Yield and Quality of Passion Fruit Under Organic Cultivation With Input Levels and Irrigation in the State of Acre

Abstract

The use of organic fertilizers can improve the chemical, physical, and biological properties of the soil, with their use implying low environmental impact. This study aimed to evaluate the yield and quality of yellow passion fruit grown in an organic system associated with irrigation and input levels. A randomized complete block design in a 3x2 factorial arrangement with four replications was adopted. The factors evaluated were: three input levels (fertilizers and alternative pesticides) and the presence or absence of irrigation. Fertilization consisted of the application of 5, 10, and 15 liters of organic compost per plant and 500, 1,000, and 1,500 g of lime per plant, corresponding to input levels 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Topdressing fertilization was split into two applications, corresponding to 118, 235, and 353 g per plant of thermophosphate and 59.1, 118.20, and 176.40 g per plant of potassium sulfate for levels 1, 2, and 3 of input application, respectively. The alternative pesticides were sprayed every 30, 15, and 7 days for levels 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The number of fruits per plant and the yield increased using the input level 3 associated with irrigation. In the absence of irrigation, input levels 2 and 3 increased the content of soluble solids. The titratable acidity, TSS/TTA ratio, and the fruits classified as extra did not differ significantly between treatments. Input levels 1 and 2 associated with the absence of irrigation increased the percentage of fruits classified as commercial.

Profitability of Organic Yellow Passion Fruit as a Function of Irrigation, Protected Cultivation and Pollination

“…Since there is no significant difference in profitability and revenue between irrigation and rainfed cultivation, the physical and economic planning of the irrigation system for passion fruit is necessary since prolonged water stress periods require supplementary irrigation for this crop (UCHÔA et al, 2021b), otherwise compromising fruit production even with the return of natural water availability due to irreversible stress (GALVÃO et al, 2020). In this case, higher rainfall rates decrease the variable cost (electricity and maintenance) with water supplementation.…”

“…Although the North region of Brazil offers favorable edaphoclimatic conditions for passion fruit cultivation, the annual rainfall is distributed asymmetrically throughout the year, with a drought period from May to September (INMET, 2020), limiting passion fruit cultivation since the crop requires 86 mm month -1 of water during flowering and fruit setting (DUTRA et al, 2018). Water availability is indispensable to reaching higher fruit yields and quality (CAVALCANTE et al, 2020;UCHÔA et al, 2021b), justifying the use of complementary irrigation as a profitable technique while observing the amount and moment of water application (ARAÚJO et al, 2013).…”