-The objective of this work was to evaluate the root system distribution and the yield of 'Conilon' coffee (Coffea canephora) propagated by seeds or cuttings. The experiment was carried out with 2x1 m spacing, in an Oxisol with sandy clay loam texture. A randomized complete block design was used, following a 2x9x6 factorial arrangement, with two propagation methods (seeds and cuttings), nine sampling spacings (0.15, 0.30, 0.45, 0.60, 0.75, and 0.90 m between rows, and 0.15, 0.30, and 0.45 between plants within rows), six soil depths (0.10-0.20, 0.20-0.30, 0.30-0.40, 0.40-0.50, and 0.50-0.60 m), and six replicates. Soil cores (27 cm 3 ) with roots were taken from 12 experimental units, 146 months after planting. The surface area of the root system and root diameter, length, and volume were assessed for 13 years and, then, correlated with grain yield. The highest fine root concentration occurred at the superficial soil layers. The variables used to characterize the root system did not differ between propagation methods. Moreover, no differences were observed for net photosynthetic CO 2 assimilation rate, stomatal conductance, internal CO 2 concentrations, and instantaneous water-use efficiency in the leaves. Cutting-propagated plants were more productive than seed-propagated ones.Index terms: Coffea canephora, root diameter, root length, root volume, vegetative propagation. Distribuição do sistema radicular e produtividade do café 'Conilon' propagado por sementes ou estaquiaResumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a produtividade e a distribuição do sistema radicular do café 'Conilon' (Coffea canephora) propagado por sementes ou estaquia. O experimento foi realizado no espaçamento 2x1 m, em Latossolo com textura franco-argilo-arenosa. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, em arranjo fatorial 2x9x6, com dois métodos de propagação (semente e estaca), nove espaçamentos (0,15, 0,30, 0,45, 0,60, 0,75 e 0,90 m, nas entrelinhas, e 0,15, 0,30 e 0,45 entre plantas), seis profundidades (0,20, 0,30, 0,40, 0,,50 e 0,50-0,60 m) e seis repetições. Foram retirados monólitos (27 cm 3 ) de solo com raízes de 12 unidades experimentais, 146 meses após o plantio. A área superficial do sistema radicular bem como o diâmetro, o comprimento e o volume das raízes foram avaliados por 13 anos e correlacionados à produtividade de grãos. A maior concentração de raízes mais finas ocorreu nas camadas superficiais do solo. As variáveis utilizadas para caracterizar o sistema radicular não diferiram entre os métodos de propagação. Além disso, não se observaram diferenças quanto à taxa de assimilação fotossintética líquida de CO 2 , nem quanto à condutância estomática, às concentrações internas de CO 2 e à eficiência do uso da água nas folhas. Plantas propagadas por estaquia foram mais produtivas do que as propagadas por sementes.Termos para indexação: Coffea canephora, diâmetro de raízes, comprimento de raízes, volume de raízes, propagação vegetativa.

Diagnosing foliar nutritional status is essential for fertilizer recommendations and for the identification of nutrient imbalances. This study aimed to verify genetic diversity and establish mean standards (leaf nutrient contents; LNCs) and relationships among leaf nutrients (LNC relationships; LNCRs) in seven conilon coffee genotypes during both pre-flowering and bean-filling stages. Twenty crops from several cities in the northern region of Espírito Santo State, Brazil, with crop yield either equal to or greater than 100 bags per hectare (during two harvests) were assessed. A total of 140 samples were collected during each evaluation period for quantification of leaf nutrient contents (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, and B). The Ward procedure, a hierarchical genetic clustering method, was used to quantify the genetic diversity among genotypes. To examine differences between the LNCs and LNCRs, F-and Scott-Knott tests were used. LNCs and LNCRs showed significant differences among the conilon coffee genotypes during the evaluation periods. Additionally, the 8V, 10V,and 12V genotypes exhibited the highest values for most of the nutrients, especially for N, P, and Cu. Therefore, the clustering method revealed genetic diversity among genotypes for standard leaf nutrient levels, implying that leaf diagnosis could be specific to each genotype and phenological stage.

RESUMO -O conhecimento da variabilidade genética e da relação entre diferentes acessos de aceroleira é importante para maximizar o uso dos recursos genéticos para futuros programas de melhoramento. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a divergência genética entre 48 acessos de aceroleira, por meio de marcadores moleculares RAPD e características morfoagronômicas. Foram utilizados 25 iniciadores, possibilitando obter 108 marcadores, sendo observadas 92 marcas polimórficas. Os marcadores obtidos foram analisados, usando os métodos de otimização de Tocher e hierárquico UPGMA, que gerou um dendrograma utilizando o índice de Jaccard. Os resultados mostraram uma concordância parcial entre os métodos de agrupamentos estudados, com a formação de 14 grupos. Os acessos ACE 023 e ACE 033 foram os mais distintos, apresentando distância genética de 0,58. A análise comparativa dos agrupamentos revelou que os marcadores RAPD, associados com características morfoagronômicas, foram eficientes para a discriminação dos acessos e que houve uma variabilidade genética potencial para o programa de melhoramento genético e informações úteis, como a indicação de acessos promissores para avaliação clonal. Termos para indexação: polimorfismo; teor de ácido ascórbico; variabilidade genética. GENETIC DIVERSITY OF BARBADOS CHERRY (Malphigia emarginata D. C.), WITH RAPD MOLECULAR MARKERS AND MORPHO-AGRONOMICAL CHARACTERISTICSABSTRACT -The knowledge on genetic variability and the relationship among different Barbados cherry accesses is important to maximize the resources for the future genetic breeding. The objective of this work was to determine the genetic variability among 48 accessions of Barbados cherry evaluated using RAPD as DNA markers and morpho-agronomical characteristics. It was used 25 primers, making it possible to obtain 108 markers and to generate 92 different polymorphic products. The obtained markers were of analyzed by the method of Tocher and UPGMA what generated a dendrogram using the Jaccard index. There was a concordance among the studied methods with the formation of 14 groups. The accessions ACE 023 and ACE 033 were the most distinct, presenting a genetic dissimilarity of 0.58. The results allowed to us to conclude that RAPD marker associated with morpho-agronomical characteristics were efficient to discriminate the genetic relationship among the accessions of Barbados cherry and the divergent accessions should be useful in the use of genetic breeding and six of them were recommended for future clonal evaluation as varieties and clonal propagation.

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RESUMO.O conhecimento da variabilidade genética e fenotípica entre diferentes acessos de goiabeiras é importante para se apoiar programas de melhoramento dessa espécie na região Norte Fluminense que carece de novas culturas capazes de gerar renda aos produtores locais. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a divergência genética entre seis cultivares e 19 acessos de goiabeiras, por meio de marcadores moleculares RAPD e características morfoagronômicas. Foram obtidas 117 marcas polimórficas, utilizando-se 28 iniciadores. Os resultados mostraram uma concordância parcial entre os métodos de agrupamentos estudados, com a formação de 12 grupos. O acesso Vita 3 e o acesso 6 foram os mais divergentes, apresentando distância genética de 0,663. A análise comparativa dos agrupamentos revelou que os marcadores RAPD e os descritores morfológicos foram eficientes para discriminação dos acessos e que houve variabilidade genética potencial para uso em Programa de Melhoramento Genético.Palavras-chave: polimorfismo, variabilidade genética, método de otimização de Tocher, método hierárquico UPGMA. ABSTRACT. RAPD molecular markers and morphological descriptors in the evaluation of genetic diversity of guava (Psidium guajava L.).The knowledge of the genetic and phenotypic variability among different accessions of guava is important for supporting improvement programs of this specie in northern Rio de Janeiro state, which needs new cultivars able to generate income for local farmers. This work aimed to evaluate the genetic divergence among six cultivars and 19 accessions of guava via RAPD molecular markers and morphological characteristics. One hundred and seventeen polymorphic markers were obtained from 28 primers. The results showed a partial agreement between the methods of studied groupings, with the formation of 12 groups. The accessions 'Vita 3'and '6' were the most divergent, showing genetic distance of 0.663. The comparative analysis of groupings showed that RAPD markers and morphological descriptors were effective in discriminating the accessions and to show potential genetic variability useful in genetic improvement programs.

The plant hormones brassinosteroids (BR) and ethylene (ET) act together to regulate plant metabolism. We used BR and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP, an ET action inhibitor) to elucidate the interactions between both hormones for the regulation of mitochondrial respiratory pathways in papaya fruit. The exogenous application of the 24-epibrassinolide (epiBR) enhanced the alternative oxidase (AOX) capacity. While treatment with Brz2001 (Brz is a specific inhibitor of the BR synthesis) also enhanced AOX capacity, these effects lacked in fruit treated simultaneously with epiBR and Brz. Changing the BR level had no effect on ET emission rate in the first 24 h, but a reduction in ET emission was observed in Brz-treated fruit on the fifth day. Together with Brz, epiBR increased the ET production on the fifth day, following the day in which the treatment was carried out. When the ET sensitivity of fruit was inhibited by the application of 1-MCP, the effects of epiBR and Brz were opposite to those obtained without 1-MCP. AOX capacity was slightly inhibited by epiBR in fruit pre-treated with 1-MCP. Data suggest that BR and ET act antagonistically, therefore regulating, directly or indirectly, AOX capacity during papaya fruit ripening.

Enhanced respiration during ripening in climacteric fruits is sometimes associated with an uncoupling between the ATP synthesis and the mitochondrial electron transport chain. While the participation of two energy-dissipating systems, one of which is mediated by the alternative oxidase (AOX) and the other mediated by the uncoupling protein (UCP), has been linked to fruit ripening, the relation between the activation of both mitochondrial uncoupling systems with the transient increase of ethylene synthesis (ethylene peak) remains unclear. To elucidate this question, ethylene emission and the two uncoupling (AOX and UCP) pathways were monitored in harvested papaya fruit during the ripening, from green to fully yellow skin. The results confirmed the typical climacteric behavior for papaya fruit: an initial increase in endogenous ethylene emission which reaches a maximum (peak) in the intermediate ripening stage, before finally declining to a basal level in ripe fruit. Respiration of intact fruit also increased and achieved higher levels at the end of ripening. On the other hand, in purified mitochondria extracted from fruit pulp the total respiration and respiratory control decrease while an increase in the participation of AOX and UCP pathways was markedly evident during papaya ripening. There was an increase in the AOX capacity during the transition from green fruit to the intermediate stage that accompanied the transient ethylene peak, while the O2 consumption triggered by UCP activation increased by 80% from the beginning to end stage of fruit ripening. Expression analyses of AOX (AOX1 and 2) and UCP (UCP1-5) genes revealed that the increases in the AOX and UCP capacities were linked to a higher expression of AOX1 and UCP (mainly UCP1) genes, respectively. In silico promoter analyses of both genes showed the presence of ethylene-responsive cis-elements in UCP1 and UCP2 genes. Overall, the data suggest a differential activation of AOX and UCP pathways in regulation related to the ethylene peak and induction of specific genes such as AOX1 and UCP1.

Leaf morpho-anatomical characteristics directly reflect photosynthetic performance and the ability to adapt to different environmental conditions. The study of biometric traits is essential for the selection of promising plant materials for breeding purposes. To identify new varieties of coffee plants with desirable traits for genetic improvement programs, this study investigated the variability of leaf morpho-anatomical traits in 43 genotypes of Coffea canephora (as the species under study is hypostomatous). Seven leaf characteristics were used: epidermal cell density (ECD), stomatal length (SL), stomatal width (SW), stomatal density (SD), stomatal size (SS), stomatal index (SI), and stomatal length/width. Morphological traits (plant height, internodal distance, and leaf area) and grain production were also assessed. The data analyzed multivariate analysis of variance grouped by the unweighted pair group the arithmetic mean hierarchical method, and data were also subjected to a Pearson linear correlation and principal component analyses (PCAs). The results showed wide morphological variability reflecting six morphological groups, which is relevant for the genetic divergence analysis and for breeding purposes, as the results have the potential to identify superior genotypes. Within the groups, genotypes were mainly separated by the number of epidermal cells and the number and size of the stomata, reflecting a high genetic heterogeneity within genotypes. Positive and negative correlations were found, with levels of significance ranging from weak to strong among the analyzed traits. The highest correlation levels were found for SL × SS, SW × SS, and SI × SD. In addition, the PCA indicated that plant height, distance between nodes, and leaf area were positively correlated and associated. The greater the number and width of stomata, the higher the rate of gas exchange. Both characteristics are favorable for the development and production of coffee plants, explaining the positive correlation observed in this study. These results emphasize the usefulness of trait evaluations for the identification and breeding of genotypes to compose new C. canephora cultivars suitable for changing environments.