RESUMO -Tendo em vista a demanda do mercado por novas variedades e a necessidade de melhoria no manejo nutricional do abacaxizeiro, realizou-se este experimento com objetivo de avaliar o teor de clorofila e o índice SPAD no abacaxizeiro 'Vitória' em função da adubação nitrogenada com ureia e cama de frango. Para o efeito, foi instalado um experimento no delineamento em blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram em cinco doses de N, em duas fontes, orgânica (cama de frango) e mineral (ureia), totalizando nove combinações geradas através da matriz Composto Central de Box: T 1 , 44 e 2,91; T 2 , 152 e 0; T 3 , 0 e 10; T 4 , 44 e 17,1; T 5 , 260 e 2,91; T 6 , 152 e 10; T 7 , 152 e 20; T 8 , 304 e 10; e T 9 , 260 e 17,1 g planta

The quality aspects of pineapple infructescences are influenced by nutritional management. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the physical-chemical characteristics of the infructescences of cv. Imperial, submitted to fertilization with nitrogen (N) and potassium (K). The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with three replicates and the treatments were arranged in a factorial scheme according to the Plan Plueba III matrix, which consisted of a combination of five doses of N: 15; 90; 150; 210 and 285 kg ha Key words: Ananas comosus L. var. comosus; mineral fertilization; post-harvest Qualidade de infrutescências de abacaxizeiro 'Imperial', em função da adubação nitrogenada e potássica RESUMO: Os aspectos de qualidade das infrutescências de abacaxizeiro são influenciados pelo manejo nutricional. Assim, o trabalho foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar as características físico-químicas das infrutescências de abacaxizeiro cv. Imperial, submetidos à adubação com nitrogênio (N) e potássio (K). O delineamento experimental foi casualizado em blocos, com três repetições e os tratamentos foram dispostos em esquema fatorial conforme a matriz Plan Plueba III, que consistiram na combinação de cinco doses de N: 15; 90; 150; 210 e 285 kg ha -1 e cinco doses de K: 21,6; 129,6; 216,0; 302,4 e 410,4 kg ha -1 . As características mensuradas nas infrutescências foram massa fresca; comprimento; diâmetro; firmeza; rendimento da polpa e da coroa; coloração da casca e da polpa; sólidos solúveis (SS); acidez titulável (AT); relação SS/AT e ácido ascórbico. A elevação das doses de K 2 O para 410,4 kg ha -1 aumentou a massa da infrutescência com coroa, comprimento e diâmetro da infrutescência e o teor de sólidos solúveis, colhendo-se nas plantas que receberam esta adubação, infrutescência com os tamanhos médios de 632,34 g, 9,0 cm, 84,80 mm e 16,42%, respectivamente. As plantas que receberam doses de N de 285 kg ha -1 favoreceram o rendimento da polpa, o índice de coloração a* e b* da casca e a relação SS/AT proporcionando valores médios de 44,50%, 9,64, 33,06 e 30,10, respectivamente. As doses de 285 kg ha -1 de N e 410,4 kg ha -1 de K 2 O promoveram melhorias nas características físico-químicas de infrutescências do abacaxizeiro 'Imperial'.

Pineapple (Ananas comosus vr. Comosus) plants require balanced nutrition to meet fruit’s market quality standards for consumption. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effects of organic and mineral fertilization on the development of the ‘Pérola’ pineapple infructescence produced in Paraíba State, Brazil. The plants were conducted under organic fertilization composed by a mixing of cattle manure and poultry litter n at 0, 50, 75 and 100% of the nitrogen doses recommended (NDR) for pineapple cultivation and mineral fertilization. The evaluation for fresh fruit length, diameter, mass, and crown length was initiated at the 43rd day after the floral induction (DAFI). The use organic fertilizer at 75 and 100% of the NDR provided a higher growth rate of fruits. In general, the length and diameter of the infructescences evolved rapidly until the 73rd DAFI, characterizing the first development phase. At the second phase, it was observed an intense growth rate to about the 103rd DAFI be reached, which was followed by a slower growth rate until around the 118th DAFI. In the third and last phase, from the 118th DAFI the physiological maturity of the fruit was reached and was characterized by the pineapple commercial maturation up to 133rd DAFI, with a quarter of the fruit yellow. Under the experimental conditions, the mixed fertilization in the level of 75% NDR, promoted a greater length and fresh mass than the conventional mineral fertilization for ‘Pérola’ pineapple and can be an alternative for this crop’ family farming production.

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the respiratory pattern and the postharvest changes in umbu-caja fruit, harvested in the stages of maturity greenyellowish and yellow-greenish. Fruits of both maturity stages were harvested early in the morning and separated into two groups. The first group was used for respiratory rate measurements. The second group was placed (≈300 g/tray) in polystyrene trays (15 x 20 cm 2) and stored under modified atmosphere (MA) by a 12 μ thick PVC film, and under ambient atmosphere (AA) at 10±1°C, during 12 days. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized design, in a 2 x 5 factorial arrangement, with 3 replications. The use of MA resulted in lower mass loss, as compared with fruits under AA. Total vitamin C was higher and general appearance (1-inacepetable; 9-excelent) kept above the critical limit (score 4) during 12 days, for fruit harvested as green-yellowish and stored under MA. Soluble solids increased during storage for fruits maintained under AA, independent on maturity stages. Modified atmosphere by PVC film enhanced shelf-life and kept the quality of umbu-caja, mainly for fruit harvested in the maturity stage green-yellowish.