African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6893

Full Length Research Paper

Physical and physicochemical attributes of noni fruits fertilized with cattle manure and potassium

Antonio Gustavo de Luna Souto
  • Antonio Gustavo de Luna Souto
  • Programa de Pós-graduação em Fitotecnia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa-MG, Brazil.
  • Google Scholar
Lourival Ferreira Cavalcante
  • Lourival Ferreira Cavalcante
  • Programa de Pós Graduação em Agronomia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, CEP: 58397-000, Areia-PB, Brazil.
  • Google Scholar
Vania da Silva Fraga
  • Vania da Silva Fraga
  • Programa de Pos Graduação em Ciência do Solo, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, CEP: 58397-000, Areia-PB, Brazil.
  • Google Scholar
Belisia Lucia Moreira Toscano Diniz
  • Belisia Lucia Moreira Toscano Diniz
  • Departamento de Agricultura, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, CEP: 58220-000, Bananeiras-PB, Brazil.
  • Google Scholar
Maria Rosimeire Miguel da Silva
  • Maria Rosimeire Miguel da Silva
  • Programa de Pos Graduação em Ciência do Solo, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, CEP: 58397-000, Areia-PB, Brazil.
  • Google Scholar
Roberto Monteiro Ferreira Filho
  • Roberto Monteiro Ferreira Filho
  • Programa de Pos Graduação em Ciência do Solo, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, CEP: 58397-000, Areia-PB, Brazil.
  • Google Scholar
Evandro Franklin Mesquita
  • Evandro Franklin Mesquita
  • Departamento de Agrárias e Exatas, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Catolé do Rocha-PB Brazil. CEP: 58884-000.
  • Google Scholar
Stenio Andrey Guedes Dantas
  • Stenio Andrey Guedes Dantas
  • Programa de Pós-graduação em Fitotecnia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa-MG, Brazil.
  • Google Scholar
Francisco Vanies da Silva Sa
  • Francisco Vanies da Silva Sa
  • Centro de Tecnologia de Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Campina Grande-PB, Brazil. CEP: 58429-900
  • Google Scholar


  •  Received: 09 May 2016
  •  Accepted: 20 July 2016
  •  Published: 28 July 2016

Abstract

Noni has been introduced in Brazil just over a decade ago. Therefore, the information regarding crop fertilization and its influence on fruit quality is rare in the literature. Among macronutrients, potassium is highly concentrated in noni plants, and fertilization with cattle manure contributes to plant nutrition and fruit quality. This study sought to evaluate the effect of potassium fertilizer and cattle manure on the physical and physicochemical attributes of noni fruits. The treatments were distributed in randomized blocks, with four replications and two plants per plot, arranged in a factorial design 5 × 2 related to 0, 13.2, 37.5, 61.5 and 69.6 g plant-1 potassium chloride doses in soils without and with 12 kg plant-1 of cattle manure, with a C/N = 18:1 ratio. Cattle manure increased the average fruit weight from 99.6 to 113.4 g, expressing an increase of 13.9% for plants without and with organic compounds. Potassium chloride provided an increase of 61% in fruit weight and 31.25% in titratable acidity in fruits of plants without and with the highest dose of potassium chloride. Potassium chloride and cattle manure increased fruit mass, fruit length, fruit diameter, pulp mass, vitamin C and glucose contents in noni fruits.

 

Key words: Fruit quality, Morinda citrifolia L., organic mineral fertilizer.