Maturity pattern determination of cashew peduncle

• Grant number: 16/13198-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2016
• End date: August 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Botany - Applied Botany
• Principal Investigator: Magda Andréia Tessmer
• Grantee: Beatriz Freire de Andrade
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The cultivation of cashew in order to peduncle fresh consumption has been increasing in traditionally producing regions and trading of nuts, and recently in the State of São Paulo. Cashews are classified as non-climacteric and preliminary studies on postharvest show ethylene production peaks and changes in physiological attributes after harvest, raising doubts as to their pattern of maturation. The objective of this project is to check the standard of cashew peduncle maturation early dwarf clone CCP 76 by responding to the application of regulatory ethylene ripening and 1-methylcyclopropene. They will be used two cashew apple of maturity stages with the following treatment with ethylene: T1: control; T2: 500 µL L-1 ethylene / 12 hours; T3: 1000 µL L-1 of ethylene / 12 hours and 1-MCP: T1: control; T2: 500 nL L-1 1-MCP / 12 hours; T3: 1000 nL L-1 1-MCP / 12 hours). The stems are kept at 23 °C during the treatment and until complete senescence. Quantitative analysis of respiratory activity will be held, ethylene production, skin color, flesh firmness, titratable acidity, soluble solids, vitamin C and soluble tannins (proanthocyanidins). It is expected that the results generated in this study may indicate the ideal stage for harvesting, by determining the pattern of maturation, and generate future post-harvest and cooling treatments that reduce the high perishability of the cashew peduncle. (AU)