WATER AVAILABILITY AND POTASSIUM DOSES IN CHERRY TOMATO QUALITY

ABSTRACT The quality of cherry tomato fruits is directly related to the management strategies used in the production system, such as irrigation and fertilization. This study aimed to assess the quality of cherry tomato fruits cultivated under water availability and potassium fertilization. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse in pots of 12 dm3 of an Oxisol. The experimental design was a randomized block design in a 52 fractional factorial arrangement with five water availabilities in the soil (4, 14, 24, 34, and 44 -kPa), five potassium doses (0, 125, 250, 375, and 500 mg dm−3) and with four blocks. Irrigation was performed with a semi-automated drip irrigation system with soil moisture monitoring by the Diviner 2000® capacitance probe. The assessed variables in fruits were longitudinal and transversal diameter and pulp thickness, fruit shape index, total soluble solids (SS), titratable acidity (TA), the SS/TA ratio, and vitamin C. The data were submitted to statistical analyses at 5% probability error, with analysis of variance by the F-test and polynomial regression. Fruit size presents a reduction as water availability decreased. The total soluble solids have a higher concentration at a potassium dose of 326 mg dm−3. The quality of cherry tomato fruits cultivated in an Oxisol is influenced by water availability and potassium doses.