Phenological behavior and quality of fruits of japanese plum genotypes in the municipality of Ponta Grossa-PR

Abstract

Although the growing increase in japanese plum ( Prunus salicina Lind.) production in Brazil, the number of cultivars adapted to low cold winter requirements is still scarce. Thus, the objective of this work was to analyze the phenological cycles and physical-chemical qualities of fruits of different japanese plum accesses during three years of evaluation in the city of Ponta Grossa-PR. The experimental design was randomized block, consisting of 10 treatments and 4 replications, totaling 40 plots of 5 plants each. The treatments consisted of 10 accessions (G2, G3, G7, G12, G13, G19, G21, G23, G43 and G51) of the japanese plum, developed by the Genetic Breeding Program at IAPAR. The phenological evaluations analyzed were: beginning of flowering (IF), falling of petals (QP), beginning of fruiting (IFr) and harvesting season (C); on the fruits, it was evaluated: equatorial diameter (DM), total fruit mass (MTF), stone mass (MC), pulp mass (MP), relation MC/MTF, total soluble solids (SST), titratable acidity (AT) and ratio . It was observed variability in the phenological cycle of the accesses studied, as well as in the evaluated years, in which in the 2015/2016 harvest flowering occurred earlier. The accessions G23 and G51 presented greater stability in the physical components of the fruits in the evaluated years, however, no variation was observed in the chemical characteristics between the accessions. It can be concluded that the accesses presented physical-chemical characteristics of the fruits desirable to the consumer, and could be an alternative for the plum producer.