrated (INT). Soil classification, rootstock, cultivar, plant age, and all other conditions except management were the same on all plots. In years 9 (2002) and 10 (2003) of this study, we compared the orchard productivity and fruit quality of `Galaxy Gala' apples. Measurements of crop yield, yield efficiency, crop load, average fruit weight, tree growth, color grades, and weight distributions of marketable fruit, percentages of unmarketable fruit, classifications of unmarketable fruit, as well as leaf, fruit, and soil mineral concentrations, were used to evaluate orchard productivity. Apple fruit quality was assessed at harvest and after refrigerated (0 to 1 °C) storage for three months in regular atmosphere (ambient oxygen levels) and for three and six months in controlled atmosphere (1.5% to 2% oxygen). Fruit internal ethylene concentrations and evolution, fruit respiration, flesh firmness, soluble solids concentration (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), purgeable volatile production, sensory panels, and total antioxidant activity (TAA) were used to evaluate fruit quality. ORG crop yields were two-thirds of the CON and about half of the INT yields in 2002, but about one-third greater than either system in 2003. High ORG yields in 2003 resulted in smaller ORG fruit. Inconsistent ORG yields were probably the result of several factors, including unsatisfactory crop load management, higher pest and weed pressures, lower leaf and fruit tissue nitrogen, and deficient leaf tissue zinc concentrations. Despite production difficulties, ORG apples had 6 to 10 N higher flesh firmness than CON, and 4 to 7 N higher than INT apples, for similar-sized fruit. Consumer panels tended to rate ORG and INT apples to have equal or better overall acceptability, firmness, and texture than CON apples. Neither laboratory measurements nor sensory evaluations detected differences in SSC, TA, or the SSC to TA ratio. Consumers were unable to discern the higher concentrations of flavor volatiles found in CON apples. For a 200 g fruit, ORG apples contained 10% to 15% more TAA than CON apples and 8% to 25% more TAA than INT apples. Across most parameters measured in this study, the CON and INT farm management systems were more similar to each other than either was to the ORG system. The production challenges associated with low-input organic apple farming systems are discussed. Despite limited technologies and products for organic apple production, the ORG apples in our study showed improvements in some fruit quality attributes that could aid their marketability.


Author(s):  
Hemmannuella C. Santos ◽  
Emmanuel M. Pereira ◽  
Rafael L. S. de Medeiros ◽  
Paulo M. de A. Costa ◽  
Walter E. Pereira

ABSTRACT Okra, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench, is a vegetable with annual fruit native to hot regions of Africa, well adapted to the conditions of the Northeast and Southeast regions of Brazil, where it is widely used by small farmers. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of mineral and organic fertilization on the production and quality of okra fruits. The experiment was conducted in randomized block design, with three replicates and eleven treatments defined according to a Baconian matrix. Treatments consisted of doses of N (0, 100, 200 and 300 kg ha-1), P (0, 100, 200 and 300 kg ha-1) and K (0, 80, 160 and 240 kg ha-1), as well as absence and presence of organic compost (30 t ha-1). The following parameters were evaluated: plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, production of fruits plant-1, number of fruits plant-1, fruit length and diameter and fruit quality (pH, soluble solids, titratable acidity, vitamin C and electrical conductivity). The crop is demanding in terms of K and N fertilizations, with increments of 15.8 and 36% in the mean number and diameter of fruits, respectively. Organic fertilization did not influence the vegetative growth of okra, but was beneficial to the production of fruits with higher vitamin C content, 52% higher than the contents found in fruits produced without such input.


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 3219-3234
Author(s):  
Giordanio Bruno Silva Oliveira ◽  
◽  
Francisco de Assis de Oliveira ◽  
Sandy Thomaz dos Santos ◽  
Mychelle Karla Teixeira de Oliveira ◽  
...  

The use of saline water is one of the major challenges of agriculture, as it can cause nutritional imbalances and thus reduce crop yield. This study proposes to examine the efficiency of potassium nutrition as a salt stress-mitigating agent in melon grown in a protected environment. The experiment was laid out in a randomized-block design with ten treatments in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement represented by two melon cultivars (McLaren and SV1044MF) and four nutrient solutions (S1 - standard nutrient solution, 2.5 dS m-1; S2 - nutrient solution salinized with NaCl, 5.0 dS m-1; S3 - nutrient solution salinized with NaCl + 50% K, 6.5 dS m-1; and S4 - nutrient solution salinized with NaCl + 100% K, 7.5 dS m-1). Yield (average fruit weight, production, fruit diameter, internal cavity, and pulp thickness), quality (pulp firmness, total sugars, soluble solids [SS], vitamin C, pH, titratable acidity [TA] and SS/TA ratio) and nutritional (K, Na and K/Na ratio) variables were evaluated. Plants fertigated with standard nutrient solution showed the highest values for fruit weight (1,190.6 g), production (2,381.3 g per plant), fruit diameter (13.6 cm) and pulp thickness (2.6 cm). Cultivar McLaren produced heavier fruits (931.4 g) with larger diameter (12.4 cm) and pulp thickness (2.4 cm). The addition of NaCl to nutrient solution induced a reduction in the yield variables but did not influence fruit quality. The addition of extra K to salinized nutrient solution did not mitigate the deleterious effect of salinity on the yield of melon.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 321-332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Bilalis ◽  
Magdalini Krokida ◽  
Ioannis Roussis ◽  
Panayiota Papastylianou ◽  
Ilias Travlos ◽  
...  

Abstract The demand for organically grown products is increasing because many people are concerned about the environment and believe that organic products are healthier than conventional ones. Some studies have shown that organically produced tomato fruits contain higher levels of antioxidants, polyphenols and carotenoids than those produced conventionally. The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of organic and inorganic fertilization on agronomic and quality characteristics of the processing tomato. The 2-year experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design, with three replications and three fertilization treatments (untreated, compost and inorganic fertilizer). The results showed that the highest fruit number per plant (98.5), average fruit weight (63.6 g) and fruit yield (168.0 t ha−1) were obtained under inorganic fertilization. The highest total soluble solids (4.39 °Brix) and total soluble solids to titratable acidity ratio (17.4), L* (43.4) and a* (35.4) values, as well as the highest lycopene content (88.5 mg kg−1 f.w). were achieved through the application of organic fertilizer. Significantly higher total soluble solids and total soluble solids to titratable acidity ratio in organically grown tomatoes are particularly important to the processing tomato industry. Finally, the highest lycopene content produced under organic fertilization as well as the non-significant difference between the organic and conventional tomatoes in terms of lycopene yield make organic processing tomatoes suitable for lycopene production.


2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
MARIA IZABEL FREITAS LINS REZENDE ◽  
SEBASTIÃO ELVIRO ARAÚJO NETO ◽  
CAMILA LUSTOSA ◽  
OSCAR MARIANO HAFLE ◽  
GEAZI PENHA PINTO

ABSTRACT The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of stem repair grafting on the recovery of damaged plants, yield and quality of yellow passion fruits in organic system. The experiment was conducted simulating five stem damages (treatments) in randomized complete block design with four replications of four plants each. After reaching on average 7.3 ± 1.2 mm in stem diameter, plants were perforated at 20, 40, 60 and 80% of the stem diameter with the aid of a steel drill. The reduction in plant stand treatment with 80 % damage reduces plant productivity. Then, bridge-type grafting was performed by connecting the top and bottom of the injury. The grafting success percentage ranged from 81.3 to 95.8% and did not differ between treatments, but the survival rate of plants was lower in treatments with 40 and 80% of injuries. There were no statistically significant differences between treatments for the following variables: number of fruits per plant, average fruit weight, total soluble solids (TSS), total titratable acidity (TTA) and (TSS/TTA) ratio. Recovery stem grafting allows injured plants to maintain the same productivity by up to 60% compared to plants without injuries.


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