02861naa a2200157 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001910000110006024501160007126000090018752022700019665300100246665300130247665300280248977301860251710789212011-08-03       2007    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d1 aEpagri  aQuality of 'Fuji' Apple Fruit at Harvest and after Storage in Relation to Nitrogen and Potassium Fertilization.  c2007  aThe Brazilian apple industry increased significantly. Fruit quality may be affected by fertilization and nutritional balance in the fruit. Nitrogen and K experiments were carried out to evaluate their effects on pre- and post-harvest quality of ?Fuji?/Marubakaido in S??o Joaquim, at 1.350 m above sea level (orchards Fk, M and H), and ?Suprema?/M9 (sport mutation of ?Fuji?) in Fraiburgo, at 1.100 m above sea level (orchards P and Fs), both regions in Santa Catarina State, Brazil. Annual doses of 0, 25, 50, 100 and 150 kg N ha-1, and 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg K2O ha-1 were superficially applied. Doses of N were split in half for early spring and post-harvest applications, while doses of K were applied in early spring only. The experiments began in 1997 in S??o Joaquim and in 2002 in Fraiburgo. Fruits from every field plot (5 trees in S??o Joaquim and 10 trees in Fraiburgo) were picked at the same date in each orchard in 2005. Fruits were stored for 6.5 months in regular air at 0.5 oC, and for 7 months in controlled atmosphere at 1.5% O2 + 2.2% CO2, using a completely randomized post-harvest experimental design with 3 replications of 25 fruits. Fruit flesh nutrient content, fruit quality and ripening were evaluated at harvest and after storage plus 7 days at 23 oC. Almost no effects of N and K fertilization were detected in the two orchards from Fraiburgo and in the orchard H from S??o Joaquim regarding to the content of nutrient in the fruit and to fruit quality at harvest and after storage. There were effects of N and K fertilization only in two orchards (Fk and M) from S??o Joaquim region. There were an increase in N content, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids content (SSC), and a reduction of P and K contents in the fruit by increasing N application in orchards Fk and M. Application of N did not affect fruit firmness in these orchards. K fertilization increased K and Mg, and reduced N contents, TA and firmness of the fruit in orchards Fk and M. In these orchards, depending on the dose of K applied, there were an increase in the incidence and severity of superficial scald and CO2 damage by increasing the application of N. Bitter pit increased in fruits of Fk orchard at high doses of N associated with 100 kg of KO2 ha-1.  aApple  aNitrogen  aPotassium Fertilization  tIn: INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM OF TEMPERATE ZONE FRUITS IN THE TROPICS AND SUBTROPICS, 8., 2007, Florian??polis. [Proceedings...]. Pelotas, RS: Embrapa Clima Temperado, 2007. p. 92-92.