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Aims: To characterize the development, yield, and morphological characteristics of the ‘Red torch’ and ‘Pink torch’ cultivars of torch ginger cultivated in the Brazilian Cerrado. Study design: The experiment was performed using two cultivars (‘Red torch’ and ‘Pink torch’) with three replications of three ginger torch clumps per plot. Place and Duration of Study: Germplasm Active Bank of Ornamental Tropical Plants of the State University of Mato Grosso (14°08′38′′S, 57°03′45′′W; altitude of 488 m), Brazil, from August 2015 to July 2018. Methodology: At monthly intervals during the first 10 months after planting, we assessed clump development, based on the measurement of the area occupied by the clump, and number of tillers emerging from the clump. The monthly yield per hectare was estimated from August 2016 to July 2018. During this period, the average number of floral stems produced per clump was determined, and the floral stems were characterized during the second year, for stem length, stem diameter, inflorescence length, inflorescence diameter, and fresh stem mass. Evaluations were based on the measurements obtained from 10 stems per clump. Results: First-year clump expansion rates for 'Red torch' and 'Pink torch' were 4.00 and 7.90 cm2, respectively. 'Pink torch' presented a higher monthly average of tiller emergence than 'Red torch', and consequently higher productivity. The cultivars produced floral stems of commercial standard in the second year of growth, with stem lengths and diameters greater than 60.00 cm and 10.00 mm, respectively. In this study, we found that ‘Red torch’ and ‘Pink torch’ showed high yields and produce inflorescences with characteristics suitable for commercialization. Conclusion: The basis of this study, we can conclude that cultivation of torch ginger in the Brazilian Cerrado would be viable.

The sour passion fruit is an allogamous species which presents high genetic variability. It is being propagated commercially via seeds. The propagation of species through seeds can be affected by several factors such as the thermal amplitude throughout the day during the germination and the genetic characteristics of the individual. The objective of this study was to evaluate the germination and vigor of seedlings of genotypes of sour passion fruit under different thermal amplitudes of the air. The experiment was conducted in a germination chamber. The factorial scheme was 5 × 3, referring to the five thermal amplitudes of the air (25.0; 22.5-27.5; 20.0-30.0; 17.5-32.5 and 15.0-35.0 ° C) and three genotypes of sour passion fruit (BRS SC1, BRS GA1 and FB-200) in a completely randomized design with six replicates of 25 seeds per plot. The variables analyzed were percentage of velocity index, mean time of emergence, total length, shoot and root and dry mass of seedlings. The thermal amplitude close to 20.0-30.0 °C favored the emergence and vigor of sour passion fruit genotypes. The germination process and the biometric growth of the passion fruit seedlings are adversely affected in high thermal air amplitudes

Sour Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) breeding programs search for genotypes with photoperiod insensitivity that can develop cultivars better adapted for higher-latitude regions by increasing the harvest period. This work aimed to characterize flowering and fruiting in sour passion fruit hybrids based on low photoperiod and temperature requirements. The hybrids were obtained by crossing plants with normal photoperiod and temperature requirements and inbred lines with a low photoperiod and temperature requirement. The hybrid plants and cultivars were evaluated on a weekly basis by counting the flowers and fruits on each plant. The collected data were then examined via descriptive statistical analysis. Hybrid plants showed flowers throughout the experimental period during the winter season, from May to August, with reduced photoperiods and temperatures. Nonetheless, the sour passion fruit cultivars had indiscernible flowering and fruiting traits during this winter period. This study identified sour passion fruit hybrids that produced flowers and fruits under low photoperiod and temperature conditions.

Aims: This study was to characterize and correlate physical and physico-chemical properties of cambucá fruits (Plinia edulis). Study Design: Experimental design was completely randomized with fifteen samples of five fruits each. Place and Duration of Study: Experimental orchard of the Department of Plant Science, Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), located in the municipality of Viçosa, Zona da Mata of Minas Gerais during the month of February 2015. Methodology: Fruits were sampled when 100% of peels presented yellow-orange color. The following characteristics were evaluated: longitudinal and transverse diameter, total mass of both pulp and seed, pulp color, soluble solids, titratable acidity, soluble solids/titratable acidity ratio, ascorbic acid and carotenoids contents. To verify the degree of correlation between two physico-chemical variables, a Pearson analysis was performed. Results: Cambucá fruits showed average values of longitudinal and transverse diameter of 37.76 and 44.36 mm, respectively. Fruits’ average mass were 44.12 g and the percentage of pulp was 82.15%. Both soluble solids and titratable acidity presented the respective average values: 10.53 ºBrix, 1.34 mg of citric acid and 100 mL-1 of pulp. Larger cambucá fruits presented higher pulp yield and lower acidity. The increase in ascorbic acid was positively correlated with the contents of soluble solids and carotenoids. Conclusion: Fruits of cambucá have potential for commercialization, their characteristics are similar to those found in other fruit species native to the Myrtaceae family and already found in the fruit market.

Ginger (Zingiber spectabile) is cultivated worldwide as a floriculture and landscaping species. Studies on the biology and floral morphology of this species are important for its improvement; however, they are scarce. We investigated the reproductive biology and floral morphology of gingers grown in a germplasm bank. Floral development was monitored during the pre-anthesis and anthesis periods. Floral morphometry, pollen viability, stigmatic receptivity, volume and concentration of nectar sugar, and performance of possible pollinators were evaluated. Ginger flowers had a 24-h durability. Ginger torch is an allogamous species that exhibits floral hercogamy like other Zingiberaceae. Ginger flowers had a 12-h anthesis. During anthesis, floral structures related to reproduction such as the style, stigma, and anther crest continued to develop, increasing floral herkogamy. Pollen viability was above 70% and the stigma remained receptive throughout the anthesis period. Hummingbirds were the only pollinators recorded in the study area that were able to move the anther crest. Fruiting was determined in a natural pollination system. The occurrence of nocturnal anthesis characterized by an increase in the development of reproductive structures and nectar production suggests that the species is adapted to nocturnal visitors.

Brazil is one of the world’s leading producers of sour passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims), a specie with high genetic variability. This variability can be exploited in breeding programs to develop cultivars with high yield potential and resistant to biotic and abiotic stress. The aim of the present study was to quantify the genetic divergence in families of full-sibs of sour passion fruit and to select families for a new recurrent selection cycle. Thirty-five families of sour passion fruit in the second cycle of recurrent selection were evaluated. Thirty quantitative descriptors and thirteen qualitative descriptors were measured. Molecular information was obtained using 21 ISSR markers. The data were evaluated through multivariate analysis, using the Ward-MLM procedure. The thirty-five families showed high genetic variability. Four groups were formed, with genetic distances ranging from 267.99 to 4220.00. The greatest dissimilarities between families within groups were observed in group III. The 20, 15, 10 and 5 families with the greatest dissimilarities were selected for recombination in a new recurrent selection cycle. Genetic variability was affected by the number of selected families. The greater the intensity of selection applied, the greater the loss of alleles and the more intense the reduction of the Nei and Shannon indices. The quantification of the population’s genetic diversity by multivariate analysis was efficiently performed, providing enough information for selection based on genetic distance. For a new selection cycle, the greater the number of selected families, the less the genetic variability is or was affected.

Passion fruit breeding programs often use a single fruit to obtain progeny. Open-pollination progenies are considered half-siblings since they allow the occurrence of a mixture of pollens during pollination. However, there are no studies able to prove that these progenies are, in fact, consequence of a mixture of pollens. The contribution of male genitors to the formation of open-pollinated progenies and genetic diversity were evaluated by means of microsatellite markers. A hybrid test was performed based on the gathered genotypic data, a chi-square test was used to verify the expected and observed frequencies, and the proportion of identical genes by descent (IBD) was estimated. Genetic diversity was studied through descriptive analysis, cluster analysis, and molecular analysis (AMOVA). The hybrid test indicated the participation of more than one male genitor in progeny formation. However, the genotypic composition observed in the progenies differed significantly from that expected when assuming crosses between all individuals of the origin population. The IBD values for the progenies ranged from 0.26 to 0.30, indicating that they are progenies of half-siblings. The progenies showed observed heterozygosity greater than expected and an inbreeding coefficient close to zero. The AMOVA revealed that the greatest genetic variation (81.96%) occurred within progenies. In sour passion fruit, open-pollinated progenies obtained from a single fruit do not present genotypic composition representative of their population of origin since the greatest genetic diversity was observed within the progenies.

The seminiferous propagation of Sour Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims) is the main kind of multiplication due to the ease formation of seedlings. However, the reduced number of productive and homogeneous cultivars reflects the need for genetic breeding. The objective of this study was to assess the maternal and reciprocal effects in vigor and germination of Sour Passion Fruit seeds. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design in the factorial scheme, with two structure (hybrid and reciprocal) and ten crosses with four replicates (50 seeds) in trays containing inert sand in germination chamber. Before sowing, it was obtained the weight of 100 seeds, and at 28 days germination percentage, emergence speed index, total seedlings length, shoot length and main root length, number of normal seedlings and dry mass per seedlings were evaluated. The reciprocal effects tell us which genotype is most promising when used as the female or male parent for the trait studied. It can be inferred that there is maternal effect influencing the weight of 100 seeds, emergence, emergence speed index and the number of normal seedlings. There was influence of the parent on the expression of traits in seeds of Sour Passion Fruit. It is important to define the paternal and maternal parent to obtain seeds with high germination potential. Resumo A propagação seminífera de maracujá azedo (Passiflora edulis Sims) é o principal tipo de multiplicação devido à facilidade na formação de mudas. No entanto, o reduzido número de cultivares produtivas e homogêneas reflete a necessidade de melhoramento genético. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos maternos e recíprocos no vigor e na germinação de sementes de maracujá. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, no esquema fatorial, com duas estruturas genéticas (híbrido e recíproco) e dez cruzamentos, com quatro repetições (50 sementes), em bandejas contendo areia inerte na câmara de germinação. Antes da semeadura, foi obtido o peso de 100 sementes, e aos 28 dias, foram avaliados a porcentagem de germinação, o índice de velocidade de emergência, comprimento total de plântulas, comprimento de parte aérea e raiz principal, número de plântulas normais e massa seca por plântulas. Os efeitos recíprocos dizem qual genótipo é mais promissor quando usado como genitor feminino ou masculino para a característica estudada. Pode-se inferir que há efeito materno influenciando o peso de 100 sementes, a emergência, o índice de velocidade de emergência e o número de mudas normais. Houve influência dos pais na expressão de caracteres em sementes de maracujá azedo. É importante definir os pais paterno e materno para obter sementes com alto potencial de germinação.

Guava is a typically tropical fruit highly perishable with a short shelf-life due to intense metabolic activity after harvested. In attempt to minimize the problems related to the postharvest, we evaluated the physiochemical characteristics and antioxidant system in guava fruits under chitosan coating at concentrations of 1%, 2%, and 3% stored at 25 °C during 96 h. The chitosan suppressed the respiratory rate, fresh weight loss, firmness and skin color with delay in the degradation of chlorophyll. In the treatment with 2% and 3% of chitosan in the solid soluble content and ascorbic acid were reduced; retarded the loss of titratable acidity during 96 h after treatment. These treatment induced significant decreases in the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activity and significantly increases of peroxidase Activity. Our results suggest that chitosan effectively prolongs the quality attributes in guava fruits after harvesting due to increases in the antioxidant processes, delaying the ripening during room temperature of storage.

RESUMOA pitaia-rosa de polpa vermelha é uma cactácea com potencial para exploração econômica, devido aos seus componentes nutricionais e ao alto valor comercial; no entanto, poucas são as pesquisas quanto a suas características pós-colheita. O objetivo do trabalho foi caracterizar física, química e nutricionalmente pitaias-rosas de polpa vermelha. Frutos colhidos totalmente maduros foram sanitizados, selecionados e divididos em grupos de quatro frutos por repetição, constituindo um total de 30 amostras. Em seguida, as amostras foram submetidas às seguintes avaliações: comprimento, diâmetro, espessura de casca, massa fresca, massa de casca e polpa, teor de umidade, firmeza da casca, sólidos solúveis, pH, acidez titulável, açúcares e fibra bruta, cromaticidade, ângulo hue e luminosidade da casca e da polpa, e o teor de nutrientes. Para os dados obtidos, foram determinados a média, o valor mínimo e máximo, desvio-padrão e o coeficiente de variação. A fruta apresentou valores elevados de conteúdo de água, teor de fibras e dos nutrientes nitrogênio, potássio, cálcio, ferro, manganês e zinco. Quanto ao teor de sólidos solúveis, a média observada foi de 13,14° Brix, e para acidez titulável,0,29 mg de ác. málico 100-1 mL de suco. Verificaram-se para os açúcares valores de 5,56; 8,79 e 3,07 %, respectivamente, para os açúcares redutores, totais e não redutores. Quanto à coloração, os frutos apresentaram valores maiores para luminosidade e cromaticidade da casca e ângulo Hue da polpa. A pitaia-rosa de polpa vermelha (Hylocereus polyrhizus) apresenta características físicas, químicas e nutricionais interessantes para o consumo in natura. ABSTRACTThe pink pitaya of red pulp is a cactacea with potential for economic exploitation, due to its nutritional components and high commercial value, however there is little research about its post-harvest characteristics. The aim of this study was to characterize physical, chemical and nutritionally pink pitaya of red pulp. Fruits harvested fully ripe were sanitized, selected and divided into groups of four fruits per repetition, constituting a total of 30 samples. Then the samples were subjected to the following evaluations: length, diameter, peel thickness, freshmatter, peel and pulp mass, moisture content, peel firmness, soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, sugars and crude fiber, chromaticity, hue angle and brightness of the peel and pulp and nutrient content. For the obtained data, it was determined mean, minimum and maximum values, standard deviation and coefficient of variation. The fruit showed high water content, content of fiber and nutrients nitrogen, potassium, calcium, iron, manganese and zinc. As for soluble solids content it was observed average of 13.14 ° Brix and titratable acidity 0.29 mg of Malic acid in 100-1 ml of juice. For sugars were found values of 5.56, 8.79 and 3.07% respectively for the reducing sugars, total and non-reducing ones. As for color, the fruits showed higher values for brightness and chromaticity of the peel and the Hue angle of the pulp. The pink pitaya of red pulp (Hylocereus polyrhizus) has interesting physical, chemical and nutritional characteristics to be consumed in nature.

Mango is a highly perishable fruit with a short post-harvest time due to the intense metabolic activity after harvesting. In attempt to evaluate the effects of chitosan in mango fruits, it was treated with 0%, 1%, 2% or 3% of chitosan solutions, placed into plastic trays, and stored at room temperature. Changes in physical and chemical parameters were evaluated. Chitosan delayed the climacteric peak, water loss and firmness. Further, few changes in soluble solid content, titratable acidity, pH of the pulp as well as in sugar content and decreased starch degradation were observed. Altogether, our results suggest chitosan edible coating effectively prolongs the quality attributes, affecting basic mitochondrial respiration and starch degradation rate.

Os pomares comerciais e domésticos de pitangueira, em sua maioria, são formados por plantas propagadas através de sementes. As informações sobre as exigências das sementes de pitanga quanto às exigências de fotoperíodo para que ocorra a germinação são mínimas. O trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a emergência de plântulas de pitangueira sob fotoperíodo. O experimento foi conduzido em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com três tratamentos (ausência de luz; fotoperíodo de 12 h e luz constante) e quatro repetições em câmara climatizada. A emergência foi avaliada do 18º até o 60º dia e, ao final do experimento, foi avaliado o tempo médio de emergência, o índice de velocidade de emergência, a altura das plântulas, comprimento de raiz e parte aérea e massa seca das plântulas. O fotoperíodo não interfere na percentagem de emergência de plântulas de pitangueira. No entanto, na ausência de luz, o índice velocidade de emergência foi maior. A massa seca das plântulas submetidas à presença constante de luz foi significativamente superior à massa observada nas condições de ausência de luz e fotoperíodo de 12 horas. A emergência das plântulas de pitangueira ocorre tanto na ausência quanto na presença de luz. A pitangueira pode ser considerada como fotoblástica neutra para emergência de plântulas.

A aplicação de novas tecnologias torna-se necessário para aumentar o período de comercialização da pinha (Annona squamosa ) que apresenta alta perecibilidade e vida útil curta. Com o objetivo de retardar a evolução do amadurecimento, as pinhas foram tratadas com 1-metilciclopropeno (1-MCP) nas concentrações de 0; 200; 400 e 600 nL L-1, durante 8 horas, a 25ºC. Posteriormente, os frutos foram armazenados a 15ºC, durante 21 dias. Em intervalos de sete dias, amostras foram retiradas da câmara para análises quanto à firmeza, perda de massa fresca, coloração (cromaticidade e ºHue), pH, sólidos solúveis (ºbrix), acidez titulável, relação sólidos solúveis/acidez titulável, teor de amido, açúcares totais, açúcares redutores e sacarose. Não houve efeito significativo dos tratamentos quanto ao pH, sólidos solúveis, acidez titulável, relação sólidos solúveis/acidez titulável, perda de massa fresca e sacarose, somente efeito de tempo de armazenamento. A acidez titulável não apresentou modelo estatístico que explicasse o efeito da época de armazenamento. Houve interação significativa da concentração de 1-MCP e dos dias de armazenamento em relação à firmeza, coloração, teor de amido, açúcares totais e açúcares redutores. Quanto maior a dose de 1-MCP aplicado, mais lenta foi a evolução do amadurecimento, sendo que a concentração de 600 nL L-1 foi a que melhor retardou o amadurecimento . The application of new technologies is necessary to increase the marketing period of 'pinha' (Annona squamosa), which is highly perishable and presents short shelf life. Aiming at retarding the maturation evolution, 'pinhas' were treated with 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) at concentrations of 0, 200, 400 and 600 nL L-1 during 8 hours at 25ºC. Then, the fruits were stored at 15ºC for 21 days. The fruits were taken from the chamber at 7-day intervals to be analyzed as to firmness, weight loss, color (chromaticity and ºHue), pH, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, soluble solids/acidity relation, starch content, total sugars, reducing sugars and sucrose. There was no significant effect of the treatments on pH, soluble solids, titratable acidity, solid soluble/titratable acidity relation, fresh mass loss or sucrose, but there was only the effect of the time of storage. The titratable acidity did not present a statistical model to explain the effect of the time of storage. There was a significant interaction of the concentration of 1-MCP and the days of storage in relation to firmness, color, starch content, total sugars and reducing sugars. The higher the dose of 1-MCP applied, the slower the maturation evolution. The concentration of 600 nL L-1 was the best to retard maturation and extend the shelf life of custard apple.