DENSIDADE DE PLANTIO E PRODUÇÃO DO MARACUJAZEIRO-AZEDO NO SUL DO BRASIL

The aim was to evaluate the effects of different planting densities of passion fruit on fruit yield and quality in the region of Pelotas/Rio Grande do Sul/Brazil. The experiment was carried out during the 2011/2012 vegetative period only with plants of one year, and during the 2012/2013 vegetative period both plants of one and two years were evaluated. The treatments have been established according to the following planting densities (plants ha-1): 1.600 (D1); 2.666 (D2); 3.200 (D3). ). In the D3 treatment, the plants of two years have been thinned in the 2012/2013 period, remaining 1.600 plants. Independently of the period, the treatment with higher planting density, i.e. 3.200 plants ha-1 and plants of one year, showed better yield. Two years old plants showed no difference in yield as well as in the number of fruits ha-1 between the planting densities, and the fruit quality had been influenced neither by planting densities nor by the vegetative period.