The strawberry has high perishability, and consequently reduced postharvest life. Thus, dehydration IS as an alternative to reduce post-harvest losses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the type of packaging and storage time on physical and chemical characteristics of dehydrated strawberry. We used strawberries of the cultivar ‘Oso Grande’, sorted, sanitized, cut transversely and dehydrated at a temperature of 60 ± 5 °C until reaching a moisture content of 20 ± 2% (wet basis). The packages evaluated were: transparent polyethylene bags measuring 0.087 microns thick and low density under vacuum without vacuum, and plastic cellophane. The physical and chemical analyses conducted were: moisture content, titratable acidity, soluble solids, pH, vitamin C, total and reducing sugars. The dehydrated strawberries were stored for 180 days at average room temperature (20 ± 2°C) with relative humidity of the air around 78 ± 2%. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 3x7x3 factorial, and the effect of storage time within each package was studied using the regression analysis. Packages were compared by the Tukey test at 5% of significance. Dehydration of the strawberry fruit showed to be an alternative to adding a new product on the market, presented a concentration of soluble solids and low moisture. Polyethylene bags under vacuum best retained the physical and chemical characteristics of the dehydrated strawberry, indicating its effectiveness as a barrier to absorption of moisture. Only the vacuum packaging was able to efficiently preserve the physical and chemical characteristics of the strawberry fruits for a period of 180 days.

The occurrence of negative correlations between grain yield (GY) and popping expansion (PE) in popcorn complicates the selection process. In an attempt to overcome this inconvenience, we proposed the use of the importance characteristic volume per popcorn per hectare (PV). The objectives of this study were to develop the ninth cycle of the UENF-14 popcorn population, to estimate the direct and indirect effects of PV and to verify the genetic progress among all selective cycles. We obtained and evaluated 200 inbred progenies in randomised blocks arranged in replicates within sets, with nine sets consisting of 25 progenies and one set with all previous eight cycles with three replicates. The average height of the plants, prolificacy, 100-grain weight, grain yield, grain popping expansion and volume per popcorn per hectare were evaluated. Track analysis was performed to determine the direct and indirect effects, and the Mulamba and Mock selection index was calculated for the selection of the 40 superior progenies. There was genetic variability among progenies in all evaluated traits, with a cause-and-effect relationship between PV with GY and PE, allowing simultaneous gains with indirect selection. The selection of the best progenies was more effective when using arbitrarily assigned weights, which provided higher predicted gains for PV (20.73%). The means obtained in all cycles indicated increases, demonstrating the efficiency of using continuous recurrent selection in popcorn breeding programs.

The aim of the study was to evaluate strawberry cultivars for mass weight of fruit in different conditions and storage periods. The experimental design was randomized blocks in a factorial of eight strawberry cultivars (Festival, Campinas, Toyonoka, Dover, Oso Grande and Camarosa, Diamond and Aromas), five periods of storage (0, 3, 6, 9, 12) and two storage conditions (cold storage and ambient temperature) in three replications. The fruits of the Toyonoka and Campinas cultivars lost more mass; in environmental conditions they can be stored up to six days while in cold storage up to 12 days.

Recurrent selection can generate successive gains for characters of economic interest without causing genetic narrowing in the population. However, it has rarely been used in breeding programs in popcorn, especially when using full-sibling progenies to generate more expressive gains. The objective of this study was to estimate the genetic gain of the UENF-14 popcorn population through recurrent selection, and verify the evolution of the gains between the selection cycles four and eight. A total of 200 full-sibling progenies were evaluated in randomized blocks arranged in eight sets within three replicates in two environments; each set containing twenty-five progenies and six controls (selection cycles 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the UENF-14, BRS-Angela and IAC-125). The average height, prolificacy, 100-grain weight, ear weight, grain yield, and grain popping expansion of the plants were evaluated. In the selection of the thirty superior progenies for the eighth cycle, the Mulamba and Mock selection index was used, which generated estimated genetic gains of 4.60 for grain yield and 3.61% for popping expansion. The grain yield increased 111.99 kg ha-1 and the popping expansion increased 1.75 mL g-1 per cycle. The evolution of the cycles resulted in an accumulated genetic gain for the main characters of economic importance, allowing the prediction of success in the continuity of the recurrent selection.

RESUMOO objetivo foi avaliar o potencial produtivo de cultivares de morangueiro em região representativa do Alto Jequitinhonha. O experimento foi conduzido na fazenda Mape Frutas Ltda., localizada no município de Datas-MG, em delineamento em blocos ao acaso, com oito cultivares de morangueiro em quatro repetições, para verificar a produção de mudas e de frutos. A contagem da produção de estolões e de mudas foi realizada aos 180 dias após o plantio. A avaliação das variáveis relacionadas à produção de frutos foi feita duas vezes por semana, no período de maio a outubro de 2012. Das cultivares de dias curtos (Festival, Campinas, Toyonoka, Dover, Oso Grande e Camarosa) e dias neutros (Diamante e Aromas), apenas Toyonoka foi a que apresentou menor desempenho para as variáveis. A significativa superioridade das cultivares Camarosa e Festival, para praticamente todas as variáveis avaliadas, permite recomendá-las para regiões com características edafoclimáticas semelhantes às da região onde o experimento foi conduzido. Dentre as cultivares avaliadas, as mais precoces tenderam a apresentar maior desempenho para variáveis relacionadas à produção de frutos.

The success of any recurrent selection program depends on the genetic variability of the evaluated population, which is used to refer to the diversity of existing alleles at many genetic loci. Thus, the goal of the present study was to investigate the impact of recurrent selection across nine cycles of a UENF-14 popcorn population through the analysis of genetic diversity and structure using microsatellite markers (EST-SSRs). Genomic DNA was extracted from young leaves of 25 individuals from each cycle (C0, C1 C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, and C8), totaling 225 samples from the UENF-14 population. Fifty EST-SSR markers were used for the analysis of genetic diversity across the recurrent selection cycles, 16 of which were polymorphic. Thirty-four alleles were detected, with an average of 2.13 alleles per locus. Throughout all the recurrent selection cycles, there was a reduction in heterozygosity and an increase in inbreeding. The population structure showed a sharing of alleles, inferring that some may be directly related to the main selection characteristics.

Abstract The objective of this work was to evaluate the agronomic performance of corn (Zea mays) grown single and intercropped with Urochloa ruziziensis in succession to soybean (Glycine max) inoculated with Bradyrhizobium japonicum, as well as the inoculation and reinoculation of corn with Azospirillum brasilense, in two contrasting soils. The experiment was carried out in two crop years, in a randomized complete block design, in a 2x2x3 factorial arrangement, with five replicates. The first evalauted factor was composed of the two constrasting soils: a clayey Rhodic Eutrustox and a sandy Rhodic Haplustox. The second factor was corn cultivation: single and intercropped with U. ruziziensis. The third factor consisted of the inoculation onto soybean and corn in succession, as follows: no inoculation in both crops, inoculation with B. japonicum onto soybean and with A. brasilense onto corn, and reinoculation with B. japonicum + A. brasilense onto soybean and with A. brasilense onto corn. In both crop years, the highest corn yields are observed in clayey soil with seeds reinoculated with A. brasilense. The annual reinoculation with A. brasilense results in a higher corn grain yield in the intercropping with U. ruziziensis in the clayey soil. Inoculation and reinoculation reduce corn yield losses caused by the competition with U. ruziziensis in intercropping.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of pruning and training system type on the agronomic performance of the perennial cultivation of physalis (Physalis peruviana), in high-altitude tropical and humid temperate regions in Southeastern Brazil. The experiments were carried out in the municipalities of Diamantina (humid temperate climate) and Couto de Magalhães de Minas (high-altitude tropical climate), both in the state of Minas Gerais, in two cycles (2017/2018 and 2018/2019). In the first cycle, two types of training system were evaluated, one with formation pruning to define the number of stems for espalier training and the other free (without pruning and espalier). In the second cycle, renewal pruning was evaluated in each training system. Physalis cultivation in regions with humid temperate climate and mild temperatures favors high yields and large fruits. The training system in espalier with formation pruning facilitates plant management and increases productivity. The viability of the perennial cultivation of physalis varies according to the climatic conditions of the cultivation site and to the training system adopted.

ABSTRACT We evaluated the contents of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), mineral matter (MM), soluble carbohydrates (CHOS), ammonia nitrogen (N-NH3), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) in sugarcane silages to which different levels of inclusion (LI) of crambe bran (CB) were added in proportions of 0, 3, 10, 17 and 20% at different storage times (ST). Laboratory silos were used, predetermined ST being 0, 3, 7, 12, 24, 36, 41, and 60 days after silage. For statistical analysis, the response surface methodology was used, in which LI and ST served as independent factors and response variables as dependent factors. The levels of DM and CP increased linearly with NI; however, it did not show any significant response regarding ST. The CHOS contents were reduced linearly with NI and displayed a quadratic response with ST. The interaction between NI and ST for the levels of N-NH3 was significant, as the levels reduced with the NI and ST. The levels of NDF and ADF reduced linearly with NI and displayed a quadratic response with ST. The CB showed high efficacy to improve fermentation of ensiled cane, with the addition and conservation of nutrients in all NI evaluated and over the storage time. In addition to the residues generated with the production of biodiesel in a sustainable way, CB is a viable alternative to the sugarcane silage.

Abstract To date, no studies on the inheritance of Fusarium spp. ear rot resistance in popcorn are available. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the additive-dominance model to estimate the genetic components of variance, heritability and the inheritance pattern in a diallel for popcorn, by Hayman’s approach. The experiment was carried out in two environments, using eight parent lines. The following traits were measured: grain yield (GY), popping expansion (PE), incidence of ears infected by Fusarium (FusIE), total number of kernels infected by fungi (FunIK) and total number of kernels infected by Fusarium spp. (FusIK). The results indicated that the incidence of FusIK (Fusarium-infected kernels), FunIK (fungus-infected kernels), and FusIE (Fusarium-infected ears) is controlled by dominant genes. Parent L77 had a high number of favorable alleles for all resistance-related traits, as well as for PE. The strategy recommended for reduction of FunIK, FusIK, and FusIE consists of exploiting hetorosis using inbred lines with favorable alleles.