Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: ROBERT RAMSAY GARCIA

PRODUCTION AND QUALITY OF “GRAPE”  TOMATOES PRODUCED UNDER PROTECTED ENVIRONMENTS, COVERED WITH AGRICULTURAL FILM AND ALVEOLAR POLYCARBONATE WITH CONTINUOUS WATER FLOW

Mini tomato, Protected cultivation, Semi hydroponic, Polycarbonate, Temperature, Tomato cultivation.

Protected crops provide beneficial microclimatic changes to plants, by interfering with metabolism due to the reduction in quantitative levels of solar, diffuse and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR). This makes it possible to increase productivity and quality, in different crops, in different seasons and climatic conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the functional compounds of five colorful grape tomato hybrids in two protected environments, covered with alveolar polycarbonate plates (P) with continuous water circulation and an environment with 150 mm diffuser agricultural film (FA), under the tropical climatic conditions of the northern Amazon of Mato Grosso. The experiment was carried out at the Embrapa Agrossilvopastoril unit from May to October 2023 in Sinop-MT. The experimental design was DBC in a 2x5 factorial scheme (02 systems Polycarbonate (P) and Agricultural Film (FA) and 05 hybrids – Guaracy, Jacy 95, BS48, G9618 and G7545) with four replications, totaling 40 plots. The experiment was conducted in a semi-hydroponic production system in pots containing commercial substrate and carbonized rice (1:1). The nutrient solutions were applied via drip fertigation. Colorimetry and brix analyzes were carried out as qualitative factors. There was no difference in the soluble solids content between the environments and hybrids evaluated and the interaction between them. Regarding colorimetry, the G7545 hybrids stood out in the Chroma variable 41.25º and 44.50º and G7545 Hue Angle 57º in both PA and Polycarbonate systems, respectively. Regarding chemical and biochemical analyses, the FA environment presented better results over P, the antioxidant levels (DPPH and ABTS) 10.39%, 11.32% were higher in the P environment compared to FA. In relation to productivity, the polycarbonate environment was superior to agricultural film by 12.48% for plants grown in the P environment in relation to the FA environment. This result is due to the reduction in luminosity, reflection and absorption of diffuse radiation, intercepted and filtered by the circulation of water in the cover of the P environment. The hybrids tested in protected cultivation obtained good results, highlighting the polycarbonate cover with water circulation for productivity. The hybrids G9618, G7545 and Jacy 95 showed average productivity of 11.62%, 12.56% and 12.95% (kg ha-1) in a polycarbonate (P) environment in relation to agricultural film (FA).