Common bean variety improvement programs focus on productivity increase as their main goal. However, some characteristics related to technological quality must also be analyzed in order to assure that new recommended cultivars satisfy key commercial standards, related to consumer acceptance. This study evaluated the technological quality of seeds from different 'carioca' bean genotypes. We tested seeds from 25 bean genotypes, selected by the State Consortium for Research on Common Bean Improvement (including EMBRAPA, UFLA, UFV and EPAMIG) for the VCU assay of the carioca variety, including 21 new lines and 4 commercial cultivars, used as controls. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. We assessed the following traits: seed shape, seed constriction, 1000-seed weight, percentage of hard seeds, soluble solids content, cooking time, seed coat percentage, and hydration capacity. According to our results, the cultivars that met the commercial standards for seed shape and constriction were EMB14, CNFC 10432, CNFC 10408, EMB4, P-18163, Pérola and BRSMG Madrepérola. Genotypes MAIV-18259, VC-20, VC-23, RCII-219, CVIII-2, EMB4, MAIV-15204, CVIII-5, and BRSMG Majestoso had 1000-seed weight within carioca bean commercial standards (a minimum of 23g per 100 seeds). Most genotypes had no hard seeds. Lines CNFC 10408, MAIV-18259 and P-18163 had the highest soluble solids content. Twenty genotypes had cooking times below the maximum required by commercial standard, with lines EMB9, EMB4, MAIV-18524, CNFC 11965, VC-17, and CNFC 10432 having the shortest cooking time. Lines CNFC 11965, EMB4, EMB14, and CNFC 10432 also had the shortest time to soaking. Key words: Cooking. Soaking. VCU assay. Phaseolus vulgaris L. ResumoO aumento de produtividade é o principal objetivo dos programas de melhoramento de feijão-comum. Contudo, algumas características relacionadas à qualidade tecnológica devem ser analisadas para assegurar que a recomendação de novas cultivares considere também aspectos comerciais importantes

-The objective of this work was to evaluate the agronomic performance of elite-strains of cowpea cultivars under the conditions of the north of Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil. Fifteen elite-strains and five erect and semi-erect cultivars of cowpea were evaluated in the 2014 and 2015 summer-fall crop seasons in Janaúba MG. A randomized block experimental design was used with four replications. Plant size, lodging and value of cultivation, pod length and grain yield were evaluated. The data of the two crops were subjected to individual and joint analysis of variance. The genotype-crop interactions significantly affected all studied variables. The strains MNC04-792F-146 and MNC04-792F-144 stood out as the most productive genotypes in both crops. The cultivars BRS Itaim and BRS Novaera presented adequate size and lodging characteristics for cultivation, and values of cultivation that meet commercial standards, thus representing good alternatives for the genotypes cultivated in the north of Minas Gerais.Keywords: Vigna unguiculata. Value of cultivation. Yield. PERFORMANCE AGRONÔMICA DE GENÓTIPOS DE FEIJÃO-CAUPI ERETOS E SEMIERETOS NO NORTE DE MINAS GERAIS

Resumo Ramas de batata-doce apresentam características satisfatórias para alimentação animal, porém não têm sido exploradas na forma de feno. Objetivou-se avaliar o uso de ramas de batata-doce para a produção de feno e a divergência genética em clones de batata-doce. Foram avaliados dez clones de batata-doce, conduzidos a campo em blocos ao acaso e cinco repetições. Foram determinados o teor de matéria seca, as produtividades de massa verde e massa seca (PMS), a relação folha e haste das ramas e a produção total e comercial de raízes (PRC). Obtidos os fenos, avaliaram-se as características MS, PB, FDN, FDA, lignina, amido, açúcares solúveis, macro e micronutrientes. Estimou-se a divergência genética entre os clones de batata-doce. O clone UFVJM-54 aliou alta PRC com maior PMS. Os fenos apresentaram teores de PB variando de 11,99 a 15,09%, FDN 47,22 a 55,55%, FDA 22,92 a 28%, e 6,87 a 13,72% de LIG. De forma geral, os teores de minerais nos fenos foram satisfatórios. Os clones foram separados em cinco grupos diferentes. As ramas de batata-doce podem ser utilizadas para a produção de feno. Os clones UFVJM-37, UFVJM-46 e UFVJM-54 são recomendados para cruzamentos com os demais genótipos.

). Twelve days after emergence, the plants were allocated inside experimental rectangular chambers with a volume of 500 dm 3 , covered by 150 uM of transparent polyethylene film. The plants remained exclusively in the chamber atmosphere with the herbicide for a period of 96 hours. After the chambers were opened, there were the first evaluation of intoxication and chlorophyll content, as well. The evaluations were repeated on day 7 and 14 after the chamber opening. The presence of clomazone in minimal concentrations in the atmosphere affected the quality of the evaluated plants. Signal grass, palisade grass, sorghum, triticale and purslane were sensitive to atmospheric residual concentrations of clomazone and they can be used to monitor the air quality when there are wastes from this molecule. (equivalentes às concentrações atmosféricas de 0,0, 0,05, 0,10, 0,15 e 0,20 mg L -1 Keywords: Triticosecale rimpaui

This research was installed to study plant growth of sweet potato and identify the most favorable harvest time for both roots and the aboveground part (stems). The experiment was carried out at the JK campus of the Federal University of the Vale do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, in Diamantina, MG, complete blocks at random, with four replications. Three plants in the central part of the experimental plots were collected in twelve consecutive harvests at 15-day intervals. Plants were fractionated in roots, stems, and leaves to determine the dry matter of each part. Leaf area was also measured and growth rates were calculated. Data were analyzed by means of regression. Plants reached the highest dry matter accumulation between 75 and 156 days after transplanting (DAT), which corresponded to the phase of greatest growth. Plants should be harvested between 60 and 87 DAT to achieve the highest stem yield. For the highest root yield, the harvest should be carried out 180 DAT. The period from 80 to 118 DAT was the most adequate for reaching simultaneously the highest yields for both roots and stems. Therefore, the ideal harvest time for sweet potatoes depends on the use intended for the plant and on the physiological indexes associated with it.

RESUMO O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar em campo a tensão de água do solo adequada para o reinício da irrigação do milho verde no semiárido. O experimento constou de seis valores de tensão matricial da água do solo (20 kPa, 40 kPa, 60 kPa, 80 kPa, 100 kPa e 120 kPa) testadas em uma cultivar de milho, o hibrido duplo AG 1051. O experimento foi instalado no período de inverno de 2013, nos meses de agosto a novembro, num delineamento experimental de blocos casualizados (DBC), com quatro repetições, conduzidos na fazenda experimental da Embrapa Milho e Sorgo em Nova Porteirinha, MG. Foram avaliadas as variáveis: produtividade de espigas sem palha (t ha-1), número de espigas totais e comerciais por hectare, comprimento de espigas com palha e sem palha e diâmetro de espigas comerciais. Dentre os resultados pode-se constatar que os maiores valores para as variáveis de morfologia e de produtividade foram obtidos quando a irrigação foi efetuada com tensão próxima de 50 kPa, tornando-a a tensão mais adequada para o uso racional da água no manejo da irrigação do milho verde.Palavras-chave: Zea mays L., déficit hídrico, manejo da irrigação, resistência elétrica. SOIL WATER TENSION FOR REWATERING GREEN CORN IN THE SEMIARID  ABSTRACT _ The objective of this work was to determine the adequate water tension for rewatering green corn at field conditions in the semiarid. The experiment consisted of six values of matric soil water tension (20 kPa, 40 kPa, 60 kPa, 80 kPa, 100 kPa and 120 kPa) and one maize cultivar, the double hybrid AG1051. The experiment was installed in the 2013 winter season, from August to November, in a randomized blocks design (DBC), with four replicates, and conducted at the experimental farm belonging to Embrapa Maize and Sorghum in Nova Porteirinha, MG. Morphological parameters were evaluated such as plant height, leaf area index and dry mass, and also the yield parameters such as weight of spikes with straw and without straw (t ha-1), number of total and commercial spikes per hectare, diameter of commercial spikes and length of commercial spikes with and without straw. The highest values for the morphology and productivity variables were obtained when irrigation was carried out with a tension close to 50 kPa, which proved to be the most suitable tension for the rational use of water in the irrigation management of green corn.Keywords: Zea mays L., water deficit, irrigation management, electrical resistance.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic dissimilarity between half-sibling progenies of kale in order to determine the most divergent progenies and, also, to select potential parents. Thirty-six kale genotypes were evaluated, being thirty-three half-sibling progenies and three commercial cultivars, in a randomized block design with four replicates and six plants per plot. Twenty-eight traits were evaluated in each plant per plot, thirteen quantitative and fifteen qualitative traits. Genetic divergence was studied using MANOVA and canonical variables for quantitative observations. In addition, dendrograms were made for quantitative, qualitative and joint analyses by UPGMA method, using Mahalanobis distance. Genetic divergence was observed between genotypes. Commercial cultivars were more divergent than half-sibling progenies. Among half-sibling progenies, the most divergent ones were P1, P21, P23, P25 and P30. We concluded that half-sibling progenies P1, P23 and P30 can be used as potential parents to compose the recombinant population.

The aim of this study was to obtain information for the genetic improvement of kale through repeatability and phenotypic stabilization studies and to compare methodologies that represent the reliability of the estimated parameters. Thirty-three half-sib progenies were evaluated in a randomized block design with three replicates and six plants per plot. Eight harvests were evaluated in terms of the yield of fresh leaves, number of shoots, number of leaves and average mass of leaves. Then, a phenotypic repeatability and stabilization study was performed, estimating the genetic parameters σ2a, σ²g, σ²e, and the coefficient of environmental variation and repeatability using the frequentist and Bayesian methodologies. To evaluate the reliability of these estimates, intervals were obtained using the frequentist, Bayesian and bootstrap methods. It was verified that the reliable selection of progenies of half-sib of kale can be achieved in four harvests that were realized between 95 and 170 days after planting. It was observed that the frequentist and Bayesian methodologies are better suited to obtain reliable estimates of the genetic parameters evaluated, as the last one provided smaller amplitudes for the obtained intervals. The bootstrap methodologies are not recommended for phenotypic repeatability and stabilization studies in kale.