Laís Naiara Honorato Monteiro

Ficus carica L. é compatível com o solo e as condições climáticas do Brasil, tornando o país o maior produtor da América Latina. O cultivo no Brasil utiliza a propagação por estaquia para a multiplicação das plantas; a cultivar Roxo de Valinhos é a mais cultivada. Outras cultivares de figo também têm valor de mercado, como Turco, geralmente utilizada como porta-enxerto. Mudas vigorosas são necessárias para boa produção de frutos; elas podem ser obtidas utilizando reguladores de crescimento, como o ácido indolbutírico (AIB; regulador mais utilizado na fruticultura), estimulador de rizogênese. No entanto, produtos naturais, como a água de coco (rica em auxinas), também são viáveis para esse fim. Neste estudo, objetivamos determinar o estimulador de enraizamento mais vantajoso para estacas de figo ‘Turco’ e verificar se o produto utilizado está relacionado ao tipo de cultivar de figo. Dois experimentos consecutivos foram conduzidos utilizando um delineamento em blocos casualizados. O primeiro experimento incluiu três tratamentos: AIB em pó; água de coco; e solução de AIB a 6.000 mg L⁻¹, conduzida no município de Dracena, SP; este foi realizado para identificar o melhor agente de enraizamento a ser utilizado no segundo experimento. O segundo experimento incluiu oito tratamentos: acesso 33; acesso 34; acesso 35; acesso 47; acesso 40; acesso 41; acesso 42; e acesso 45, conduzido no município de Ilha Solteira, SP. Ambos foram conduzidos em casa de vegetação com nebulização intermitente por 40 dias. Ao final de cada experimento, foram analisados a porcentagem de enraizamento, número de brotos, comprimento do broto mais longo, massa fresca e seca da parte aérea e das raízes, e taxa de crescimento relativo (TCR; obtida pela medição dos brotos das estacas em intervalos de 10 dias). Os dados foram submetidos à análise estatística no SISVAR usando o teste de Tukey com p ≤ 0,05; os dados de TCR foram ajustados usando regressões polinomiais de segunda ordem. O primeiro experimento demonstrou que o uso de água de coco resultou 100% de crescimento radicular para cultivar Turco. O segundo experimento demonstrou que a utilização de água de coco depende da cultivar de figueira; os resultados diferem para cada tratamento, com acesso 45 (‘Turco’) obtendo os melhores resultados. As outras cultivares obtiveram resultados promissores, exceto acesso 33 e 41. Portanto, a água de coco é considerada um bioestimulador de enraizamento eficaz para o cultivo de figueiras.

The 'Tahiti' acid lime (Citrus latifolia Tan.) is one of the main fruit trees produced in Brazil, but its triploid nature poses challenges for the genetic improvement of the crop. The aim of this study was to molecularly characterize selections of 'Tahiti' acid lime plants by quantifying DNA methylation and genetic differentiation using microsatellite markers, in order to support work on the conservation and genetic improvement of the crop. We used 12 plants considered to be mutants, previously selected for their distinct biometric characteristics. After extracting the genomic DNA, molecular analyses were carried out to measure the relative quantification of global methylation between the individuals. The experimental design used was completely randomized, with 12 treatments and 4 replications. Post-hoc analysis of the data was carried out using the Tukey test at 5%. Molecular analysis was then carried out using 12 pairs of microsatellite molecular markers. Differences were observed in the DNA methylation patterns between the treatments evaluated, especially treatments 3 and 9, which showed absorbance values of 0.621 and 0.266 nm, respectively. With regard to the analysis with microsatellite markers, it was possible to amplify 19 bands, but all were monomorphic, indicating that the different phenotypes observed may be due to alterations in the epigenome of these plants.

Over the years, efforts have been made to improve the phytosanitary quality of papaya (Carica papaya L.). In this sense, one of the essential factors to be observed is nutrition, since it is responsible for the productivity andquality of fruits, with organic fertilization being an alternative that has been gainingground in the productive market. Thus, this work aimed to evaluate the effects ofBrutal Plus® and Composto classe A® organic fertilizers on the morphophysiological parameters of the development and production of papaya ‘Formosa’ hybrid Tainung 01 cultivar. According to the results, it was observed that theapplication, via soil and/or foliar, of the organic fertilizers used in this researchincreased agronomic characteristics of great importance for the papaya crop, such as plant height and the internal carbon content of leaves, as well as number of fruits and productivity at the beginning of the harvest. In this regard, the use of these products can be recommended as an alternative to organic production, however, as these are preliminary results, more studies in this line of research must be carried out.

Commercial fig tree cultivation in Brazil involves a single cultivar, ‘Roxo-de-Valinhos’. The use of a single cultivar results in serious diseases and related problems. The aim of this study was to characterize fig accessions by analyzing the natural root-knot nematode and leaf rust incidence in relation to the epigenomic profile of the plant, since epigenetic variations affect plant–pathogen interactions. All plants were attacked by nematodes, indicating susceptibility; Meloidogyne incognita was the root-knot nematode species involved. Joint analysis of data showed that methylation and leaf rust incidence were correlated when observed in the same phenological phase, presenting initial evidence of the same factorial pressure loads in genotypes, suggesting similar behavior within these genotypes.

With increased interest in cultivation, the study of white-fleshed pitahaya (Selenicereus undatus (Haw.) D.R. Hunt, Cactaceae family) seedling production is of fundamental importance in the search for novel techniques to increase cultivation and guarantee homogeneous and productive orchards. The present study investigated the influence of various gibberellic acid (GA3) concentrations and fruit maturation stages on seed germination and vigor of white-fleshed pitahaya seedlings, considering the physiological quality of seedlings produced to support genetic breeding and conservation programs of the species. White-fleshed pitahaya seeds at two maturation stages (physiologically ripe and maintained at 10 °C in Biochemical Oxygen Demand incubators for three months) were treated with varying GA3 concentrations of 0, 50, 100, and 500 mg/L. We observed the influence of fruit storage on seedling germination, emergence, and growth as a function of GA3 concentration. According to the results, seeds extracted from ripe white-fleshed pitahaya fruits grown under the conditions tested here required GA3 application to increase seedling emergence and vigor, with optimal doses in the 150–300-mg/L range. In the case of pitahaya fruits intended for storage for future seed removal and maintained under the same sowing conditions, the application of higher doses of GA3 was necessary when compared to the previous condition, with a minimum dose of 500 mg/L GA3. The present study shows that the maturation stage of white-fleshed pitahaya fruits intended for seed removal influences the quality of seedlings; therefore, the use of seeds extracted from ripe pitahaya fruits without fermentation is more appropriate for the purpose.

Fig orchard expansion requires knowledge of the thermal requirements of genotypes available in different climatic regions. The budburst of fig cultivars was assessed by biological single-node cutting and exposure to artificial chilling. Cuttings from five cultivars were collected during two crop seasons, subsequently packaged in a horizontal position in a cold chamber (8 ± 0.5ºC), and artificially chilled for 0, 40, 80, 120, and 160h. Cuttings were preserved under controlled conditions (23 ± 1°C, RH 85%, and 16h photoperiod). The variables evaluated were the budding velocity, average time and final rate of sprouting, vigorous shoot rate, and average time to leaf opening. The single-node cutting test allowed the assessment of dormancy, which is influenced by the accumulation of chilling in each crop season. The average time and final budding rate varied depending on the temperature requirements for budding. The cultivars were classified on an increasing scale according to their chilling requirements as follows: Pingo de Mel < Roxo de Valinhos < Brown Turkey < White Genova < Troyano. The traditional cultivar in Brazil is Roxo de Valinhos, but all of the cultivars studied had the potential to diversify the fig orchards in this region.

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is one of the most cultivated fruits in Brazil. Thus, increasing efforts to improve the crop efficiency have been carried out, being the study of quality seedling production of fundamental importance. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, in symbiosis with the root system of plants, can bring great improvements to the morphophysiological aspects of the papaya tree. The aim of this study was to evaluate the interaction of papaya seeds treated with AMF, in order to support management works on the crop. The experiment was installed in an agricultural greenhouse in a completely randomized design with three treatments: T0 – control (no inoculation); T1 - inoculation of seeds with Gigaspora rosea + Gigaspora margarita; and T2 - inoculation of seeds with Rhizophagus clarus, with 40 replicates, with each sowing cell being considered a replicate. Mycorrhizal colonization, seedling emergence and biometric indices at 60 days after sowing were evaluated. High symbiosis rate was observed between papaya seedlings with Rhizophagus clarus and Gigaspora rosea + Gigaspora margarita. Increase in the percentage and speed emergence and decrease in emergence time in relation to control was observed, in addition to increase in biometric characteristics of seedlings, evidencing its beneficial use for higher production.

Cutting is a propagation method with the advantages of early production and uniform cultivation. Some factors influence propagation and rooting, such as the cutting size and the time of year the collection is performed. Thus, the present work aimed to evaluate the ideal size of white-fleshed red pitahaya cladodes and the time of their collection for crop propagation by cutting in view of the physiological quality of the produced clonal plants to enable more appropriate cultural management and increase the cultivation area. The experiment was conducted at the Faculty of Engineering (UNESP) using three cladode sizes (cuttings) with lengths of 10, 20 and 40 cm collected in two seasons (summer and winter). The experimental design used was completely randomized in a split-time scheme, with no dependence on the factors and 20 replicates. Evaluations of the biometric factors related to sprouts and cladode rooting were carried out 60 days after cutting. According to the results, there were significant differences among treatments, with a significant interaction of the number of sprouts. It can be concluded that, regarding the size of the cladodes, it is recommended, when possible, to use cladodes 40 cm in length; regarding the time of collection, it is recommended that collection be conducted in the winter period to favor the development of better-quality clonal plants.

To obtain uniform passion fruit plantations, the aim of this research is to analyze the development of rootstocks and grafted seedlings, using the following treatments: non-grafted Passifora edulis and grafted with two different method: single grafting, P. edulis on P. caerulea and P. edulis on P. giberti, and double grafting, P. edulis on P. giberti and P. caerulea, on the same plant, with 3 replicates in 2 blocks. The germinative potential of seeds of the three species used was evaluated according to the storage period, viability of the grafting methods used, plant height after the juvenile period and relative growth rate. It was observed that treatments of passion fruit on P. caerulea obtained good initial development, reducing more sharply in the last data collection compared to treatments of passion fruit on P. giberti and double grafting. For non-grafted passion fruit, there was matter accumulation at the beginning of plant development, with reduction throughout collections, with tendency to stabilization, mainly approaching flowering. It was verified that non-grafted plants tend to start developing first, showing physiological advance, when compared to double grafting or single grafting with P. caerulea, also due to the rootstock vigor, which presents low potential. Using P. giberti as a rootstock seems to be more viable for the passion fruit culture.