Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) is a serious problem in potato crops in southern Brazil due to favorable climatic conditions for the development of the pathogen and the lack of resistant cultivars available in the market. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the reaction of eight cultivars (Asterix, Catucha, BRS Clara, BRS F63 - Camila, Cristal, BRS F183 - Potira, Markies, and BRS Pérola) and five advanced clones (F05-11-03, F21-07-09, Odone 80-02, F50-08-01, and F63-10-07) to late bight under field conditions. The Agata and the clone CIP392.617-54 were used as susceptible and resistant controls, respectively. The experiments were conducted in the municipality of Pelotas, RS, in the autumn season of 2018 and 2019. Sixty days after planting, the plants were inoculated with the pathogen; and, after one week, the genotypes were evaluated for disease severity and the area under the disease progress curve. ‘Catucha’ was classified as resistant to moderately resistant to P. infestans; ‘Cristal,’ F50-08-01 and ‘BRS Perola’, moderately susceptible to resistant; and ‘BRS F63’ - Camila, F63-10-07, F05-11-03, Asterix, F21-07-09, BRS F183 – Potira, and Odone 80-02, moderately susceptible to susceptible. BRS Clara and Markies showed the greatest variations in both experiments, showing to be susceptible in the autumn of 2018 experiment and moderately resistant in the autumn of 2019 experiment. | A requeima (Phytophthora infestans) constitui-se em um sério problema à cultura da batata na região sul do Brasil em função das condições climáticas favoráveis ao desenvolvimento do patógeno e pela carência de cultivares resistentes disponíveis no mercado. Dessa forma, foi objetivo deste estudo, avaliar a reação de oito cultivares (Asterix, Catucha, BRS Clara, BRS F63 - Camila, Cristal, BRS F183 - Potira, Markies e BRS Pérola) e cinco clones avançados (F05-11-03, F21-07-09, Odone 80-02, F50-08-01 e F63-10-07) de batata à requeima em condições de campo. A cultivar Agata e o clone CIP392.617-54 foram utilizados como testemunhas, suscetível e resistente, respectivamente. Os experimentos foram conduzidos no município de Pelotas, RS, nos cultivos de outono de 2018 e 2019. Sessenta dias após o plantio, as plantas foram inoculadas com o patógeno e, decorrido uma semana, os genótipos foram avaliados quanto à severidade da doença e a área abaixo da curva do progresso da doença. ‘Catucha’ comportou-se como resistente a moderadamente resistente; ‘Cristal’, F50-08-01 e ‘BRS Pérola’, moderadamente suscetível a resistente; e ‘BRS F63’ - Camila, ‘F63-10-07’, ‘F05-11-03’, ‘Asterix’, ‘F21-07-09’, ‘BRS F183’ - Potira Odone 80-02, moderadamente suscetível a suscetível. As cultivares BRS Clara e Markies apresentaram as maiores variações em ambos experimentos, comportando-se como suscetível no outono de 2018 e moderadamente resistente no outono de 2019.

International audience | -Plutella xylostella cause severe damage on cruciferous plants all over the world. Farmers in several regions of Brazil report increasing inefficiency of chemical control, even when using high insecticide concentrations. We evaluate here the susceptibility of brazilian diamondback moth populations to the Premio (R) (Chlorantraniliprole), Dipel (R) (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki) and Lannate (R) BR (Oxime Methylcarbamate) insecticides, frequently used in Brazil. Susceptibility bioassays with five field -collected and two laboratory diamondback moth populations were conducted with increasing concentrations of insecticides up to ten times above the recommended concentration. Extremely high and region-dependent resistances were found in field populations against Chlorantraniliprole and B. thuringiensis, with Resistance Ratios up to 370.0 times for the Camocim de Sao Felix population. For Oxime Methylcarbamate, we were not able to do Probit analyses for the field populations because of very low mortality rates. Laboratory populations showed resistance to the three tested insecticides with all LC50 concentrations exceeding the recommended doses by at least 3 times. Our results show strong and variable resistance to the three tested insecticides according to the region of origin. To maintain efficient pest control in a large country like Brazil, local levels of resistance need therefore to be monitored by the authorities and reassessment and adjustments of regional doses of insecticides should be implemented as a public policy, to prevent massive spread of insecticides in the field, as well as increases in cases of resistance.

Cowpea crops have high socioeconomic importance in the Northeast region of Brazil. These crops generate employment and income; in addition, it is an excellent source of protein, minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber, and contributes to the food security of thousands of people. Biofortification of cowpea with iron, zinc, and proteins can contribute to prevent the higher hunger. The objective of this work was to assess iron, zinc, and protein contents in cowpea grains of different cultivars and the effect of grain size and color on the contents of these nutrients. Twenty-four cultivars with variation in size and color of the seed coat were evaluated. Iron contents ranged from 7.12 to 8.60 mg 100 g-1, with an overall mean of 7.75 mg 100 g-1. Zinc contents ranged from 4.46 to 4.93 mg 100 g-1, with an overall mean of 4.71 mg 100 g-1. Protein contents ranged from 31.50 to 36.24 g 100 g-1, with an overall mean of 33.57 g 100 g-1. Grain size ranged from 13.55 to 37.88 g, with an overall mean of 21.50 g. The cultivars Caldeirão, BRS-Guariba, and Pingo-de-Ouro-1-2 have higher iron contents; BRS-Aracê and BRS-Imponente have higher zinc contents; BR-14-Mulato, BRS-Guariba, BRS-Aracê, and BRS-Inhuma, have higher protein contents; and BR-3-Tracuateua and BRS-Imponente have larger grain sizes. The size and color of the seed coat do not influence the iron, zinc and protein contents of the evaluated cowpea cultivars.

Cowpea is a socioeconomically important legume in the Northeast region of Brazil, and the most grown and consumed type of bean, representing the main source of low-cost vegetable protein for rural and urban populations in this region. The objective of this work was to characterize the proximate composition, minerals, tannins, phytic acid, and cooking quality of whole grains of cowpea from the commercial cultivars BRS Aracê, BRS Inhuma, and BRS Xiquexique. Grain samples of the cultivars were ground in a zirconium ball mill and the flour was used for analysis. The proximate composition was carried out according to the AOAC methodology. The minerals were determined by nitro-perchloric digestion and reading in a flame atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The anti-nutritional factors tannins and phytic acid were determined by extraction and reading in a spectrophotometer. Cooking quality was assessed using an electric pressure cooker and then a Mattson cooker. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with three treatments (cultivars) and three replications. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and the means were compared by the Tukey's test (p<0.05). The cowpea cultivars showed significant differences (p<0.05) for most characteristics evaluated and were similar in terms of ash, lipids, total dietary fiber, and most macrominerals. The results showed that grains of the cultivars BRS Aracê and BRS Xiquexique are excellent sources of dietary fiber, proteins, and minerals and present high cooking quality, while grains of the cultivar BRS Inhuma stood out regarding carbohydrates, soluble dietary fibers, total energetic value, and low levels of factors, anti-nutritional tannins and phytic acid.