RESUMO
Influence of the main stem pruning and fruit thinning on quality of melon 1Among 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.Dentre as diversas práticas culturais utilizadas no meloeiro, aquelas que alteram a relação fonte: dreno, como poda de hastes e raleio de frutos, influenciam diretamente na produção, afetam o tamanho dos frutos e sua composição, incluindo os teores de açúcares e vitaminas. Objetivou-se, com este trabalho, avaliar a influência da poda da haste principal e da época de realização do raleio de frutos na qualidade pós-colheita de melão. Para isto, dois experimentos foram implantados no município de Mossoró-RN, cada um com um híbrido (Amaregal e Banzai). Cada experimento foi conduzido em blocos ao acaso, com esquema fatorial (2 x 4) + 1, sendo 2 níveis do fator poda (sem poda e com poda), 4 níveis do fator raleio (3, 6, 9 e 12 DARM -dias após a retirada da manta agrotêxtil) e uma testemunha (sem poda e sem raleio), e quatro blocos. Os frutos foram colhidos na maturidade comercial e transportados para o Laboratório de 790 Rafaella Martins de Araújo Ferreira et al.