Sensory analysis of curly kale produced under conventional and hydroponic systems

Abstract

Abstract The consumption and cultivation of curly kale in Brazil is recent and information on production systems and their acceptance by the consumer are scarce. The aim of this work was to evaluate the sensory characteristics of curly kales cultivated using the conventional and hydroponic systems, considering the treatments: cultivation under the conventional system, without fertilization (A), conventional system with organic fertilizers (C, E) and hydroponic system (F). The harvests were performed at 60, 90 and 120 days after planting for the plants cultivated using the conventional system and at 30 days for the hydroponic system. The total chlorophyll index content and the sensory analyses of ranking of difference and acceptance were analyzed. The lowest chlorophyll index in the curly kales was verified for the one cultivated under the hydroponic system. In the ranking test, the darkest green color was obtained for the curly kale produced using the conventional system and for the attributes aroma, sweet and bitter taste and crunchiness, there was no significant difference.