The effect of coatings with different concentrations of tamarind seed starch associated with pomegranate seed oil in ‘Paluma’ guava was investigated in the present work. The fruits were harvested from an orchard in the morning, packed in containers previously lined with paper, and transported to a laboratory, where they were selected, washed, sanitized, and separated at random for the application of each treatment. The experiment design used was completely randomized, in the 6 × 6 factorial scheme, six coatings and six evaluation periods, with 3 replicates made up of 2 fruits. The treatments were: T1 (control or reference sample), without coating; T2 (0.24 mL of pomegranate seed oil/mL of coating); T3 (2% tamarind starch); T4 (1% tamarind starch); T5 (2% of tamarind starch); T6 (3% tamarind starch), T4, T5 and T6 were associated with 0.24 mL/mL of the pomegranate seed oil. The treatments were applied under immersion of the fruits in the solutions and then stored in a refrigerated chamber at 10±2 °C and 80±5% RH, and the evaluations were performed at intervals of 3 days to 12 days of storage. Due to the maintenance of the quality of the fruits, and without sufficient material, it was decided to extend storage time until the 21 days. Thus, the analyses were performed at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 21 days with evaluations at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 21 days. The T6 treatment (3% tamarind starch + 0.24 mL/mL pomegranate seed oil) was more efficient regarding luminosity (L*) of the fruits and delaying color development , expressed by the values of C*, also showing the higher retention in the loss of firmness, lower mass loss and lower soluble solids content, suggesting that this treatment possibly inhibited the degradation of polysaccharides, delaying the ripening process of the fruits.

Irrigated agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions is a practice encouraged to maximize food production, however these regions hesitate a qualitative shortage of water resources, often being necessary the use of saline water, affecting soil and sensitive plants to saline stress. So this study aimed to evaluate emergence, growth, phytomass accumulation and tolerance of the Tetsukabuto hybrid and varieties of pumpkin and squash under salt stress. The experiment was carried out in protected environment (greenhouse), located in the municipality of Pombal, Paraíba, Brazil. Treatments were arranged in completely randomized experimental design with four replicates, in a 5 × 3 factorial scheme, relative to five levels of irrigation water salinity and three genotypes of pumpkin and squash. Pumpkin and squash seedlings were grown on trays of 30 cells with capacity for 0.1 dm 3 of substrate, during the first 20 days after sowing, and were monitored for emergence, initial growth, dry matter accumulation and tolerance to salinity. Increment in irrigation water salinity reduces emergence and initial growth of the pumpkin and squash genotypes. The genotypes G 2 -'Squash cv. Coroa' and G 3 -Tetsukabuto hybrid are more tolerant to salinity than G 1 -'Pumpkin cv. Jacarezinho' in the initial growth stage.

Under salt stress conditions, plant growth is reduced due to osmotic, nutritional and oxidative imbalance. However, salicylic acid acts in the mitigation of this abiotic stress by promoting an increase in growth, photosynthesis, nitrogen metabolism, synthesis of osmoregulators and antioxidant enzymes. In this context, the objective was to evaluate the effect of salicylic acid doses on the growth and physiological changes of eggplant seedlings under salt stress. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, where the treatments were distributed in randomized blocks using a central composite matrix Box with five levels of electrical conductivity of irrigation water (CEw) (0.50; 1.08; 2.50; 3.92 and 4.50 dS m-1), associated with five doses of salicylic acid (SA) (0.00; 0.22; 0.75; 1.28 and 1.50 mM), with four repetitions and each plot composed of three plants. At 40 days after sowing, plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, electrolyte leakage, relative water content, and total dry mass were determined. ECw and SA application influenced the growth and physiological changes of eggplant seedlings. Increasing the ECw reduced growth in the absence of SA. Membrane damage with the use of SA remained stable up to 3.9 dS m-1 of ECw. The relative water content independent of the CEw increased with 1.0 mM of SA. The use of SA at the concentration of 1.0 mM mitigated the deleterious effect of salinity on seedling growth up to 2.50 dS m-1 of ECw.

Physalis peruviana L. has great nutritional value and economic viability, representing an innovation for Brazilian horticulture. However, knowing the ideal point of harvesting fruits of this species is a key factor in this process that allows maximum post-harvest utilization, providing better quality and minimal losses when the fruit is harvested at physiological maturity. Therefore, this study was conducted to characterize the physiological maturity of Physalis peruviana L. fruits. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design in which the treatmentscorresponded to different stages of fruit and seed maturation (20, 27, 34, and 41 days after anthesis [DAA]), with four replicates. The analyzed variables consisted of colorimetry (lightness, chroma and hue angle) of calyx and fruit; fresh weight, diameter (transverse and longitudinal), firmness, pH, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, total soluble solids:titratable acidity ratio, vitamin C and phenolic compounds of fruits; and carotenoids and chlorophyll (a and b) of calyx. The obtained data were subjected to analysis of variance and polynomial regression. Fruits intended for consumption must be harvested after 35 DAA, at which time yellow color and excellent organoleptic and nutritional qualities were observed.

The salinity is one of the stresses that more limits the income of the agricultural cultures, mainly in areas semiarid as the Northeast, though, it is known that the biostimulants are substances capable to alter the metabolism of the plant and to favor development under adverse conditions of stresses. In this context, it was aimed at with this work to evaluate the initial growth of the passion fruit plant irrigated with saline water and the application of biostimulants. The experiment was conducted at the Federal University of Campina Grande, campus Pombal, in factorial outline 5 × 3, corresponding to five salinity levels (S1 = 0.3; S2 = 2.3; S3 = 3.3; S4 = 4.3 and S5 = 5.3 dS m-1) and two biostimulants (B1 = Acadian and B2 = Crop Set) and treatment testifies (without an application of biostimulant). The dose used for each product was 4 ml L-1 of Acadian and 3 ml L-1 of Crop Set. It was used seeds of the passion fruit of the variety BRS-giant, sowed in containers of black polypropylene of 400 ml, containing sand and substrate Carolina Soil, in the proportion 1:1. For the 32 days after the sowing was determined the height, the root length, the fresh and dry mass (aerial, root and total) of plants, the biomass production and the index of tolerance the salinity. The data were submitted to the variance analysis of the test F at the level of 5% of probability, and when significant, the averages were submitted to the test Tukey for both factors, saline levels and biostimulants. The use of vegetable biostimulants increases the initial growth of the yellow passion fruit plant. The salinity in the irrigation water attacks the growth, however, I use of the biostimulant Crop Set lessens the harmful effect in passion fruit seedlings.