RESUMO-A qualidade do fruto do abacaxizeiro é influenciada pelos macronutrientes, principalmente N e K. Este trabalho avaliou a influência de doses de N e K 2 O sobre as características de qualidade físico-químicas e sobre os defeitos externos e internos dos frutos de abacaxizeiro 'BRS Imperial'. Aplicaram-se quatro doses de n (0; 160; 320; 550 kg ha -1 ) e quatro de K 2 o (0; 240;480 e 600 kg ha -1 ), em delineamento experimental em blocos ao acaso, com cinco repetições, em um fatorial completo 4 2 . As doses de N e K 2 O influenciaram todas as variáveis físico-químicas estudadas, exceto a firmeza dos frutos, que apresentaram média de 10,7 kgf.
QUALITY OF PINEAPPLE 'BRS IMPERIAL' AS A FUNCTION OF N-K DOSESABSTRACT -Pineapple fruit quality is influenced by macronutrients, particularly N and K. This study evaluated the influence of N and K 2 O doses on physicochemical quality attributes and on the incidence of external and internal defects of 'BRS Imperial' pineapple fruits. Four levels of N (0, 160, 320, 550 kg ha) and four of K 2 o (0, 240, 480 and 600 kg ha -1 ) were tested in a randomized blocks experimental design with five replicates, in a 4 2 full factorial scheme. The doses of N and K 2 O influenced all physicochemical variables, except fruit firmness that averaged 10.7 kgf. The N doses reduced titratable acidity (TA) and soluble solids (SS) and increased pH and fruits' ratio, with average values of 0.31%, 17.9 o Brix, 4.02 and 57.7, respectively, at 550 kg ha -1 of N. The K 2 o doses increased tA and SS and reduced the ratio of fruit, with average values of 0. 41%, 19.4 o Brix and 47.9, respectively, at 600 kg ha -1 of K 2 O. The pH quadratic response showed the minimum value of 3.95 at 273 kg ha -1 of K 2 O. Significant Pearson correlations indicated that plants with higher N leaf contents at the time of floral induction produced fruits with lower TA and SS, while plants with higher K leaf contents produced fruits with higher TA and SS. The application of 550 kg ha -1 of n, the fruits showed translucency between 50 and 75% without potassium fertilization and less than 25% at 400 kg ha -1 of K 2 o.