Effect of nitrogen nutrition on quality and storage behaviour of pineapple

Abstract

In studies on the effect of different levels of nitrogen nutrition on fruit quality and storage behaviour of pineapple, it was found that at harvest, the maximum reducing sugars, brix to acid ratio and sugar to acid ratio were registered at lowest level of nitrogen at 8g/plant As the level of nitrogen was increased to 12g/plant, total sugars increased, but there was a decrease as the level was further increased to 16g/plant. Acidity and TSS showed an increasing trend with increasing levels of nitrogen. During cold storage, higher levels of nitrogen recorded a decrease in reducing sugars. Maximum increase in acidity was recorded by the lowest level of nitrogen under both storage conditions. Increase in nitrogen level upto 12g per plant was found to have a favourable influence on total sugars in both open and cold storage conditions. Better retention of brix to acid ratio in cold storage and to reducing sugars in open storage was observed when the nitrogen dose was increased to 16g/plant.