Flowering, fruit production and quality of passion fruit hybrids in Minas Gerais, Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this work was to characterize flowering aspects, as well as to evaluate the agronomic performance and fruit quality of the main sour passion fruit hybrids. The experimental design was randomized blocks with four replicates and five treatments, consisting of the following commercial hybrids: ‘FB300-Araguary’, ‘FB200-Yellow Master’, ‘BRS Gigante Amarelo, ‘BRS Sol do Cerrado’ and ‘BRS Rubi do Cerrado’ and the experimental unit consisted of three plants. Phenological characterization and the aspects related to flowering were performed through visual observations of the beginning and duration of the events. Hybrid production was determined by weighing all fruits harvested during the production period. For physical and physicochemical variables such as fruit mass, peel mass, seed mass, pulp mass, peel yield, seed yield, pulp yield, peel thickness, number of seeds, longitudinal diameter, transverse diameter, fruit shape, were evaluated, peel firmness, peel and pulp color, pH, total soluble solids, total titratable acidity and TSS/TTA ratio were evaluated. The beginning of flowering and harvesting was 02/22/19 and 04/22/2019, respectively. All studied hybrids had similar production and yield responses, with ideal physical characteristics for processing or fresh consumption.