QUALITY GUAVAS CV. 'PALUMA' UNDER MECHANICAL INJURIES AND COLD STORAGE

This work aimed to evaluate the effect of mechanical injuries caused by impact, abrasion and cut in guavas cv. 'Paluma' under fruit quality during cold storage at 10 degrees C, and at environment temperature. Was to adopt the completely randomized design in a split-plot in time considering as plots, the mechanical injuries and subplots, the storage periods (0, 5, 8, 11, 14 and 17 days) with four replicates of two fruits per experimental unit. The mechanical injuries were induced considering the following criteria: T1, witness, without fruit visible damage; T2, fruits impacts, two impacts per fruit at a height of 85 cm; T3, fruits subjected two cuts, on opposite sides, depth of 2 mm and length 30 mm; T4, fruits subjected to abrasion, area of 10 cm(2). Was evaluated the exterior color, the external appearance, the internal appearance, the severity of disease. Injury due to impact, abrasion and cut no influence on in exterior color, external appearance, internal appearance and severity of diseases of guava cv. 'Paluma' during storage for 11 days at 10 degrees C. But, the quality was impaired by mechanical injuries six days after exposure to 30 degrees C.