Crecimiento, desarrollo y calidad del fruto de Lima 'Tahití' (Citrus latifolia Tanaka) en el Estado Monagas, Venezuela

The cultivation of ‘Tahiti’ lime (Citrus latifolia Tanaka) has acquired importance in Venezuela and in Monagas state, for ots profitability. For this reason, the study was carried out with the objective of evaluating the growth, development the physical-chemical characteristics of the fruit to determine the harvest time under savanna conditions of the Monagas state. The experiment was established in a commercial plantation of lime, located at Tarragona, Cedeno municipality, Monagas State. One hundred and twenty plants were selected and the flowering beginning date was registered, subsequently branches were marked where anthesis occurred the same day. Seven days intervals after anthesis, fresh and dry weight, polar and equatorial diameter of fruits, juice volume, titratable acidity, soluble solids, pH and days from anthesis to harvest were determined. In 'Tahiti' lime crop, fruit development followed a sigmoidal model from anthesis to maturity, characterized by three periods: phase I from the style fall to the increment of fruit fresh and dry mass and diameter, phase II was characterized by fast growth, phase III, when the increment in the fruit size decreased. The soluble solid content decreased from the second phase, while pH and titratable acidity increased from this phase.