Abstract Elicitors activate the defense mechanism in plants to resist pathogens. Ulvans and glucuronans can act as elicitors, and their activity seems to be related to the sulfate groups, rhamnose and uronic acid monosaccharides. Chichá gum (CHG), which also contains rhamnose and uronic acid, was sulfated with chlorosulfonic acid/N,N-dimethylformamide and deacetylated with sodium hydroxide solution. The changes were confirmed by infrared spectroscopy. Carbon-13 NMR revealed that sulfation occurred in galactose and rhamnose units. The apples were sprayed with water (negative control), deacetylated chichá gum (DCHG), and sulfated chichá gum (SCHG). The activity of enzymes guaiacol peroxidase and polyphenol oxidases and the lignin content were compared with those under the action of a commercial elicitor, benzothiadiazole. DCHG, and especially SCHG, increased the activity of the two enzymes. Only fruits treated with SCHG showed a significant (p<0.05) increase in lignin content. The plant exudate can be one abundant, renewable and safe source of elicitors.

RESUMEN La posibilidad de producción sin el uso de insecticidas químicos o la reducción de los mismos, asociada a las exigencias de los consumidores ha motivado a los cultivadores a volver a la práctica de embolsado del fruto, pero es posible que esta técnica cause cambios en las características visuales y organolépticas del mismo. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar los posibles cambios en las características poscosecha en los frutos de tomate ‘Valerin’ producidos dentro de las bolsas de textil no tejido (TNT) y validar el mejor período para la finalización del embolsado. Los frutos utilizados fueron de una plantación comercial de tomate, ubicada en “Ubajara”, Estado de “Ceará”, Brasil. El diseño experimental fue bloques al azar en factorial 2 × 4, con cinco repeticiones. Los factores considerados se refieren a dos formas de uso de los insecticidas: 1-Plantas tratadas con insecticidas y 2-Plantas no tratadas con insecticidas y cuatro formas de embolsar los racimos con tejido no tejido (TNT): T1-Empaqueta flor, T2-Embolsado de los racimos con frutos de 1,5 cm de diámetro, T3-Embolsado de los racimos con frutos de 3,0 cm de diámetro, T4-Racimos no embolsados (control). Las variaciones en los parámetros de color (brillo y ángulo de tono) y firmeza no comprometieron la calidad del fruto cuando se embolsaba en la etapa de flor (T1) o cuando los frutos tenían 1,5 cm de diámetro (T2). Los otros parámetros (acidez titulable, sólidos solubles totales, carotenoides totales, licopeno y ß-caroteno) no mostraron cambios en comparación con el control. Embolsar racimos de tomate cuando se realizan en la etapa de flor o cuando los frutos tienen alrededor de 1,5 cm de diámetro no cambia la calidad poscosecha.

ABSTRACT The possibility of cultivation without the use of chemical insecticides or reduction thereof, associated with the requirements of consumers has motivated growers to return to the practice of bagging fruit, but it is possible that this technique causes changes in the visual and organoleptic characteristics of fruits. The objective of this study was to evaluate possible changes in postharvest characteristics in ‘Valerin’ tomato fruits produced inside nonwoven bags (TNT) and validate the best period for bagging. The fruits came from commercial cultivation of tomato plants, located in “Ubajara”, “Ceará” State, Brazil. The experiment design used 2 × 4 factorial randomized blocks with five repetitions. The factors considered two types of insecticide use: 1-Plants treated with insecticides and 2-Plants not treated with insecticides, and four ways to bag the bunches with nonwoven fabric (TNT): T1-Bagging flower, T2-Bagging the bunches with fruits with a 1.5 cm diameter, T3-Bagging the bunches with fruits with a 3.0 cm diameter, and T4-Bunches not bagged (control). Variations in color parameters (brightness and hue angle) and firmness did not compromise the fruit quality when bagging was conducted in the flower stage (T1) or when the fruits had a 1.5 cm diameter (T2). The other parameters (titratable acidity, total soluble solids, total carotenoids, lycopene and ß-carotene) showed no change when compared to the control. Bagging the tomato bunches in the flower stage or when the fruits had a 1.5 cm diameter did not change the postharvest quality.

O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a interação entre o fungo Botryosphaeria dothidea e maçãs cv. Fuji por meio da técnica de Differential Display RT-PCR. O cDNA de frutos infectados e não infectados pelo fungo foi amplificado com uma combinação de 15 oligonucleotídeos iniciadores. Foram isolados 400 fragmentos de cDNA diferencialmente expressos, dos quais 120 foram sequenciados e comparados com sequências disponíveis no GenBank, por meio do programa BLASTX. As sequências obtidas foram similares à metalotioninas, profilina alergênica, proteína de resistência e fosfatase.

The aim of this study was to investigate the interaction between the Botryosphaeria dothidea fungi and 'Fuji' apples using the Differential Display RT-PCR technique. The cDNA of infected and non infected fruits by the fungus was amplified using a combination of 15 primers. Four hundred fragments of differentially expressed cDNA were isolated, and 120 of them were sequenced and compared with available sequences at GenBank database, using BLASTX software. Obtained sequences were similar to methalothionines, an allergenic profiline, a resistance linked protein, and a phosphatase.

Objetivou-se avaliar a influência dos fitorreguladores ANA (ácido naftaleno acético) e BAP (benzilaminopurina), no aumento do ângulo de inserção de ramos jovens em macieira. O experimento foi conduzido em um pomar comercial da região de Lages-SC, utilizando-se das cultivares Imperial Gala e Fuji, sobre porta-enxerto Marubakaido, testando diferentes doses de fitorreguladores e o arqueamento convencional. Os fitorreguladores foram aplicados com auxílio de algodão, na inserção entre os ramos e o caule, na parte superior dos ramos em crescimento. Os resultados evidenciaram que ANA teve um efeito positivo no arqueamento de ramos, nas doses de 200 a 500 ppm, mas a prática convencional para aumentar o ângulo de inserção dos ramos, através do uso de palitos, continua sendo o melhor método de arqueamento.

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the influence of the growth regulators NAA (naftalen acetic acid) and BAP (benzilaminopurin), in the increase of the angle of insertion of the branches in apple trees. The experiment was driven in a commercial orchard area of Lages/SC, where has been cultivated Imperial Gala and Fuji cultivars on rootstock Marubakaido, testing different doses of the regulators compared with the conventional bending. The regulators were applied with cotton aid, in the superior part of the branches in growth, in the insertion between the branch and the stem. The results evidenced that, even NAA tends to have a good effect in the bending of branches, in the doses of 200 to 500 ppm, the conventional practice to increase the angle of insertion of the branches, through the use of toothpicks, continues being the best bending method.