ABSTRACT
When carrying out this study, the aim was to evaluate physicochemical and microbiological quality in fruit of the papaya Tainung 1, produced under different irrigation time ratios with water from the supply (AA) and from domestic sewage which had been treated first in a septic tank and then with anaerobic filters (AE). The experimental design was of randomised blocks, with four treatments and six replications. The treatments consisted of T1 (100% AA plus a recommended fertiliser), T2 (67% AA plus 33% AE), T3 (33% AA plus 67% AE) and T4 (100% EA). The physicochemical and microbiological quality of the fruit was evaluated using the following parameters: pulp thickness (EP), pulp firmness (PF), total soluble solids (SS), pH, titratable acidity (TA), SS to AT ratio and the population levels of Salmonella ssp. and total coliforms. It was found that the applied irrigation time ratios with AA and AE resulted in no significant changes to the physicochemical characteristics of the papaya fruit, showing that the values obtained meet the standards required for marketing and in natura consumption. The microbiological quality of papaya fruit produced with AE is acceptable for human consumption, as there was an absence of Salmonella sp. and total coliforms.
Key words:
Carica papaya L; Irrigation; Reuse
