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Chill hour’s availability influence break dormancy, sprouting and production of temperate fruit trees in different regions. Chilling requirements for growing peaches in subtropical regions are limited during winter and some chemicals are necessary for overcoming dormancy and inducing budburst. Therefore, there is a necessity of more information about the use of these chemicals on inducing sprouting in peach trees. This study aimed to assess hydrogen cyanamide, nitrogen fertilizer and calcium nitrate to induce budburst in the ‘Douradão’ peach orchard, located in the subtropical region of São Paulo state, Brazil. Then, tree chemicals were evaluated: 0.6% hydrogen cyanamide; 2.5% nitrogen fertilizer + 4% calcium nitrate; 4% calcium nitrate and control to determine the budburst, flowering and fruit set percentage, flowering period, number of fruits, production per tree and yield. The experimental design was a randomized block, in a split plot arrangement. The plots were represented by inducing sprouting chemicals and subplots for two crop seasons. The hydrogen cyanamide increased, anticipated and concentrated the flowering of the plants; besides enhancing fruit set and production. Furthermore, nitrogen fertilizer + calcium nitrate also promoted budburst enhancing flowering, production per tree and yield. The spraying of the peach trees with only calcium nitrate presented a performance like the one observed in the control. The results allowed indicate the use of hydrogen cyanamide or nitrogen fertilizer + calcium nitrate, as an alternative for inducing budburst in peach trees of Douradão cultivar under subtropical conditions, depending on the adopting orchards system cultivation.

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 replicated trial in two crop cycles was in randomized block design in a factorial arrangement 2x4. The economic analysis was calculated through total production operational cost, in order to determine gross revenue, operating profit, 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 operating profit 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 growth in demand for gluten-free products linked mainly to health aspects has led to an increased interest in the production of mixed flours for use in bakery products. This work aimed to evaluate the use of different mixtures of cassava starch with banana flour, obtained from the pulp and peel of green fruits, for the production of gluten-free biscuits. In the preparation of the biscuits, seven mixtures were prepared with varying percentages of cassava starch, banana pulp flour and banana peel flour. A formulation with wheat flour was used as a control. Wheat flour, cassava starch and banana flours were analyzed for chemical composition. The results showed that the banana peel flour stood out for its higher levels of proteins, fibres, lipids, ash, total phenols, total flavonoids and antioxidant activity which make this flour effective as a functional additive. However, the results of physical and sensory characteristics of the biscuits showed that the variation in the percentage of banana peel flour led to greater changes in the quality attributes of the biscuits, so the percentage of inclusion should be limited. Banana pulp flour (UBF) had high starch content, however, the biscuits produced with higher percentages of this flour and lower percentages of cassava starch showed lower propagation rates, greater hardness and less sensory acceptance, showing the importance of the starchy raw material in the physical properties of biscuits. Formulations containing cassava starch mixed with up to 15% banana flour (1:1, pulp and peel) are a good basis for making gluten-free biscuits.

Figs consumption date back to the beginnings of civilization. Currently, consumers have become more demanding about quality of fruits, and figs are then highly indicated, since it is rich in nutrients, making them a great addition to a healthy diet. Although there is only one commercial fig cultivar that is commonly grown in Brazil, different cultivars should be considered for the diversification of fig production with regards to their yield and fruit quality. This research aimed at evaluating growth, yield, physicochemical characteristics and bioactive compounds of figs grown in Brazil. Then, four cultivars (Roxo de Valinhos, White Genova, PI-189 and Troyano) were studied to determine canopy volume, productive efficiency, soluble solids - SS, pH, titratable acidity - TA, SS/TA ratio, sugars, ascorbic acid, phenolic compounds, pigments and antioxidant activity. The cv. White Genova presented the highest canopy volume, while ‘Roxo de Valinhos’, ‘PI-189’ and ‘Troyano’ performed the greatest productive efficiency. The cvs. Roxo de Valinhos, White Genova and Troyano produced fruits with higher content of SS, reducing sugars and SS/TA ratio, while the fruits of ‘PI-189’ and ‘Roxo de Valinhos’ contained the highest levels of antioxidant activity. PCA enabled to differentiate the studied cultivars, which evidenced that PI-189 was the most different of all.

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.

Os frutos da bananeira ‘FHIA 18’ possuem características sensoriais semelhantes à banana ‘Prata’, porém, não existem informações sobre as reais necessidades em fósforo (P) deste híbrido e seus efeitos na produção e qualidade pós-colheita. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o perfil físico-químico dos frutos da bananeira ‘FHIA 18’ submetida à níveis de adubação fosfatada, em São Manuel-SP, durante três ciclos sucessivos. Os níveis de adubação com P2O5 aplicados foram: sem adubação com P (0%); 20 kg ha-1 ano-1 (50%); 30 kg ha-1 ano-1 (75%); 40 kg ha-1 ano-1 (100%); 50 kg ha-1 ano-1 (125%); e 60 kg ha-1 ano-1 (150%). Utilizou-se o delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em arranjo de parcelas subdivididas, sendo as parcelas compostas pelos seis níveis de adubação com fósforo e as subparcelas pelos três ciclos de produção (2014, 2015 e 2016). Foram avaliados nos frutos verdes os teores de matéria seca, amido, açúcares totais, açúcares redutores e de fósforo. Nos frutos maduros avaliou-se a firmeza, os descritores de coloração da casca, acidez titulável total, sólidos solúveis totais, índice de maturação, açúcares totais e açúcares redutores. A adubação fosfatada proporcionou aumento nos teores de fósforo nos frutos verdes até a aplicação de 100% da recomendação e aumento dos teores de açúcares redutores até a aplicação de 61% no primeiro ciclo de produção. Quanto aos frutos maduros, a utilização de fósforo em doses inferiores às recomendadas (100%) promoveu menor acidez titulável total e maior índice de maturação (52-53% da recomendação). Por outro lado, independente da dose de P2O5 utilizada, os teores de matéria seca, amido e fósforo, nos frutos verdes, e a firmeza, teores de sólidos solúveis totais, índice de maturação e teores de açúcares nos frutos maduros, aumentam do primeiro ao terceiro ciclo de produção.

The cultivation of peaches in regions of subtropical and tropical climate is currently achieved through a set of practices such as using less demanding cultivars in cold conditions, applying plant growth regulators to break dormancy, and performing specific pruning, like production and renewal pruning. Research on the climate adaptation of cultivars is of great importance in establishing a crop in a given region. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the agronomic performance of three cultivars subjected to different production pruning times in Botucatu/SP, where 2-year old peach trees were evaluated, grown at a spacing of 6.0 x 4.0 meters. The experimental design was a split plot design with four blocks, using the cultivars Douradão, BRS Kampai and BRS Rubimel, and the subplots corresponded to pruning times in May, June, July and August. Ten plants were used per plot, with the four central plants considered useful and the remaining considered as margins. Pruning in June and July showed the best results in terms of percentage of fruit set and production. The cultivar BRS Rubimel showed the best percentage of fruit set when pruned in June (44.96%), and best fruit production when pruned in July (18.7 kg plant-1). Pruning in May anticipated the harvest of cultivar BRS Rubimel by 13 days whereas pruning carried out in July and August provided late harvests for cultivars Douradão and BRS Kampai.

The present study aimed to evaluating the nutritional content in leaves and fruits of the fg tree ‘Roxo de Valinhos’, pruned at different periods corresponding to the months of July, August, September and October in the years of 2004 and 2005, with and without the use of irrigation, in the county of Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. To achieve this objective, the adopted experimental design was in blocks with subdivided plots and 5 replications, in which plots corresponded to treatments with and without irrigation and subplots included prunings done in the above-mentioned four months. The levels of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Mn and Zn in leaves and fruits were evaluated in the two crop cycles. The results indicated no signifcant differences among macro and micronutrient levels in the leaves subjected to treatments with and without irrigation in the cycle 2004/05, except for cupper which showed higher level with the treatment including irrigation (6 mg kg-1). In the fruits, there was no difference, except for Zn, which also showed the highest levels (28 mg kg-1) with irrigation. In the crop cycle 2005/06, there were differences for N (40 g kg-1) and K (20 g kg-1) in the leaves, where the highest levels were observed with the treatment including irrigation. In the fruits, N had signifcant difference and its highest level was observed without irrigation (21 g kg-1). In relation to the pruning periods, signifcant differences were observed for Ca, Fe and Zn content in the leaves and Ca, K, Mg, S and Zn content in the fruits in the crop cycle 2004/05. In the cycle 2005/06, there were not differences among the levels of the evaluated nutrients in the leaves, and in the fruits there was difference for N, Ca and Cu.O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar os teores nutricionais foliares e nos frutos de fgueira ‘Roxo de Valinhos’, podada em diferentes épocas, correspondentes aos meses de julho, agosto, setembro e outubro dos anos de 2004 e 2005, com e sem o uso de irrigação, no município de Botucatu/SP. Para atingir tal objetivo adotou-se um delineamento experimental em parcelas subdivididas, com 5 repetições em blocos, onde as parcelas corresponderam aos tratamentos com e sem irrigação e as subparcelas foram constituídas pelas podas realizadas nos quatro meses do ano. Foram avaliados os teores de N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn e Zn em folhas e frutos nos dois ciclos agrícolas. Os resultados evidenciaram que não houve diferenças signifcativas entre os teores de macro e micronutrientes nas folhas nos tratamentos com e sem irrigação no ciclo 2004/05, com exceção do cobre, onde o tratamento com irrigação apresentou o maior teor do nutriente (6 mg kg-1). Nos frutos, não houve diferenças, com exceção do Zn, que também apresentou os maiores teores (28 mg kg-1), no tratamento com irrigação. No ciclo agrícola 2005/06 houve diferenças para o N (40 g kg-1) e o K (20 g kg-1) nas folhas, cujos maiores teores foram verifcados no tratamento com irrigação. Nos frutos, o N apresentou diferença signifcativa e o maior teor foi observado sem irrigação (21 g kg-1). Em relação aos meses de poda, foram verifcadas diferenças signifcativas para os teores de Ca, Fe e Zn nas folhas e Ca, K, Mg, S e Zn nos frutos no ciclo agrícola 2004/05. No ciclo 2005/06 não houve diferenças entre os teores foliares dos nutrientes avaliados e nos frutos houve diferença para o N, Ca e Cu.

O cultivo de pêssegos, em regiões de clima subtropical e tropical, é conseguido atualmente através de um conjunto de práticas como o uso de cultivares menos exigentes em frio, a aplicação de reguladores vegetais para a quebra da dormência, e a realização de podas específicas, nomeadamente as de produção e de renovação. Os ensaios de aptidão climática de cultivares são de grande importância para o estabelecimento de uma cultura numa determinada região. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o comportamento agronômico de três cultivares de pessegueiro submetidas a diferentes épocas de poda de frutificação em Botucatu/SP, onde foram avaliados pessegueiros com dois anos de idade, cultivados no espaçamento de 6,0 x 4,0 m. O delineamento foi em parcelas subdivididas, com quatro blocos, utilizando-se as cultivares Douradão, BRS Kampai e BRS Rubimel, sendo as subparcelas correspondendo às épocas de poda em maio, junho, julho e agosto. Foram utilizadas 10 plantas por parcela experimental, sendo as quatro centrais consideradas plantas úteis e as demais consideradas bordadura. As podas realizadas em junho e julho apresentaram os melhores resultados em termos de porcentagem de fixação de frutos e produção por planta. A cultivar BRS Rubimel apresentou maior porcentagem de fixação quando podada em junho (44.96%) e maior produção de frutos quando podada em julho (18.70 kg planta-1). A poda realizada em maio antecipou a colheita da cultivar BRS Rubimel em 13 dias, enquanto que podas realizadas em julho e agosto proporcionaram uma colheita tardia para as cultivares Douradão e BRS Kampai.

Foram estudadas a influencia da variação de temperatura e tratamentos com ácido giberélico, na germinação de sementes de mamoeiro (Carica papaya L.) cv Sunrise Solo. As sementes provenientes de frutos maduros, lavadas, secas à sombra, receberam tratamentos no substrato do gerbox e de embebição por 24 horas, com GA3 a O,50, 100, 150 e 200 mg.L. Posteriormente, foram colocadas para germinar em temperatura constante de 25°C e alternada de 20° e 30°C. Através dos resultados obtidos, observou-se que a alternância de temperatura favoreceu o processo germinativo c o tratamento com GA3 100 mg.L no substrato, apresentou maior porcentagem de germinação (53,25%) num menor período de tempo (34,4 dias).

Foram estudados os efeitos de giberelinas e citocininas, na germinação de sementes de citrumelo "Swingle" (Poncirus trifoliata x Citrus paradisi). As sementes foram colocadas no germinador em gerbox contendo papel de filtro umedecido com água destilada. As sementes, retiradas de frutos maduros, foram lavadas, secadas à sombra e armazenadas em câmara fria; logo após, foram tratadas com os fitorreguladores por 24 horas, definindo os seguintes tratamentos: H2O; 50 mg/l de GA3; 250 mg/l de GA3, 50 mg/l de GA4 + GA7 + fenilmetilaminopurina; 100 mg/l de GA4 + GA7 + fenilmetilaminopurina; 20 mg/l de fenilmetilaminopurina e 40 mg/l de fenilmetilaminopurina. As avaliações foram realizadas depois de 10 dias de semeadura, num intervalo de 2 dias entre elas. Através da análise estatística dos resultados obtidos, foi possível concluir que, no tratamento com 50 ou 250 mg/l de GA3, houve a maior porcentagem de germinação de sementes, em menor tempo.