Effect of N, P and K on yield, nutritional status and fruit quality of yellow passion fruit

Abstract

This research was conducted with the objective to determine the effect of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilization in the soil, on the yield and quality of fruits and plant nutritional status of yellow passion fruit Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa. The experiment was established at Estação Experimental Agronômica of the UFRGS, at Guaíba, RS, Brazil, in an Ultisol soil with low acidity and medium to high fertility. The rates of nutrients per plant were N (0g; 300g and 600 g); P (0g; 150g and 300g) and K (0g; 200g and 400g), applied as ammonium sulfate (N), normal superphosphate (P) and potassium chloride (K), combined in eight treatments. The harvest was done from March to August/82. The number and weight of fruits per hectare varied from 76,903 to 109,306 fruits, and from 6.1 to 9.9 t, respectively; the mean weight of the fruits varied from 86.0 to 97.6 g. There was no significant effects of the soil fertilization on fruit yield and quality. However, the nutrient content in the plant leaves was satisfactory and the fruit quality was considered good.