Plastic Covers and Potassium Pre-Harvest Sprays and Their Influence on Antioxidant Properties, Phenolic Profile, and Organic Acids Composition of Sweet Cherry Fruits Cultivated in Southern Chile.

In rainy areas, sweet cherries are cultivated under plastic covers, preventing the cracking of the fruit but decreasing the firmness and acidity of the cherries. We evaluated the impact of plastic cover and pre-harvest K foliar application on quality parameters, antioxidant properties, and phenolic and organic acid compositions in fruits of sweet cherry cv. Regina of Southern Chile. Our results showed that K+ increased firmness, total soluble content, size, fruit weight, and titratable acidity at harvest, independent of the cover factor. The positive impacts of foliar K fertilization on anthocyanins, flavonoids, and phenolic acids could explain the higher antioxidant capacity of fruits. Our study revealed that the additional K doses applied increased malic acid, the main organic acid in cherry fruits, but only in fruits from uncovered trees. In covered trees, the effect was reversed. Citric acid was higher in fruit from covered trees. Our results indicated that tartaric acid also increased with the application of higher K doses; however, this acid was detectable only in uncovered tree fruit. Interestingly, all organic acids were lower in fruits produced in the lower canopy than those detected in fruits harvested from the upper canopy. This showed the positive impact of canopy light exposure on maintaining suitable acidity levels in sweet cherry fruits.

Efecto del termofosfato sobre el crecimiento y producción de papa (Solanum tuberosum L.) / Effect of thermophosphate on the growth and production of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.)

RESUMEN El cultivo de papa es uno de los más representativos de los Andes colombianos. El cultivo tiene altos costos de producción, entre los cuales, la fertilización representa un 36% del total. Los avances tecnológicos en nutrición vegetal han permitido el desarrollo de nuevos compuestos, que generan una mayor asimilación y disponibilidad de los elementos nutritivos, durante los periodos productivos. Dentro de las diferentes fuentes de fósforo empleadas en Colombia, está como alternativa, el termofosfato o fosfato térmico. Por esto, el objetivo del presente trabajo fue evaluar la aplicación del termofosfato en el cultivo de papa variedad 'Superior', en condiciones de campo, en el municipio de Villa Pinzón, Cundinamarca. Se empleó un diseño completamente al azar, con 4 tratamientos, que correspondieron a diferentes porcentajes de fosfato térmico 100% fosfato diamónico (DAP) (manejo convencional); 80% DAP, 20% fosfato térmico (FT); 40% DAP, 60% FT y 20% DAP, 80% FT, (0, 300, 600 y 900kg ha-1), con tres réplicas, para un total de 12 unidades experimentales. Las variables evaluadas fueron pesos fresco y seco, de parte área y raíz, concentración de fósforo en tejido y rendimiento por calidades y total. Se observó que la aplicación de termofosfato en diferentes concentraciones generó un efecto positivo con diferencias estadísticas (P≤0,05), en todas las variables evaluadas. El tratamiento de 600kg ha-1 de termofosfato, se muestra como una alternativa para el aporte de fósforo dentro de los planes de fertilización, en busca de una mejor respuesta fisiológica y productiva del cultivo de papa.

ABSTRACT Potato cultivation is one of the most representative activities of the Colombian Andes. The crop has high production costs, among which fertilization represents 36% of the total Technological advances in plant nutrition have allowed the development of new compounds that generate greater assimilation and availability of nutritional elements during productive periods. Within the different phosphorus sources available in Colombia, thermophosphate exists as an alternative. For this reason, the objective of this research was to evaluate the application of thermophosphate in the potato crop, Superior 'variety, under field conditions in the municipality of Villa Pinzón-Cundinamarca. A completely randomized design was used with 4 treatments that corresponded to different percentages of thermal phosphate: 100% diammonium phosphate (DAP) (conventional management); 80% DAP, 20% thermal phosphate (TF); 40% DAP, 60% TF and 20% DAP, 80% TF (0, 300, 600 y 900kg ha-1), with three replicas for a total of 12 experimental units. The variables evaluated were fresh and dry weights of areal and root part, phosphorus concentration in tissue and yield by qualities and the total. It was observed that the application of thermophosphate at different concentrations generated a positive effect, statistically different (P≤0.05) in all the variables evaluated. Thermophosphate, at 600kg ha-1 was found to be an alternative for the contribution of phosphorus within the fertilization plans, in search of a better physiological and productive response of the potato crop.