GRADIENTE DE MUDANÇAS FISIOLÓGICAS E DE QUALIDADE DURANTE A MATURAÇÃO DE ABACAXI ‘PÉROLA’

Abstract

The frutescence of the pineapple presents distinct morphological characteristics of the majority of the fruits that make complex their development and maturation. Formed from the bottom up and composed of several fruits, the frutescence presents different physiological age in the lower, middle and upper part. Therefore, it is assumed that during maturation, they present different physical, chemical-chemical and chemical characteristics affecting quality. Faced with the need to understand the development of pineapple maturation. This work aimed to evaluate the changes in the physiological aspects and the quality of 'Pérola' pineapple frutescence, sectioned in the vertical and horizontal senses at different maturation stages. The work was developed in the Laboratory of Biology and Post-Harvest Technology, Center of Agrarian Sciences-UFPB, Areia-PB, with frutescence’s from the municipality of Itapororoca-PB. The frutescence’s were distributed in a completely randomized design, in a triple factorial (3 maturation stages, 3 transversal sections and 3 vertical sections). Physical, physicochemical, chemical and translucency characteristics were evaluated by the sensorial method and by digital image processing. In addition, the internal CO2 concentrations in the transversal sections of the pineapple frutescence were evaluated. It was observed a differentiated behavior for the sections of the frutescence at each stage of maturity evaluated for firmness, pulp color, titratable acidity, pH, soluble solids, peroxidase activity and pulp translucency index. The internal CO2 concentration of the 'Pérola' pineapple is higher in the cross section of the base decreasing gradually to the apex, without high variations during maturation. The enzymatic activity of POD was distributed in the transverse and vertical sections of the pineapple, increasing with the appearance of translucency.