QUALIDADE E CONSERVAÇÃO DA ALFACE CULTIVADA COM REJEITO DA DESSALINIZAÇÃO

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of desalination wastewater on the post harvest quality and conservation of lettuce, cultivars Verônica and Quatro Estações, produced in hydroponic system with coconut fiber. The test was developed in an protected environment from the Department of Environmental Sciences of Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido, located in Mossoró/RN, installed in an experimental design of randomized blocks, in factorial scheme 2 x 2 x 5, with three replicates, the treatments consisted of two lettuce cultivars (Verônica and Quatro Estações), two times of evaluation (at the time of harvest and after three days of conservation) and five levels of salinity of the nutrient solution with or without a further dilution of the tailing desalination of brackish water (1.1; 2.4; 3.6; 4.7 and 5.7 dS m-1). Quatro Estações cultivar showed lower weight loss during the conservation period and higher total value of chlorophyll and pH. The matter of vitamin C and soluble solids were influenced by the reuse of tailing from desalination in nutrient solution, presenting higher level in the highest salt content studied. The cultivated lettuce on coconut fiber irrigated with reuse of the tailing nutrient solution in desalination presented, in general, good appearance both at harvest and after three days of conservation.