Choosing cultivars that require less chilling temperatures to overcome dormancy is crucial, for example, peaches that grow in subtropical areas, which is not an appropriate climate for them. Thus, alternative techniques are necessary to induce sprouting. Yet there are not many available products in market, restricting options for fruit growers to a reduced number of chemical molecules, which are often harm the health to applicators. Therefore, this study aimed to assess phenological cycles and productive performance of three peach cultivars, submitted to foliar nitrogen fertilizer and calcium nitrate to induce sprouting. This study took place at Experimental Orchard of School of Agriculture (FCA, UNESP), Botucatu, state of São Paulo. Three peach cultivars were evaluated: 'Douradão', 'BRS Kampai' and 'BRS Rubimel' by applying four doses of foliar nitrogen fertilizer (FNF) at 0, 1.25, 2.50 and 3.75%; associated with 4% calcium nitrate. A 3x4 factorial arrangement (3 cultivars X 4 FNF doses) in a randomized block design was used, with 4 replicates and 2 plants per plot, totalizing 96 plants. Results indicated that FNF positively affected cultivars development, providing wider sprouting, flowering and fruit set; consequently, greater production. Then FNF became a good alternative to induce sprouting in peaches at mild winter temperatures. Moreover, 'BRS Rubimel' presented high sowing percentage associated with low flowering and fruit set percentages, that is, low production mainly caused by its lack of adaptability to studied region.

Fig tree (Ficus carica L.) stands out due to its range of cultivation and easy adaptation to diverse edaphoclimatic conditions. In addition to its adaptability, fruits have nutraceutical characteristics and are used in industry and for fresh consumption, widely appreciated by the world cuisine. Due to lack of manpower and phytosanitary problems, the area planted in Brazil has decreased recently. To overcome these obstacles, the production of quality seedlings is the first step to obtaining productive and healthy orchards. Therefore, the aim of the present literature review was to gather data referring to advances in research related to the fig tree propagation. Currently, the methods found for fig tree propagation consist of seedling production, where entomophilic or vegetative pollination occurs. Commercially, the propagation method by cutting is still the most used for this crop; however, other methods can also be used, such as the use of burrs or plunging and grafting techniques and tissue culture. Although there is a diversity of propagation methods and new technologies being developed, cuttings remain the most feasible method. In addition, obtaining healthy and quality seedlings is one of the main problems currently found in ficiculture, since, in addition to the scarcity of studies related to propagation, the use of resistant cultivars and pathogen-free substrates should be prioritized due to susceptibility of fig trees to nematodes. Thus, further studies should be carried out in order to seek new information on the cultivars most adapted to each locality, as well as improvements in propagation and cultivation techniques.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the banana cultivars for their agronomic yield and starch characteristics. The experiment was carried out in a randomized complete block design, with a factorial arrangement of two cultivars ('BRS Conquista' and 'BRS Platina') and two crop cycles, with three plants per treatment, and five replicates. Fruit yield and starch quality were evaluated. 'BRS Conquista' showed smaller fruit; however, it had a greater marketable bunch weight and yield than 'BRS Platina'. Starches differed for the main physicochemical characteristics, except for X-ray diffraction pattern (B type) and phosphorus content (0.0058–0.0060%). 'BRS Platina' stood out for its higher content of resistant starch (74.55%) that differed from the starch isolated from 'BRS Conquista'. However, the starch of 'BRS Conquista' showed the following characteristics: larger granules (34.74 µm), with greater crystallinity (33.64%); less swelling power and solubility (26.77 g g-1 and 19.21%, respectively); and greater breakdown, setback and final viscosity (67.06, 182.42, and 341.39 RVU, respectively). 'BRS Conquista' shows favorable production characteristics for processing to obtain starch. The higher resistant starch content of 'BRS Platina' may commercially justify its lower agronomic yield. Starches of the two cultivars show desirable characteristics for different industrial applications.

Pomegranate stands out as healthy fruit due to its phytochemical compounds. Some dormancy studies have stated the need to understand seed physiology, subsequent seedling production, as producers intended to expand the supply of pomegranate, besides facilitating the introduction of such promising crop. Thus, this study aimed to identify possible integumentary dormancy in seeds of pomegranate cultivar Comum and to evaluate the effect of mechanical scarification and water immersion of seeds, as overcoming method. In this study, sarcotesta was removed from scarified and non-scarified seeds, and then immersed in deionised water for up to 0, 12, 24 and 48 hours. Then seeds were embedded in trays of expanded polystyrene with organic substrate at greenhouse. The following evaluations were carried out: initial emergence, speed index, mean time of emergence and emergence percentage, besides biometric variables such as leaf number, stem diameter, length of aerial part and root system, fresh matter and total dry matter. A 2 x 4 factorial arrangement (presence or absence of scarification x four immersion time) in a completely randomized design was used, with 4 replicates of 25 seeds each. The results showed that seeds do not need to be scarified and immersed in water, regarding to both emergence and initial seedling growth variables. Results indicated that it was unnecessary to perform scarification and water immersion for emergence and initial growth variables, leading to conclusion that pomegranate seeds cv. Comum have no integumentary dormancy.

Terceiro maior país em produção de frutas frescas no mundo, o Brasil destaca-se por apresentar ampla capacidade de adaptação produtiva de fruteiras exóticas devido, principalmente, às suas condições edafoclimáticas que somados a práticas culturais já estabelecidas, permitem alcançar altas produções. Além disso, o país é detentor de uma das maiores agrobiodiversidades mundiais, possuindo espécies nativas frutíferas com alto potencial de exploração do consumo. Porém, muitas vezes essas frutas não recebem o devido valor, sendo negligenciadas pelo desconhecimento popular, e, consequentemente, apresentam baixa participação no comércio de frutas do Brasil. Diante deste cenário, o presente trabalho teve por objetivo identificar o padrão de consumo de frutas, analisar o conhecimento popular sobre fruteiras exóticas e nativas e verificar a potencialidade de inserção de espécies nativas do Brasil no mercado de frutas. Observou-se que, o consumo de frutas é inferior ao recomendado pela Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS), sendo composto em sua maioria de fruteiras exóticas adquiridas em supermercados. Apesar da falta de entendimento dos termos de classificação de frutas quanto ao centro de origem, os participantes da pesquisa, compreendidos majoritariamente por pessoas que possuem ensino superior, conhecem quais espécies são pertencentes à flora brasileira e quais foram introduzidas no território nacional. Além disso os entrevistados demonstram consciência da importância das espécies nativas e dos entraves que impedem a inserção no mercado em maiores quantidades, afirmando que gostariam de consumir mais frutas nativas, o que demonstra a potencialidade da fruticultura nacional.

Worldwide, the second most traded fruit is banana, which is highly appreciated by Brazilian consumers. Moreover, new technologies have been used to improve fruit quality during cultivation. This study aimed to assess the influence of plastic bag colors on the production and quality of banana ‘BRS Conquista’. The treatments consisted of the use of commercial polypropylene bags e colored white, black, red or blue, in addition to the control (non-bagged). This study used a randomized complete block design with five treatments, four replicates and four plants per plot, totalling 80 plants. The assessments consisted of bunch mass; rachis mass; fruit total mass; mean cluster mass; number of fruits per bunch and per cluster; and fruit length and diameter; along with fruits physicochemical traits, such as soluble solids, titratable acidity, pulp/peel ratio and maturation index. The results indicated that no interference was obtained from the different plastic bag colors in the productive variables. However, a greater content of soluble solids was observed in the non-bagged bunches.

There has been a lack of research on the propagation methods of tamarind, hindering the availability and supply of its products. Considering the nutraceutical potential of tamarind and the long-time required to initiate production, this study aimed to evaluate the establishment of nodal segments and the germination of in vitro zygotic embryos of tamarind plants in culture media, salt concentrations, and activated charcoal, aiming at the establishment of an in vitro propagation protocol. For this purpose, MS and WPM media with 25, 50, 75 and 100% salt concentrations were used both with and without activated charcoal (2 g L-1) for the inoculation of nodal segments and zygotic embryos of tamarind. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized experimental design, in a 2 x 4 x 2 factorial scheme (culture media x salt concentrations x activated charcoal) with 20 replications. It was observed that the in vitro establishment of tamarind nodal segments is viable when using the MS medium with 75% of salts plus 2 g L-1 of activated charcoal and that for the germination of zygotic embryos there was no influence of the treatments. It was also observed that in order to increase the length of the formed plantlets, the MS and WPM media can be employed with 75% of salts.

No artigo “DESENVOLVIMENTO INICIAL DE PLANTAS DE NONI CULTIVADAS EM DIFERENTES SUBSTRATOS”, os autores relataram que, esqueceram o nome de um co-autor: Regina Maria Monteiro de Castilho.