QUALIDADE PÓS COLHEITA DOS FRUTOS DE TOMATEIROS SUBMETIDOS AO PACLOBUTRAZOL

Abstract

Tomato destined for industrial processing faces many problems related to post-harvest, such as: damage to the fruit, ununiformity of maturation, among others. This study was carried out to evaluate the postharvest quality of tomato fruits after treatment with paclobutrazol. The objective of this work was to evaluate the postharvest quality of tomato fruits after treatment with paclobutrazol. The experiment was conducted at the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology Goiano - Morrinhos Campus. Tomato plants were transplanted on 03/30/2021 and harvested on 7/31/2021. Tomato plants were sprayed at 21 and 75 days after transplanting (DAT) and submitted to different doses of paclobutrazol (Cultar®). The treatments consisted of: T1 - control; T2 - 0.5 L ha-1 of Cultar® at 21 DAT; T3 - 0.75 L ha-1 of Cultar® at 21 DAT; T4 - 0.75 L ha-1 Cultar® at 75 DAT. After harvest, the fruits were taken to the laboratory for classification of epidermis colour, severe damage and general damage and in relation to the physical-chemical characteristics: soluble solids content, firmness, titratable acidity, pH and fresh mass of fruits by epidermis colour. The fruits submitted to T2 had a lower proportion of green fruits and a higher percentage of disintegrated fruits with black background in relation to the other treatments. In this treatment the fresh mass of red fruits was like the other treatments. In T4, a higher percentage of red fruits was observed. T3 was the treatment with the lowest incidence of fruit damage. Regarding the physical-chemical characteristics, soluble solids contents were higher in the control treatments and T2 (0.5 L ha-1 of Cultar® at 21 DAT) and inverse relationship was observed for the variable titratable acidity. Treatment with paclobutrazol, regardless of dose and time of application, promoted a reduction in firmness in relation to the control treatment. The paclobutrazol, a gibberellin inhibitor used in the initial phase of crop development improves chemical attributes and reduces the percentage of green fruits.