The N, P and K deficiencies decreased the fruit weight with and without crown (Table 1). The N deficiency reduced fruit weight with crown by 57.59%, P by 26.78% and K by 22.8%. N, P and K concentrations at 9 months after planting, (inflorescence appearance time) was 59.5%, 59.7% and 78.6% lower than the one of the complete nutrient treatment, respectively and to 12 months was 68.9% and 60.6%, 94.5% lower (Table 2).

Working pineapple Jupi [5] observed significant quadratic response effect for fresh mass from fruit of CV. Jupi, with and without Crown depending on doses of NPK. Another author [9] also observed quadratic effect of increasing doses of N and K in increasing fresh mass pineapple MD-2. The influence of K in the productive characteristics of pineapple can be related mainly to his role in photosynthesis. The N is the nutrient responsible for increased productivity of pineapple, and your deficiencies changes negatively the growth, output and quality of fruit [3] [10] [11] .

Fruits of plants cultivated in complete nutrient solution reached average fruit weight of 1594 kg (Table 1). The average of fruit weight with crown was below those (1.78 kg) obtained by [12] . Second [13] , the weight consi-

In each collumn, means followed by +, - or ns either are larger, smaller than the one of the complete treatment, according to Dunnett’s test at 5% level.

In each column and each nutrient, means followed by - are significantly smaller than the complete treatment according to Dunnett’s test at 5% level.

dered great for pineapples of cv. Perola is between 1.0 - 1.4 kg; According to the classification by weight [14] , the fruit from the plant that received the complete solution and deficient in K (Table 1) would be covered in class 3 and 2, respectively and from plants deficient in N and P (Table 1) in class 1 reaching lowest value on the market. The difference in weight between fruit provides an additional significant financial gain for the producer, when pineapple is marketed as in natura.

The fruit length was reduced by N and P deficiencies and the diameter by N deficiency (Table 1). The N deficiency reduced the length in 38.7% and the P in 33.7%; the fruit diameter was reduced by the N deficiency in 22%.

The fruit diameter of 11.8 cm (Table 1) was similar to that found by [13] for the “Pérola”, it was 11.2 - 11.3 cm, but the length of 18.1 cm was slightly above found by this author.

The average of the fruit length and diameter, in complete treatment were similar to that found by [15] in their work with the cv. Pérola whose length varied from 14 to 19.6 cm, and diameter of 10.31 cm to 11.05 cm, however, the length was above the value of 15.7 cm for cv. Smooth Cayenne and 16.1 cm from cv. Pérola [16] .

Reducing the fruit weight caused by deficiencies resulted mainly from the reduction in the fruit length. In the N case referred to was, also, the smaller fruit diameter, reason why this was the deficiency that caused further reduction of fruit weight.

P deficiency reduced the crown length but the weight was not affect by the deficiencies studied (Table 3). The crown length accepted quality standards varies according to the fruits class for export [17] .

In pineapple “Queen Victoria” was also found a decrease in fruit crown weight with the reduction in the levels of N [18] .

The fruit crown length from the complete solution is below 1.5 times the fruit length as [17] . Fruits in nitrogen deficient plant presented the crown within the medium considered patterns to “Pérola” of 6.96% of the fruit weight, as [19] . It’s probably that larger values for the crown length have been obtained by applying the complete solution containing nitrogen until the fruit harvest.

The peduncle diameter was reduced by the shortcomings of N and K in 16.7% and 14.3% respectively and length by K and Ca deficiency in 17.5% and 15.1% respectively (Table 3).

Peduncle with smaller diameter may contribute to increase pineapple fruit drop what usually affect its quality and increases its sunburn susceptibility.

There was not influence of nutritional deficiency in the peel thickness (Table 3).

It is likely that there has been a selective allocation of photosynthates in the bark as evolutionary strategy aiming to guarantee reproduction in environments poor in nutrients.

The N deficiency increased TA in 85%, in the TSS in 11.2% and relationship TSS/TA. The S deficiency only increased the TSS in 12.5% (Table 4). At the time of fruit ripening the N concentration was 60.6% less than the full treatment (Table 2).

It is likely that the increase of TSS in the fruits, the treatment either by reducing the -S synthesis of sulfurous amino acids causing reduction of protein synthesis and accumulation of soluble carbohydrates. Plants grown under deficiency of N may have reduced production of amino acids and consequently protein providing greater amount of photosynthates to be used in the accumulation of other organic acids mainly in the synthesis of secondary metabolism compounds such as organic tricarboxylic acid cycle [20] .

For brix and acidity of the fruit, the responses to N were observed by [13] [21] who found a negative correlation for N. Discordant result was found by [8] who reported increased levels of brix and acidity of fruits of cv. Jupi

In each column, means followed by +, - or ns either are larger, smaller than the one of the complete treatment, according to Dunnett’s test at 5% level.

In each column, means followed by +, - or ns either are larger, smaller or don’t differ from the complete treatment, according to Dunnett’s test at 5% level. ^*Scale of notes: 1—pulp white, 2—pulp white with some yellow; 3—pulp more white than yellow; 4—pulp more yellow than white; 5—pulp yellow e 6-pulp yellow gold.

with increased dose of N.

The value of 0.44% TA in complete treatment , was similar to that achieved by [22] [23] of 0.4 and 0.41 to 0.65% of citric acid, respectively; and that is less than the value of the result of us TA 0.305 CV. Jupi [24] .

The TSS value of 11.2 (Table 4) was lower than that obtained by [24] of 13.6 for cv. Jupi. It is likely that during the period of harvest, March to May, the oscillation of temperature and luminosity contributed to TSS levels lower.

The decrease of the TSS/TA interface is associated to high acidity with a deficiency of this relationship is considered the best pineapple maturation index than the acidity and the Brix (TSS) isolated.

Working with cv. Jupi [5] noted reduction in relative brix/acidity with high doses of N, result not obtained in this work.

The N deficiency increased the content of Vit. C in 3 times in relation to the content in the complete treatment and decreased pH in 18.7% (Table 4). The concentration of N was 59.0% and 60.0% less than the complete treatment on the flowering and fruit ripening stage, respectively (Table 2).

These increases were also observed for [10] [25] [26] . N deficiency reduces the synthesis of amino acids and thus of proteins, promoting greater availability of photosynthates to be used in the synthesis of secondary metabolism c4 mpounds, such as Ascorbic acid [20] .

The content of Vit. C, in the fruits grown in plants that have received the complete solution, was 9.1 mg∙kg⁻¹ lower than that obtained by [26] in the fruits of cv. Pérola 17.65 mg of ascorbic acid per 100 g.

With the results obtained in this study it was observed that it is possible through the operation of fertilizing, produce fruits with higher levels of vitamin c.

The reduction in pH can be attributed to the accumulation of organic acids, whose values are represented by the TA and Vitamin C, due to the impairment of protein synthesis.

There was a pineapple pulp bleaching under deficiency of N and K (Table 4).

In the case of N deficiency, the clearer the fruit pulp also presented a higher value of TA and an underage relationship TSS/TA, compared to more colorful fruits. For nitrogen, pulp coloration could be indicative of nutritional deficiency.

Fruits grown in N and K deficient plants obtained organoleptic acceptance bills significantly lower than those of complete treatment (Table 5). There was no significant difference in the scores to the acceptance of the fruits of

In line, means followed by +, - or ns either are larger, smaller or don’t differ from the complete treatment, respectively, according to Dunnett’s test at 5% level. Test approval: each answer was correspond respectively at: 1 (dislike extremely), 2 (dislike a lot), 3 (dislike moderately), 4 (dislike lightly), 5 (indifferent), 6 (liked lightly), 7 (liked moderately), 8 (liked a lot) e 9 (liked extremely).

pineapple under the deficiencies of P, Ca, Mg, S, and B.

Some tasters found the pineapple pieces produced under N deficiency, watery, tasteless characteristic of pineapple, salt flavor, high acidity, fibrous, pale coloring and watery, tasteless K, little sweet, little juice. The excess acidity was the most cited characteristic, in the comments of assessors in relation to N deficiency.

It is likely that the higher acidity and the whitish coloration of the pulp have contributed to the notes attributed to the −N treatment (Table 4). Consumer preference is for fruits less acidic and more attractive in the external aspect.