Rodríguez Pagán, Zuleyka

Profile Picture

Filters

20171
Reset filters

Settings

Citations

Publication Search Results

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Thumbnail Image
    Publication
    Evaluación de bioestimulantes en la productividad y calidad de frutas, y presencia de plagas y enfermedades en pulasán (Nephelium ramboutan-ake) en la zona montañosa de Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
    (2017) Rodríguez Pagán, Zuleyka; Morales Payán, José P.; College of Arts and Sciences - Sciences; Goenaga, Ricardo; Segarra Carmona, Alejandro; Department of Crops and Agro-Environmental Sciences; Ruíz López, Teodoro
    The market for exotic fruits has been increasing in the 21st century, with fruits belonging to the Sapindaceae family receiving special attention. A fruit crop in that family, the pulasan (Nephelium ramboutan-ake), represents an option in Puerto Rico for growers looking for alternatives or additions to mountain crops like coffee (Coffea spp.) and citrus (Citrus spp.). In 2015, the farm gate price of pulasan fruits in Puerto Rico was $6.60/kg, and organic pulasan reached even higher prices, making it an attractive new crop. Fruit sales depend on the number and weight of the fruits. Biostimulants have been used to increase yield in various fruit crops, but there is very limited information on their use in pulasan. In this research we studied the effect of selected biostimulants applied at the time of fruit formation (2014) or during bloom (2015) on fruit yield and quality of pulasan. Also, the presence of pests and diseases in this crop was assessed. For this purpose, a field experiment was established in a commercial farm in the mountainous region of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. A completely randomized design was used. The treatments were foliar applications of commercially available formulations of an extract of seaweed (AN), an extract of Fabaceae and Caryophyllaceae plants (ECF), free amino acids plus potassium (MAA), and the control group without biostimulants. In 2014, pulasan trees were sprayed with the treatments during fruit growth. MAA increased the fruit weight harvested by 20 kg/tree, while MAA and ECF increased the marketable fruit weight by about 16 kg/tree and 11 kg/tree, respectively. When trees were treated with biostimulants, fruit diameter was 4-5 mm greater than in the control, and fruits from AN-treated trees were longer than control fruits. Also, biostimulants increased whole fruit, pericarp and pulp weight. In 2015, the trees were sprayed at bloom, resulting in fruit diameter increasing by 5 mm in diameter with all the biostimulants as compared to control trees, and fruit length increased in trees treated with AN. The concentration of soluble solids (°Brix) in the fruit juice increased significantly when AN or MAA were used. Applying biostimulants at bloom did not increase fruit yield. The organisms Coccus viridis, Aschersonia sp. and Lasiodiplodia theobromae were observed and documented for the first time in pulasan in Puerto Rico. The results of this research indicate that the main benefit from using biostimulants in pulasan was increased fruit size. Growers selling fruit by size at a premium price may increase their gains using biostimulants. In addition, quality attributes such as °Brix concentration may be manipulated with biostimulants.