QUALITY OF ‘TAHITI’ ACID LIME FERTILIZED WITH NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM IN THE SEMIARID REGION OF MINAS GERAIS

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate external characteristics and juice obtained from ‘Tahiti’ acid lime produced under nitrogen and potassium fertilization. This study had a completely randomized design with three replicates of four fruits of the two central plants, 4 x 5 factorial and four N doses (0, 25, 50 and 100 Kg ha-1 year- 1) and five K2O doses (0, 25, 50, 100 and 200 Kg ha-1 year- 1), totaling 20 treatments. In the postharvest period, external characteristics (size, color and skin thickness, firmness and fresh mass) and juice (content, percentage, soluble solids, technological index, pH, titratable acidity, ratio and ascorbic acid) of fruits were evaluated. Size, skin color, soluble solids content and pH of ‘Tahiti’ acid lime juice were not affected by N and K2O fertilization. Skin thickness, juice percentage and technological index increased with the N and K2O doses applied to the soil. Juice content and fruit firmness decreased with application of K2O doses. Titratable acidity and ascorbic acid content increased with K2O doses. The different nitrogen and potassium doses influenced more the juice quality than the external characteristics of ‘Tahiti’ acid lime in the postharvest period.