ABSTRACT Erythrina velutina Willd. (Fabaceae) is drought tolerant and has the potential for reforestation in the semi-arid region. The response of its seeds to the environmental conditions of each production area influences their size, weight, physiological potential, and health. Thus, this study aimed to assess how the environmental conditions of the different regions of Paraíba influence the biometric characteristics of E. velutina seeds. Seeds from 19 mother plants collected in Juru, Sumé, Araçagi, Guarabira, São João do Cariri, Esperança, Queimadas, Cuité, Boa Vista, and Areia, in the state of Paraíba, Brazil, were used in this study. Water content, thousand-seed weight, and biometric characteristics (length, width, and thickness) were determined in the seeds from each location. The water content ranged from 3.11 to 6.84%, while the thousand-seed weight was higher in mother plants grown in Sumé and Cuité. Seed length ranged from 9.00 to 16.84 mm, being higher in mother plants grown in Juru. Seed thickness and width ranged from 5 to 12.99 mm and were larger in mother plants from Cuité. Temperature, humidity, solar radiation, wind, and precipitation caused variations in the length, width, and thickness of E. velutina seeds, with higher means observed in mother plants grown in Cuité.

ABSTRACT Knowledge about the effect of chemical conditioners on the reduction of the deleterious effects caused by salinity on crops is of great importance for the expansion of the cultivation of vegetable crops such as zucchini in the semi-arid region of the Northeast. In this context, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the foliar application of hydrogen peroxide as a mitigator of salt stress on the gas exchange, production, and postharvest fruit quality of zucchini cultivated in a hydroponic system. The study was conducted in NFT-type (Nutrient Film Technique) hydroponic system in a greenhouse, in Pombal — PB, Brazil. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 4 × 4 factorial scheme, corresponding to four levels of electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution - ECns (2.1 (control); 3.6; 5.1 and 6.6 dS m−1), and four concentrations of hydrogen peroxide - H2O2 (0; 20; 40 and 60 μM), with three replicates. Nutrient solution with electrical conductivity above 2.1 dS m−1 caused a reduction in gas exchange and the total number of fruits of zucchini. An increase in nutrient solution salinity levels increased the total soluble solids content of the fruits and the initial fluorescence of zucchini. Under conditions of nutrient solution salinity above 2.1 dS m−1, hydrogen peroxide could not mitigate the effects of salt stress. Application of 20 μM of H2O2 when the plants were grown in a nutrient solution of 2.1 dS m−1 promoted higher total fruit weight and basal diameter of the fruits.

ABSTRACT Eggplant is a vegetable considered as moderately sensitive to salinity, and its production is affected by water deficit in the soil, mainly in the reproductive phase of the crop. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of irrigation with brackish water using continuous drip and pulse in production, water consumption, water use efficiency, and soil salinization. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, in a 4 × 4 factorial scheme, with five replicates, totaling 80 plots. The treatments consisted of four forms of water application, continuous drip, and pulse throughout the cycle; continuous drip in the vegetative phase and pulse in the reproductive phase, and pulse in the vegetative phase and drip in the reproductive phase and four levels of irrigation water salinity - ECw (0.3; 1.5; 3.0; 4.5 dS m−1). The inversion of irrigation treatments occurred 65 days after transplanting. Increase in water salinity from 0.3 to 4.5 dS m−1, the total production (-11.96%), fruit length (-5.05%), and water use efficiency (-7.01%) reduced while there was no significant effect for the forms of water application and interaction between the studied factors. Pulse irrigation provided greater water savings and resulted in higher electrical conductivity in the soil saturation extract. The efficiency of water use did not show statistical difference when continuous drip or pulse irrigation was used throughout the cycle.

ABSTRACT Triploid watermelon is highly appreciated by the most demanding markets, and due to its small size, it is ideal for consumption by small families. With the growth in areas cultivated with seedless watermelon worldwide, there is a demand for the development of tetraploid germplasm to obtain triploid hybrids with better agronomic performance. This study performed two tests to induce polyploidy in the powdery mildew–resistant line developed by Embrapa Semi-Arid, LDRO, under different colchicine concentrations and application methods. In Experiment 1, the seeds were treated with colchicine (0.0%, 0.1%, and 0.2%) for 24 h and 48 h. In Experiment 2, 0.2% colchicine was applied by different methods: (a) directly on the seed (MDS) with and without scarification, (b) on seeds with radicle emission (MER), (c) at the insertion point between the hypocotyl and the root (MIHR), (d) at the seedling apex (MAP), and (e) in the inverted hypocotyl (MHI). Chromosome count (cytogenetic analysis), number of chloroplasts per pair of guard cells, number of stomata, seedling height, and hypocotyl diameter were measured. In the LDRO line, chromosomal duplication occurred in some plant cells, but it was not possible to obtain 100% tetraploid plants. Colchicine (0.2%) for 48 h without mechanical scarification induced chromosomal duplication in watermelon. The analysis of the number of chloroplasts identified the level of ploidy early, reducing the number of plants needed to be evaluated by cytogenetics, which allowed us to more accurately identify the different levels of ploidy of the plant.

ABSTRACT Cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] is an important socioeconomic crop in Brazil, mainly in the Northeast and more recently in the Midwest of Brazil. Charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid, is an important disease in semiarid regions, where edaphoclimatic conditions are favorable to the development of disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response of 100 cowpea lines to two isolates of M. phaseolina. The experiments were conducted in a completely randomized design, with five replications (two plants per pot). The main variables evaluated were lesion length and relative growth compared to control (RGCC). Among the evaluated accessions, 15% of the lines were resistant to isolate 59 and 11% of the lines were resistant to isolate CMM 2106 of M. phaseolina. Therefore, these accessions can be used as a source of resistance to M. phaseolina by farmers directly as new cultivars or in future hybridizations of cowpea genetic breeding programs.

ABSTRACT The adequacy of spraying technology in the control of Asian rust to factors related to soybean cultivars and fungicide type is fundamental for the efficiency in the control of this disease. In this context, the objective was to evaluate the chemical control of Asian soybean rust and the deposition of the fungicide applied in the crop, according to different volumes and spray nozzles. Four field experiments were set up during the 2014/2015 season, each carried out with one soybean cultivar, using: NA 5909 RR®, NS 7237 IPRO®, BMX Potência RR® and W 712 RR®. The experimental design was randomized blocks in a 2x2x2 factorial arrangement, with four replications. The first factor corresponded to the use of fungicides: [pyraclostrobin + epoxiconazole] and [pyraclostrobin + epoxiconazole] + mancozeb; the second factor, types of spray nozzle: double and triple fan; and the last factor, application volume: 60 and 120 L ha-1. The highest application volume resulted in greater deposition of droplets in the canopy of the plants, regardless of the fungicide, type of spray nozzle and cultivar. The association of fungicides [pyraclostrobin + epoxiconazole] + mancozeb showed greater efficacy in controlling rust, regardless of the type of spray nozzle and the volume applied when compared to [pyraclostrobin + epoxiconazole]. The highest volume of application promoted less disease evolution in the cultivars NA 5909 RR®, NS 7237 IPRO® and BMX Potência RR®. The yields of the cultivar were higher when the combination [pyraclostrobin + epoxiconazole] + mancozeb was used.

ABSTRACT Green manuring with spontaneous species from the Caatinga has emerged as a viable alternative to supply vegetables with nutrients and thus increase their productivity. This study aimed to evaluate and estimate the maximum physical and economic efficiencies of coriander productive characteristics as a function of equitable biomass amounts of hairy woodrose [Merremia aegyptia (L.) Urban] and roostertree [Calotropis procera (Aiton) W. T.] in different cropping seasons. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with five treatments and five replicates. The treatments consisted of green manure amounts (16, 29, 42, 55, and 68 t ha-1 on a dry basis). A treatment without fertilization (control) was used in each experiment. The maximum agronomic efficiency (coriander green mass yield) was possible with the incorporation of equitable amounts of 49.56 t ha-1 of M. aegyptia and C. procera biomass, respectively. The maximum economic efficiency of production (evaluated in terms of net income and rate of return) of this leafy vegetable was achieved with the addition to the soil of 42.68 and 41.64 t ha-1 of biomass of these green manures, respectively. The net income and the rate of return optimized for these amounts of green manures were 30,243.92 R$ ha-1 and 2.79 reais for each real invested in the production of this leafy vegetable. The use of biomass from Merremia aegyptia and Calotropis procera from the Caatinga biome proved to be a viable technology for producers who practice the cultivation of coriander when monocropping in a semiarid environment.

ABSTRACT Passion fruit production has become an attractive activity due to its social and economic benefits, given the rapid economic return and well-distributed income over most of the year. From this perspective, this study aimed to evaluate the technical and economic indicators of yellow passion fruit cultivation by combining irrigation, protected cultivation, and pollination. The experimental design was in randomized blocks set up in split plots (2 x 2 x 2), with eight treatments and four replicates containing four plants per experimental unit. The protected environment was installed on the upper part of each trellis and consisted of 100 m transparent plastic film as cover material. Irrigation was performed using a micro-sprinkler system, and pollination was either manual or natural (entomophilous). The following parameters were evaluated: commercial yield - estimated for one hectare considering the mass of marketable fruits produced in the plot (30 m2); production cost - capital depreciation, input prices, and labor used in cultivation; economic indicators - profitability index, family labor remuneration, profitability, net income, benefit/cost ratio, and fixed, variable, and total costs. The results show that artificial pollination increased the yield and provided a 41% higher profitability rate than natural pollination; supplemental irrigation, compared to rainfed cultivation, has no positive effects on profitability indices; protected cultivation increases the total cost and does not 0increase the yield; organic passion fruit production provides profitability indices ranging from 60% to 70%.

ABSTRACT Watermelon has great economic relevance, but edaphoclimatic factors and inadequate management have favored the salinization of the water used for irrigation, which is a limiting factor for the growth and production of the crop. However, it is considered that the use of growth regulators belonging to the group of cytokinins and auxins may contribute to the development and yield of crops, even under adverse conditions such as salinity. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the influence of cytokinin and auxin proportions on the growth and quality of watermelon irrigated with saline water. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four replicates and 5 x 2 factorial, referring to five proportions of growth regulators (0/100; 25/75; 50/50; 75/25 and 100/0%) corresponding to concentrations of 1.0 and 10.0 mg L−1 of forchlorfenuron (CPPU)/ indoleacetic acid (IAA), and two salinity levels, one composed of water without adding salt (0.3 dS m-1) and the other with 2.0 dS m−1 electrical conductivity. The proportions of cytokinin and auxin influenced the growth and quality of watermelon subjected to salinity in irrigation water. The 25/75% (CPPU/IAA) proportion favored smaller decreases in leaf area and total dry mass under a saline condition of 2.0 dS m−1. For fresh and dry fruit mass, the 75/25% (CPPU/IAA) proportion favored smaller reductions. Fruit firmness and soluble solids were favored by the proportions 25/75 and 50/50% (CPPU/IAA) at EC of 2.0 dS m−1. Acidity was only influenced by the proportion of 50/50% (CPPU/IAA) between the electrical conductivity levels.

ABSTRACT The objective of this work was to evaluate the agronomic performance, cooking time and postharvest conservation of roots of sweet cassava clones, to select those superior to the Manteiga variety control, in the Baixo Sul region of Bahia state. A randomized block design in split plot scheme, with three replications was used. Eleven genotypes were evaluated at 10 and 12 months after planting. Considering the mean of two harvests, BRS Kiriris and Saracura showed total root yield (39.85 and 33.91 t ha−1, respectively) and commercial root yield (26.54 and 26.71 t ha−1) that are higher compared to Manteiga (total root yield: 28.06 t ha−1, commercial root yield: 16.95 t ha−1). However, both had cooking time (26.76 and 28.30 min, respectively) higher than that of Manteiga (23.89 min), and BRS Kiriris was unstable regarding the cooking percentage between 10 (91.67%) and 12 months (50%). BRS Aipim Brasil, 2003 14-11, BRS Kiriris, Eucalipto, Saracura and Manteiga were more tolerant to postharvest physiological deterioration. Although some of the evaluated clones presented good performance in the evaluated traits, by analyzing the set of traits, none of them shows sufficient superiority to be indicated as a potential substitute for Manteiga, grown in the Baixo Sul region of Bahia state.