The aim of the work was to evaluate the influence of organic fertilization and application of calcified seaweed in production and fruit quality of red pitaya. The experimental design was randomized blocks with eight fertilizers: control, cattle manure, chicken manure, calcified seaweed, cattle manure + chicken manure, cattle manure + calcified seaweed, chicken manure + calcified seaweed and cattle manure + chicken manure + calcified seaweed, applied every three months since September 2008, with three replications and plot consisted of four plants. Fruits were evaluated in February / March 2010. After harvesting the cladodes of plants were removed for carrying out the analysis of the levels of nutrients, in July 2010. Transverse diameter, longitudinal diameter, mass, pulp percentage, acidity, soluble solids and ratio were evaluated. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and Scott-Knott test at 5% probability. The plants fertilized with cattle manure + chicken manure produced the highest number of fruits per plant and the addition of calcified seaweed favored fruit quality of red pitaya.
Hylocereus undatus; Lithothamnium; cattle manure; chicken manure
