Redalyc.Qualitative Attributes and Postharvest Conservation of Green
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Revista Ceres ISSN: 0034-737X [email protected] Universidade Federal de Viçosa Brasil Fernando Favarato, Luiz; de Souza, Jacimar Luiz; Cardoso Galvão, João Carlos; Marciano de Souza, Caetano; de Souza Balbino, José Mauro; Carvalho Guarçoni, Rogério Qualitative attributes and postharvest conservation of green ears of maize grown on different cover crops in organic no-till system Revista Ceres, vol. 63, núm. 4, julio-agosto, 2016, pp. 532-537 Universidade Federal de Viçosa Viçosa, Brasil Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=305246992014 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative 532 Luiz Fernando Favarato et al. Qualitative attributes and postharvest conservation of green ears of maize grown on different cover crops in organic no-till system1 Luiz Fernando Favarato2*, Jacimar Luiz de Souza2, João Carlos Cardoso Galvão3, Caetano Marciano de Souza3, José Mauro de Souza Balbino2, Rogério Carvalho Guarçoni2 10.1590/0034-737X201663040014 ABSTRACT Postharvest quality of sweet maize varies depending on the type of seed, soil, quality of fertilizer, climatic conditions, and stage of maturation. This study aimed to evaluate the post-harvest quality and shelf life of green ears of maize grown on three soil covers in organic no-till sytem. The study was conducted in the municipality of Domingos Martins, ES (20° 22’16.91" S and 41° 03' 41.83" W). The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design with six replications and five treatments, consisting of three cover crops in organic no-till system: black-oat straw, white lupin, oat/lupin intercrop and two systems, organic and conventional, without straw. Maize double hybrid AG-1051 was sown in a spacing of 1.00 x 0.20 m. The variables evaluated included relative percentage of grain, straw and cob, pH, titratable acidity, soluble solids, grain moisture and shelf life. The use of different straws in the organic no-till system does not influence the postharvest quality of green ears. Ears packed in polystyrene trays with plastic film are suitable for marketing until the fifth day of storage at room temperature. Key words: Zea mays; shelf life; organic agriculture. RESUMO Atributos qualitativos e conservação pós-colheita de espigas de milho-verde cultivado sobre diferentes coberturas de solo no sistema de plantio direto orgânico A qualidade pós-colheita do milho-verde varia de acordo com o tipo de semente, de solo, da qualidade do fertilizan- te utilizado, das condições climáticas e do estágio de maturação. Objetivou-se avaliar a qualidade pós-colheita e o tempo de prateleira de espigas de milho-verde cultivado sobre três coberturas de solo no sistema plantio direto orgânico. O trabalho foi desenvolvido no município de Domingos Martins-ES (20° 22' 16.91"S e 41° 03' 41.83"O), sendo disposto em delineamento de blocos casualizados, com seis repetições e cinco tratamentos, constituídos por três coberturas de solo no sistema plantio direto orgânico, palha de aveia-preta, tremoço-branco e consórcio aveia/tremoço e dois sistemas sem palhada, sendo um orgânico e um convencional. Foi utilizado o híbrido duplo de milho AG-1051 no espaçamento de 1,00 x 0,20 m. Foram realizadas avaliações de percentual relativo de grãos, palha e sabugo, pH, acidez titulável total, sólidos solúveis totais, umidade dos grãos e tempo de prateleira. O uso de diferentes palhadas no sistema plantio direto orgânico não influencia a qualidade pós-colheita do milho-verde. As espigas embaladas em bandeja de poliestireno expandido com filme de PVC apresentam-se aptas a comercialização até o quinto dia de armazenamento em temperatura ambiente. Palavras-chave: Zea mays; tempo de prateleira; agricultura orgânica. Submitted on February 24th, 2015 and accepted on May 16th, 2016. 1 This work is part of the first author doctor’s thesis. Work funded by CNPq. 2 Centro Regional Centro-Serrano, Instituto Capixaba de Pesquisa, Assistência Técnica e Extensão Rural, Venda Nova do Imigrante, Espírito Santo, Brazil. [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; rogerio.guarconi@ incaper.es.gov.br 3 Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Departamento de Fitotecnia, Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brasil. [email protected]; [email protected] *Corresponding author: [email protected] Rev. Ceres, Viçosa, v. 63, n.4, p. 532-537, jul/ago, 2016 Qualitative attributes and postharvest conservation of green ears of maize grown on different cover... 533 INTRODUCTION MATERIAL AND METHODS Maize is the third most consumed cereal in the world This work was developed in the municipality of Do- and is considered an important source of carbohydrates, mingos Martins, ES (20° 22' 16.91"S and 41° 03' 41.83"W), thus constituting an energy giving food. It is also a source 950 m altitude. In this region, the average annual rainfall is of oil and fiber and provides small amounts of vitamins 1,800 mm, the average maximum air temperature in the B1, B2 and E. In addition to the common-maize, there are warmer months is between 26.7 and 27.8 °C and the varieties of sweet maize, which for having different sugar average minimum temperature in the cooler months is composition in the grains, have sweeter flavor and creamy between 8.5 and 9.4 °C (Espírito Santo, 1999). texture more suitable for consumption as vegetables (Ma- The experiment was conducted in a dystrophic clayey tos et al., 2007). Oxisol (Embrapa, 1999), in an area that has been cultivated Production of green maize has increased in organic no-till system since 2009, The area is divided significantly because of its profitability, since green into strips physically isolated by concrete slabs buried at maize has greater commercial value than dry maize grain. 0.60 m depth, cultivated with successive cabbage crops In addition, maize farming uses mostly family labor, on summer cover crops (sunn hemp, maize and intercrop contributing to job creation in small and medium farms, of both species) and eggplant on winter cover crops (white particularly at harvest time, which is performed lupin, oat and intercrop of both species). The experiment manually (Cruz et al., 2006). Another factor contributing was carried out from July 2013 to February 2014. Chemical to the growth of green maize production is the more analysis of soil was carried out at 0-20 cm depth: pH (6.5), diversified use of the product by the market, as it can P (160.6 mg dm-3), K+ (290.2 mg dm-3), Ca2+ (6.0 cmolc dm- be sold for consumption in several forms, as fresh 3), Mg2+ (1.2 cmolc dm-3) Al (0.0 cmolc dm-3), H+Al (2.3 produce, cooked or as ingredient in the manufacture of cmolc dm-3), SB (8.1 cmolc dm-3), t (8.1 cmolc dm-3), T (10.4 different products in the Brazilian cuisine (Matos et cmolc dm-3), V (77.5%) and MO (4.5 dag kg-1). al., 2007). The experiment was arranged in a randomized block Green maize is highly perishable, in addition to design with six replications and five treatments, totaling nutrients, it can also lose market attributes such as 30 experimental 6.0 x 4.0 m plots, with total area of 24 m2 appearance and freshness in a few hours. Because it is and harvest area of 16 m². The treatments consisted of harvested before maturation, physiologically its organs three cover crops in organic no-till system (SPD) (G - SPD contain tissues which are not fully developed (Kays, 1991). organic with grass straw, L - SPD organic with legume The metabolic activity in produce under these conditions straw; G + L - SPD organic with grass + legume straws) is high, greatly accelerating physiological and biochemical and two systems, organic and conventional, with soil changes. The result is deterioration, senescence and death loosening and without cover crop (SC - conventional of tissue mostly due to intense water loss (Finger & Vieira, system without straw; SO - organic system without straw). 1997). The cover crops used were black oat (Avena strigosa Postharvest quality of green maize, is linked to aspects Schreb), white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) and intercrop of of plant physiology involving mainly its chemical both species. composition, which varies according to the type of seed, The cover crops were sown on 07.05.2013, in rows soil, fertilizer quality, climatic conditions and maturation spaced 0.33 m apart, with seed density in the single stage at harvest (Marcos et al., 1999). system of 144 grams of black oat (60 kg ha-1) per plot Pinho et al. (2008) found that the post-harvest and 204 grams of lupin (85 kg ha-1) per plot. In the quality of green maize grown in organic and intercrop, the seeding rates and seed quantities have conventional production systems was influenced by been halved because the planting was carried out in the management adopted, with higher average pH and alternating rows. lower titratable acidity in green seeds grown in the At 103 days after sowing, at full bloom, the cover crops organic system. were mowed with a costal weeder. Then, organic compost However, there are not enough studies to allow clear was applied at the rate of 1.5 kg m-1 (dry matter), evenly conclusions on the impact of production systems on food distributed and broadcasted on all experimental plots with quality, since failures in the conduction of experiments organic management, preceding the maize sowing. The compromise a valid comparison of green maize compost chemical characteristics were: N, P, K, Ca and characteristics in each system production.