An experiment was carried out to study atemoya pollination and to determine the pollination method that produces fruits in larger amount and quality. The experiment was accomplished with cultivar Gefner, in the period of November 2000 to March 2001, in a commercial orchard located in the county of Lins - SP, at an altitude of 424 meters. The plants were 13 years old. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with 5 treatments and 6 replicates. The treatments were as follows: 1) hand pollination (pollen of A. squamosa L.); 2) hand pollination (pollen of atemoya cultivar Gefner); 3) hand pollination (pollen of atemoya cultivar African Pride); 4) hand pollination (pollen of atemoya cultivar PR-3); 5) natural (open) pollination. The evaluation of fruit set happened 10 days after the pollination and the amount of fruits with perfect or defective shape after 40 days. Atemoya fruits were picked 120 days after the pollination and individually weighed. 3-fruit samples of each treatment were taken, for the following determinations: seed and pulp weigh, number of seeds per 100 g of pulp, total soluble solids content, total acidity and soluble solids/acidity ratio. The pollination of atemoya with pollen of A. squamosa L. was more effective, increasing the fruit set (80.5% compared to less than 22% in the other treatments), fruit production and percentage of perfect fruits.
atemoya; hand pollination; natural pollination; pollen source
