The objective of the present work was to induce somatic embryogenesis from zygotic embryos of Passiflora cincinnata Masters. Zygotic embryos formed calli on media with different concentrations of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 4.5 lM benzyladenine (BA) after 30 days of in vitro culture. A concentration of 18.1 lM 2,4-D resulted in the largest number of somatic embryos. Embryogenic calli were yellowish and friable, forming whitish proembryogenic masses. Morphologically, embryogenic cells were small and had large nuclei and dense cytoplasm, whereas non-embryogenic cells were elongated, with small nuclei and less dense cytoplasm. Calli cultured under white light on basal Murashige and Skoog's medium with activated charcoal produced embryos in all developmental stages. There were differences among the treatments, with some leading to the production of calli with embryos and some only to callus formation. Some abnormalities were associated with somatic embryos, including fused axes, fused cotyledons and polycotyledonary embryos. Production of secondary somatic embryos occurred in the first cycle of primary embryo development. Secondary embryos differentiated from the surface of the protodermal layer of primary embryos with intense cell proliferation, successive mitotic divisions in the initial phase of embryoid development, and a vascular system formed with no connection to the parental tissue. This secondary embryogenic system of P. cincinnata is characterized by intense proliferation and maintenance of embryogenic competence after successive subcultures. This reproducible protocol opens new prospects for massive propagation and is an alternative to the current organogenesis-based transformation protocol.

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O trabalho foi realizado na Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), com o objetivo de avaliar a relação entre características do fruto de maracujazeiro e seus desdobramentos em efeitos diretos e indiretos para obtenção de maior rendimento de polpa e peso de frutos, norteando o melhoramento genético. As avaliações foram feitas no primeiro ano de produção (safrinha). Retirou-se uma amostra aleatória de 200 frutos em um ensaio com 42 progênies de meios-irmãos de maracujazeiro. Os caracteres avaliados foram: comprimento e diâmetro equatorial do fruto, peso do fruto, peso da casca e da polpa, espessura da casca, rendimento e relação comprimento/diâmetro. Foram realizadas análises dos coeficientes de correlação de Pearson e análise de trilha. Verificaram-se correlações significativas entre os caracteres avaliados. O peso da polpa apresenta maior efeito direto em sentido favorável à seleção de peso de fruto. O diâmetro equatorial do fruto apresentou-se mais associado com o peso da polpa, em relação ao comprimento do fruto. A seleção dos frutos com maior diâmetro equatorial possibilita a obtenção de maracujás mais pesados e com maior rendimento. Não foi observada correlação entre a relação comprimento/diâmetro e rendimento de polpa.

RESUMO Seleção simultânea por índice de seleção em progênies de maracujazeiro-azedoEste trabalho objetivou a verificação da eficiência da seleção simultânea (índices de seleção), por meio dos ganhos genéticos estimados, e pela comparação das metodologias de Mulamba & Mock e de Elston. O trabalho foi realizado na Universidade Federal de Viçosa, avaliando-se 26 progênies de irmãos germanos de maracujazeiro-azedo, para as características intrínsecas da produção, tais como: número de frutos, peso do fruto, comprimento e diâmetro do fruto; e para as características do fruto, como: espessura de casca, teor de sólidos solúveis e acidez. As duas metodologias foram aplicadas, primeiro, na análise conjunta das características do fruto e das características intrínsecas da produção, em um único momento de seleção, e, segundo, na análise em dois momentos, na qual priorizaram-se as caracterís-ticas intrínsecas da produção, no primeiro momento, e, posteriormente, no segundo momento, escolheram-se, entre as progênies selecionadas do primeiro momento, as melhores para características do fruto. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância, a fim de se verificar a existência de variabilidade genética entre as progênies. Verificou-se que a

In vitro chromosome doubling from hypocotyl segments of yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims.) was carried out in the presence of either colchicine (0, 25, 250 and 1,250 lM) or oryzalin (0, 5, 15 and 30 lM). Murashige and Skoog (in Physiol Plant 15:473-497, 1962)(MS)-based regeneration medium containing 250 or 1,250 lM colchicine markedly affected explant development leading to browning and death of the hypocotyl segments. Oryzalin has similar effect to colchicine in inducing polyploidy. In vitro regenerated autotetraploid plants induced by 25 lM colchicine or 15 lM oryzalin were further acclimatized and cultivated in hydroponics system in greenhouse. Autotetraploids plants were more vigorous than the control diploids. The chromosome number of diploid plants was 2n = 2x = 18, whereas that found on autotetraploid plants were 2n = 4x = 36. The stomata sizes of the autotetraploids were significantly larger than those on the diploid counterparts, while the frequency of stomata was significantly reduced. Similarly, the chloroplast number of guard cells of autotetraploid plants increased significantly. Two albino plants (4%) were generated in medium with 25 lM colchicine, indicating phytotoxic effects. These plants are being grown to full maturity in order to test their potential to use in a breeding program.

ABSTRACT. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of the general and specific combining abilities (GCA and SCA, respectively) of 15 characteristics and to evaluate the most promising crosses and the reciprocal effect between the hybrids of six parents of the Capsicum annuum species. Six parents, belonging to the Horticultural Germplasm Bank of Centro de Ciências Agrárias of Universidade Federal da Paraíba, were crossed in complete diallel manner. The 30 hybrids generated and the parents were then analyzed in a completely randomized design with three replicates. The data were submitted to analysis of variance at 1% probability, and the means were grouped by the Scott-Knott test at 1% probability. The diallel analysis was performed according to the Griffing method, model I and fixed model. Both additive and non-additive effects influenced the hybrids' performance, as indicated by the GCA/SCA ratio. The nonadditive effects, epistasis and/or dominance, played a more important role than the additive effects in pedicel length, pericarp thickness, fresh matter, dry matter content, seed yield per fruit, fruit yield per plant, days to fructification, and total soluble solids. The GCA effects were more important than the SCA effects in the fruit weight, fruit length and diameter, placenta length, yield, vitamin C, and titratable acidity characteristics. The results found here clearly show that ornamental pepper varieties can be developed through hybridization in breeding programs with C. annuum.

Estimation of leaf area by non-destructive method using linear measurements of leaves ofPassiflora speciesThe objective of the present study was to develop a reliable equation which enables a fast and non-destructive calculation of leaf area using linear leaf measures from different Passiflora species (P. alata, P. coccinea, P. gibertii, P. ligularis, P. misera, P. mucronata, P. nitida, P. setacea). Three hundred leaves with different sizes were collected from each species. It was performed the analysis of regression of leaf area versus lenght of the main vein, greatest leaf width and their product. Leaf area was measured with a device for automatic measurement and linear measures were determined using a ruler. The linear model chosen for all species, was the one which uses independent variables product because it presents the greatest coefficient of determination (R²) and significative coefficient of regression. The models showed adjusted coefficient of determination higher than 0.927 and optimal performance index, according to the classification of Camargo and Sentelhas. In the process of model validation, it was shown that the correlation between measured leaf area and observed leaf area was very high. The results of this study demostrate that leaf area of Passiflora species can be predicted, using the measurements of the length and width of leaves.

RESUMO -A cultura da macadâmia destaca-se como atividade promissora com vistas ao mercado externo. O Brasil está em 6º lugar na produção mundial, com cerca de 3% da produção. Há uma demanda crescente pelo produto, o que vem atraindo a atenção de investidores neste ramo do agronegócio. Um dos gargalos da macadamicultura é o elevado período de retorno do capital, sendo importante para o desenvolvimento da atividade o conhecimento do custo de produção e da lucratividade do investimento. Objetivouse, neste trabalho, fazer um levantamento da situação da cultura no Brasil e da viabilidade econômica da atividade. Foi realizada uma estimativa dos custos de produção entre os principais produtores e exportadores do País. Levou-se em consideração os indicadores econômicos: Valor Presente Líquido (VPL), Taxa Interna de Retorno (TIR), Pay-back e Pay-back descontado. Os resultados indicam que a cultura da macadâmia é uma atividade viável e que o sucesso do investimento depende da qualidade do produto. Termos para indexação: Macadamia integrifolia, agronegócio, custo de produção, exportação, lucratividade. STUDY OF ECONOMICAL VIABILITY OF THE CULTURE OF MACADAMIA NUT IN BRAZILABSTRACT -The macadamia culture stands out as promising activity to the external market. Brazil is in the 6th place in the world production, with approximately 3% of the production. There is a growing demand for the product, the one that comes attracting the investors' attention in this segment of the agribusiness. One of the difficulties of the macadamia culture is the high period of return of the capital, being important for the development of the activity the knowledge of the production cost and of the profitability of the investment. It was aimed in this work to do a rising of the situation of the culture in Brazil and of the economical viability of the activity. An estimate of the production costs was accomplished among the main producers and exporters of the country. It was taken in consideration the economical indicators: Net Present Value (NPV), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Pay-back and discounted Pay-back.The results indicate that the culture of macadamia is a viable activity and that the success of the investment depends on the quality of the product.