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.

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.

Choosing the best season collection of cuttings is essential to have success with propagation, due mainly to carbohydrate content, since is a source of energy for roots and shoots development. In literature, there are no papers that associate the collection season of cuttings with carbohydrate contents in figs. Therefore, the current study aimed to evaluate carbohydrate contents and season collection of cuttings to propagate ‘Roxo de Valinhos’ fig tree. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse; cuttings were collected in the first week of the following months: June, July, August and September. The design was in completely randomized blocks, with four replicates of 30 cuttings collected per season. The following traits were evaluated: carbohydrate content; percentage of root cuttings, bud cuttings, cuttings without bud and root; number of buds, leaves and roots per cutting; length of the largest root and bud; bud diameter; bud and root dry mass; and root volume. Results indicated high carbohydrate content in cuttings that were collected in August; therefore, the best month to collect cuttings of ‘Roxo de Valinhos’ fig tree in the city of São Manuel, state of São Paulo. This result is due to high percentage of rooted cuttings and better development. Furthermore, carbohydrate content mainly affects root growth; besides that, reducing sugars are the most important feature in the development of cuttings.

Due to the high perishability of figs, calcium stands out as an important nutrient for orchard management. This study aims to study the pre-harvest applications of calcium chloride in fig orchards. The fig trees were sprayed with 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0% CaCl2, and fruits were thereafter stored for 0, 7, 14 and 21 d. The variables analysed were the concentration of calcium in leaves and fruits, weight loss, fruit decay, pectinolytic enzyme activity, and physical and chemical attributes of the fruits; CaCl2 sprays enhanced fruit Ca2+ concentration in leaves (14.03%) and fruits (29.3%) and were effective in reducing polygalacturonase and pectin methylesterase activity, weight loss and fruit decay. Pre-treatment with 1% CaCl2 provided fruits with larger diameters, greater firmness, and higher levels of total phenolic compounds in both fruit peel and pulp. The pre-harvest application at 1% CaCl2 showed to be a promising technique in producing high quality fruits and extended storage by approximately 7 to 10 days. These findings may be useful in planning new cultural practices for fig orchards that produce high-quality fruit with desirable characteristics for growers and consumers.

No abstract

Bananas are the world’s most popular fruit. Nonetheless, a great part of the production is lost, mainly for insect and disease incidences. Thus, cover developing banana bunches is a promising physical protection method that will improve the visual quality of the fruits, especially the rapidly growing consumer demand for healthy fruits. In fact, bags serve as protective barrier, allowing the production of free fruit damage; consequently, lowering production costs by cutting crop losses, as well as avoiding chemical materials. There is a wide variety of bag types and colours, but also, there is a scarce literature on their efficiency. This study hence aimed to evaluate the influence of coloured polyethylene bags on yield, seasonality and plant health of the ‘BRS Conquista’ bananas in subtropical high-altitude growing conditions. Treatments therefore consisted of using white, black, red and blue polyethylene bags, besides control (uncovered). Then, bags were randomly distributed in five blocks, four plants per plot. After bunch harvest, the following evaluation were proceeded: agronomic yield, the interval between bunches cover and harvest, injuries caused by thrips and the incidence of anthracnose. Results indicated that banana bunch coverings did not interfere in bunch yield. Nevertheless, white and black bags reduced the interval between bunch covers and harvest, that is, 114 and 115 days, respectively. Furthermore, white and red bags reduced the damage caused by thrips in fruits; while white, red and blue bags decreased the anthracnose incidence. This study therefore recommends the use of white polyethylene bags to cover banana bunches of the cultivar BRS Conquista, since this bag colour showed highly efficiency in controlling thrips and anthracnose incidence, besides reducing the interval between bunch cover and harvest.

The guava is a fruit of strong economic and social relevance, regionally projected and greatly important in some regions of Brazil. The chemical thinning has been adopted in some fruit trees to obtain greater caliber of fruits and better prices. However, some aspects still need to be investigated for the safe and economical viability use of such technique. This research aimed to evaluate the chemical thinning efficiency, production and commercial classification of guava fruits cv. Paluma and provide an economic analysis of this crop system. The ethephon and benzyladenine were applied to fruits with an average size of 18 mm at 0, 150, 300 and 450 mg L-1. The trial was carried out in two crop seasons, and the randomized block design was used as statistical model in a factorial arrangement 2x4. The economic analysis was calculated through total production operational cost, in order to determine gross revenue, net revenue, profitability index, equilibrium price and yield. The benzyladenine and ethephon promoted the highest percentage of thinning fruits at 450 mg L-1, with averages of 67.6% and 70.0%, respectively. However, benzyladenine had a phytotoxic effect when applied at highest concentrations, 300 and 450 mg L-1, respectively. The ethephon enabled greater production of larger caliber fruits in the highest concentration (450 mg L-1). Chemical thinning reduced total operational cost and increased net revenue by 7.57%, as compared to hand thinning. Results also presented that chemical fruit thinning provided equilibrium yield of 4.98 t ha-1 for ‘Paluma’ guava fruit, as fresh fruit.

The availability of chill hours influences the break dormancy, sprouting and production of temperate fruit trees in different regions. During the winter, the chilling requirements for growing peaches in subtropical locations are restricted, and certain chemicals are required to overcome dormancy and induce budburst. As a result, further information concerning the use of these compounds on stimulating sprouting in peach trees is required. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of hydrogen cyanamide, nitrogen fertilizer, and calcium nitrate to trigger budburst in the ‘Douradão’ peach orchard, which is in the subtropical area of São Paulo state, Brazil. The following tree chemicals were tested: 0.6 % hydrogen cyanamide, 2.5 % nitrogen fertilizer with 4 % calcium nitrate, 4 % calcium nitrate, and control. The hydrogen cyanamide accelerated, predicted, and focused blooming on plants, along with improving fruit set and output. Furthermore, combining nitrogen fertilizer with calcium nitrate accelerated budburst, which boosted flowering, output per tree, and yield. The spraying of the peach plants with just calcium nitrate produced results like those obtained in the control. The results allow for the use of hydrogen cyanamide or nitrogen fertilizer + calcium nitrate as an option for triggering budburst in Douradão cultivar peach trees under subtropical circumstances, depending on the orchards system management used.