Limited knowledge exists on the impact of environmental covariates on the genotype-by-environment (G × E) interaction in melon cultivated under semi-arid conditions. This study assessed the influence of environmental covariables on G × E interactions and identified melon genotypes demonstrating adaptability and stability. Thirteen yellow melon hybrids were evaluated in randomized blocks with three replications across four municipalities in Rio Grande do Norte State during two distinct seasons. Traits investigated included the number of fruits per plant and soluble solids. Factor regression and principal component analysis were employed to quantify the influence of maximum and minimum temperature, relative humidity, and radiation on the G × E interactions. The Harmonic Mean of Relative Performance of the Genotypic Values method identified adapted and stable genotypes. The covariate-biplot model established relationships between crucial environmental covariables and their impact on the number of fruits per plant and soluble solids. Minimum temperature, relative humidity, and solar radiation significantly contributed to the G × E interactions in melon. Hybrids exhibited distinct sensitivities to environmental covariates, with HA-08 emerging as the most stable and adapted hybrid for both the number of fruits per plant and soluble solids.

Statistical analysis is central to agricultural research, but the complexity of statistical methodologies and programming languages, such as R, often poses challenges for researchers. To address these difficulties, we present AgroR, a comprehensive R package and Shiny web application (https://uel.br/fisher.uel.br/AgroR_shiny) designed to streamline the analysis of agricultural experiments. AgroR supports a wide range of experimental designs, offering tools for analysis of variance, multiple comparison tests, and assumption validation, as well as functions for exploratory data analysis and graphical representation. The package is built for accessibility, allowing users with limited programming skills to perform advanced statistical analyses using an intuitive interface. The Shiny application enhances usability by providing a graphical interface that simplifies the running of statistical tests and visualization of results. AgroR includes functions for analyzing complex experimental designs, such as factorial and split-plot designs, and offers additional tools for graphical outputs and dataset management. Available through the CRAN repository and accessible via a web browser, AgroR has been widely adopted, with thousands of downloads and citations across the scientific literature. AgroR significantly lowers the barriers to statistical analysis in agricultural research by providing a user-friendly interface and robust statistical capabilities, thereby enabling more accurate and reliable conclusions.

This study investigated the thermodynamic properties of water sorption in soybean using the DM 68I69 Ipro variety from Campo Verde, Mato Grosso, Brazil. Grains with initial moisture contents of 21.95% (w.b.) and 3.50% (w.b.) were used for desorption and adsorption analyses, respectively. The static-gravimetric method determined equilibrium moisture content at various temperatures (10, 20, 30, 40, and 50°C) and relative humidity (between 0.11 and 0.92 ± 2%). The Modified Halsey model quantified the hygroscopicity of soybean. Key findings include: (a) desorption equilibrium moisture content exceeded adsorption values, demonstrating hysteresis; (b) decreasing equilibrium moisture content increased the energy required for water removal and its release during adsorption; (c) differential entropy of desorption and adsorption increased with decreasing equilibrium moisture content; (d) Gibbs free energy decreased with increasing temperature for both desorption and adsorption. The enthalpy-entropy compensation theory effectively described the observed phenomena.

Several high-density pecan orchards have exhibited unsatisfactory growth and production due to excessive shading. This study aimed to investigate hedge and central pruning and tree thinning as alternative solutions to increase the vegetative growth and production of pecan trees in high-density orchards. The experiment was conducted in Santa Rosa, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, using a randomized block design with three replicates, each consisting of five trees. Treatments included: i) control (no treatment), ii) hedge pruning, iii) central pruning, and iv) tree thinning (tree removal). We evaluated vegetative growth, the number of dry branches, and aspects related to production and production efficiency. Tree thinning resulted in increased transverse width, canopy volume, and the number of basal branches, along with a decrease in dry branches per tree. Production was higher in trees subjected to thinning (42.89%), followed by central pruning (39.80%) and hedge pruning (37.03%), compared to the control. The average yield was higher than the control after both pruning methods; hedge and central pruning increased yield by 37.20 and 39.85%, respectively. However, tree thinning decreased yield by 10.80%. Trees subjected to hedge pruning achieved higher production efficiency relative to canopy volume than the control, while, concerning trunk cross-sectional area, tree thinning was more efficient than the control. Tree thinning increases vegetative growth, production, and production efficiency, while hedge pruning and central pruning lead to higher yields.

Owing to the interaction between genotype and environment (G × E), selecting and developing high-yielding varieties with strong phenotypic adaptability and stability is paramount. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the efficiency of selection of corn genotypes for baby corn production based on productivity, adaptability, and stability. Eleven corn genotypes were evaluated in six municipalities in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil in 2019. Superior genotypes were selected using the harmonic mean of the relative performance of the predicted genetic values (HMRPGV) and graphical analysis using the genotype main effect plus G × E (GGE) interaction biplot. Genotypes AG 1051 and BR 106 exhibited the best performance across environments. The HMRPGV method and ideotypes obtained through graphic analysis proved effective in selecting genotypes with high productive potential, responsiveness to environmental changes, and highly predictable behavior in the face of environmental stimuli.

The coffee tree has a strong dependence on nitrogen (N), which influences the nutritional aspect and plant productivity. The knowledge of the nutritional behavior of coffee crops, as well as the pattern of nutrient release and loss, contribute to the appropriate crop management, influencing quality, productivity and minimizing economic losses. Therefore, the objective of this article is to select the non-linear model that best describes nitrogen losses due to ammonia (NH3) volatilization, in seven conventional and increased efficiency fertilizers, applied in three installments to coffee plants and indicate the fertilizers that presented the highest and lowest nitrogen losses due to NH3 volatilization. The data come from an experiment carried out during the 2015/2016 harvest at the Coffee Innovation Agency (INOVACAFÉ) of the Federal University of Lavras, in a randomized block design with 3 replications of 7 treatments (nitrogen fertilizers). The estimation method used was the least squares method (MMQ), with the Gauss-Newton convergence algorithm as the iterative method. As diagnostic measures to determine the best model, the adjusted coefficient of determination (R2aj), residual standard deviation (RSD), Akaike information criterion (AIC) and mean absolute deviation (MAD) were used. It was verified that all models exhibited good adjustments, however, the Brody and Logistic models stood out in describing the accumulated nitrogen losses, due to ammonia volatilization, in relation to the seven treatments applied and evaluated. It was found that ammonium nitrate and ammonium sulfate fertilizers presented the lowest N losses, while Prilled Urea and Urea + anionic polymer contribute the greatest losses due to the volatilization of NH3, in the three fertilizations on coffee plants.

The evaluation of Corymbia maculata and C. torelliana progenies has received much attention in Brazil in the last decade. For the process to be efficient, experiments must be as precise as possible. Factors that affect accuracy include plant survival (PS) and assessment age. The objectives of this study were to determine whether there are differences in progeny PS among evaluation sites and ages, whether dominated plants affect precision estimates, and how potential damage caused by differences in PS can be mitigated. Data from the evaluation of half-sib progenies of C. maculata at three sites and C. torelliana at four sites were used. The experiments were implemented in an alpha-lattice design with 40 repetitions and a single-tree plot (STP). Diameter at breast height (DBH) and PS data were obtained at three and six years of age. All plants that presented DBH with a deviation below the mean (dominated plants) were not considered in the survival estimates. Although there was a difference in plant survival between progenies and experiments, none of the strategies used to mitigate damage due to differences in PS significantly changed the classification of progenies or the magnitude of the accuracy. There was a high association between the estimates obtained at three and six years of age, indicating that for species of the genus Corymbia, early selection is viable.

Drought is an environmental condition that compromises the development of coffee plants. New coffee genotypes that are resistant to drought must be selected quickly and practically. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the resistance of five genotypes of Coffea arabica, including three new genotypes with introgression of genes from Coffea racemosa (H0113-40-26-1, H0113-40-26-19, and H0113-40-26-10), to water restriction and relate the intensity of plant wilting with physiological responses and nutrient accumulation. The experiment was conducted using 45 coffee seedlings obtained from seeds with six pairs of leaves cultivated in tubes. Some seedlings were subjected to two water restriction periods, whereas the remainder were kept under irrigation. The photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, and wilting intensity were evaluated after each restriction period. Nutrient content was also evaluated after two periods of water restriction. The evaluation of wilting intensity corroborated the physiological parameters. There was a reduction in photosynthesis and transpiration rates under water restriction and nutrient accumulation in coffee seedlings H0113-40-26-1, H0113-40-26-19, and H0113-40-26-10 increased under these conditions. C. arabica genotypes carrying the genes of C. racemosa presented good drought resistance, with H0113-40-26-10 being the most resistant and showing the lowest wilt intensity.

Examining organic matter fractions is crucial for comprehending variations in soil organic carbon (C) content resulting from the type of management used. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of management systems that utilize both organic and mineral fertilization on soil chemical attributes and organic matter fractions in the Xanthic Ferralsol. This study was conducted in the experimental areas of Embrapa Mandioca and Fruticultura, Cruz das Almas, Bahia State, Brazil. Three cassava and banana production systems, a conventional cassava cultivation system (CAS-CT), an organic banana system (BAN-ORG), and a conventional banana system (BAN-CT), were investigated using the native forest (NF) area as a reference. Soil sampling was conducted within the planting rows at depths of 0.0 - 0.10 and 0.10 - 0.20 m. Macronutrients, soil pH, soil total organic C, particulate organic C, light organic matter, labile-C, mineralizable C, and microbial biomass-C were assessed. BAN-ORG led to an increase in soil pH at both depths. Principal component (PC) analysis showed that organic cultivation was distinguished from the others owing to its strong correlation with soil bases (Ca and Mg), particulate organic C, and labile-C. In the NF and BAN-ORG soils, microbial-C levels in the 0.0 - 0.10 and 0.10 - 0.20 m layers remained consistent, whereas there was a reduction of 30 and 70% for CAS-CT and BAN-CT, respectively, with increasing depth. Mineralizable C (release of CO2-C) was higher in the NF and BAN-ORG systems than in the conventional system for both evaluated layers. BAN-CT and CAS-CT were strongly correlated with available potassium in PC-2, separating them from BAN-ORG and NF. Management practices implemented in the organic system resulted in an increase in macronutrient levels and a reduction in soil acidity. The elevation of labile-C and particulate organic C in the organic system increased the microbial activity in the soil, particularly in the subsurface layers. Organic management has emerged as a viable approach for enhancing organic C sequestration in the soil and creating favorable conditions for increasing microbial activity in banana cultivation.

The aim of this study was to select Coffea canephora genotypes from the seminal propagation variety ‘ES8152’ with different harvest times. The experiment was conducted using a Federer augmented block design with three repetitions, evaluating 175 genotypes and four clonal witnesses in two harvests (2022 and 2023), and 20 morphoagronomic characteristics were evaluated. The data were analyzed using the REML/BLUP methodology with the Selegen software, where the variance components and genetic values were estimated. The selection was performed using the Mulamba-Rank index. The bottom sieve (BS) and top sieve (TS) characteristics had high heritability (0.5779 and 0.6694, respectively) and accuracy (0.7602 and 0.8182, respectively). TS also showed high repeatability (0.6827). The genotypic effects were significant at 1% level for days for fruit ripening, fruit size, vegetative vigor, yield per plant, TS, and BS; at 5% level for general scale; and at 10% level for incidence of rust, degree of inclination, and percentage of fruit float. It was possible to distinguish 20 superior genotypes in terms of maturation, among which the selection gains for the genotypic clusters were 46.14, 45.92 and 41.56% for indefinite, early, and late maturation, respectively, by applying a selection intensity of 11.43%. Genotypes 25, 26, 73, 93, and 100 could be used for early maturing varieties, whereas genotypes 155 and 189 could be used for late-maturing varieties. The most promising genotypes for composing a variety, regardless of the maturation period, were 20, 39, 90, 112, and 190, as these were among the five best genotypes ranked in the three selection processes, demonstrating that they added superior desired morphoagronomic characteristics. It is concluded that there is genetic variability among the 175 genotypes evaluated, as well as significant genetic effects to be explored in the pool gene of individuals originating from the 'ES8152' variety.