EFECTO DE LA POLINIZACI 3N ARTIFICIAL SOBRE LA FRUCTIFICACI 3N Y LA CALIDAD DE FRUTO DEL MARACUY\uc1 AMARILLO (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Deg.)

En Venezuela la explotaci\uf3n comercial del maracuy\ue1 amarillo presenta grandes posibilidades de \ue9xito. Sin embargo, los productores de la zona del municipio Acosta del estado Falc\uf3n han manifestado serios problemas de fructificaci\uf3n, a pesar de observar adecuada floraci\uf3n. En vista de ello, se plante\uf3 la presente investigaci\uf3n que tuvo como objetivo evaluar, en la zona mencionada, la necesidad de realizar polinizaci\uf3n artificial y contrastarla con la polinizaci\uf3n natural considerando como variables la proporci\uf3n de frutos cuajados y su calidad. Para realizar el estudio comparativo en funci\uf3n al tipo de polinizaci\uf3n se conform\uf3 un experimento en bloques al azar con diez repeticiones de los siguientes tres tratamientos: polinizaci\uf3n artificial al\uf3gama, polinizaci\uf3n artificial aut\uf3gama y polinizaci\uf3n libre o natural. La polinizaci\uf3n cruzada al\uf3gama produjo el mayor porcentaje de frutos cuajados (77,67 %), seguida por la polinizaci\uf3n natural (25,0 %), y s\uf3lo 8,33 % en el tratamiento de polinizaci\uf3n cruzada aut\uf3gama. De igual manera, la polinizaci\uf3n cruzada al\uf3gama permiti\uf3 mejorar las caracter\uedsticas f\uedsicas de los frutos, en comparaci\uf3n a la polinizaci\uf3n natural y artificial aut\uf3gama. La polinizaci\uf3n cruzada al\uf3gama puede ser recomendada como una pr\ue1ctica hort\uedcola para el \ue1rea geogr\ue1fica donde se realiz\uf3 el estudio. ABSTRACT Effect of artificial pollination on fruiting and fruit quality of yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Deg.) In Venezuelan, the commercial exploitation of yellow passion fruit presents great potential for success. However, the farmers of the municipality of Acosta, Falc\uf3n State, have expressed serious problems of fruiting, despite they have observed proper flowering. Hence, the present research was conducted to evaluate the need for artificial pollination and compare it with natural pollination, taking into consideration variables such as fruit set and fruit quality. A trial was conducted in a randomized complete block design with ten replications of the following three treatments: allogamous artificial pollination, artificial autogamous pollination and natural pollination or free. The highest percentage of fruit set (77.67 %) was observed with allogamous artificial pollination, followed by natural pollination (25.0 %). In contrast, the artificial autogamous pollination achieved only 8.33 % fruit set. Likewise, artificial allogamous pollination allowed improvements in the physical characteristics of the fruits as compared to natural pollination and autogamous artificial pollination. Artificial allogamous pollination can be recommended as a horticultural practice for the geographic area where the study was conducted. Additional key words: Fruit set, natural pollination, postharves