Desenvolvimento da pitaia e influência da suplementação luminosa sobre sua qualidade

Abstract

Dragon fruit is highly valued due to its sensory, nutritional and functional appeal. However, determining the ideal harvest point is a challenge due to concerns about productivity and consumer preference. In addition, many producers around the world face many challenges related to cultivation, such as photoperiod. In this sense, two experiments were carried out in this study to investigate the metabolic processes that occur during development and the effect of light supplementation on the quality of dragon fruit. Thus, throughout the development of S. megalanthus (S1 - Immature 1; S2 - Immature 2; S3 - Green to ripe; S4 - early ripening; S5 - Ripe), there was an increase in dimensions, mass, macrominerals (P, K, Ca, Mg and S), microminerals (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu), phenolic compound levels and antioxidant activity. Regarding the enzymes that modify the cell wall, all of them were active throughout development, which can be associated with the softening of the fruits in the final stages and the traces of flaccidity in the cell cavities. In the second experiment, plants of the cultivars ‘Boreal Red’ (A), ‘Chinesa’ (B) (S undatus) and ‘Roxa do Pará’ (C) (S. costaricensis) were subjected to light supplementation for four hours (20:00 to 24:00), daily during the flowering period (20 days ± 3), using LED lamps. At the commercial point of harvest, the fruits were subjected to physical, physicochemical and chemical analyses. It was possible to observe that the three cultivars tested showed significant increases with light supplementation in the parameters mass, fruit color and fructose and vitamin C levels. The results of this research expand scientific knowledge about dragon fruit cultivation and provide support for improving agricultural practices, especially in relation to the critical photoperiod.