Resumen

RUIZ-SANCHEZ, C.A. Effect of the potassium fertilizer on the chemical quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentun Mill.) fruits stored less than two temperatures. Rev. Fac. Agron. [online]. 2008, vol.25, n.2, pp.286-302. ISSN 0378-7818.

With the purpose of evaluating the dose the potassium on the post harvest chemical quality in tomato fruits, an experiment was carried out in the Guarabal sector, Federation municipality, Falcon state. The Rio Grande cv. was used and as fertilization were applied 150 kg.ha^-1 of ammonium nitrate; 80 kg.ha^-1 of fosfopoder and potassium chloride in three doses: 0, 220 and 330 kg.ha^-1. In all cases 70% of the dose of KCl was placed at the transplant moment, by applying the rest in the irrigation water. Of each treatment with potassium fertilizer, fruits physiologically mature were selected and a split plot design with factorial arrangement and two factors: K doses, with three levels and storage temperature with two levels, 10 ± 2ºC and 15 ± 2ºC; fruits were identified and stored for 21 days. Every 7 days pH, content of total soluble solids, Titrable acidity and relationship TSS/Titrable acidity were evaluated. In a general way, the fertilization treatments with potassium did not affect the chemical quality, while the storage temperature had influence on the evaluated variables.

Palabras clave : tomato; potassium; fruit quality; post harvest.