ABSTRACT Beetroot, when cultivated in hot regions such as the Brazilian semi-arid, is subjected to various stressful environmental factors that can negatively impact its productivity and quality. Silicon is an element known for its ability to mitigate damage caused by both abiotic and biotic stressors and is recognized as a productivity and quality enhancer in agricultural crops. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of silicon application on the agronomic performance of the beet crop. The experimental design used was a randomized block design in a 5 x 2 factorial arrangement with four replications, comprising five silicon doses (0.0; 0.9; 1.8; 2.7, and 3.6 kg ha-1) and two table beet cultivars (Fortuna and Maravilha). The assessed variables included plant height, number of leaves per plant, polar and equatorial diameter of the tuberous root, tuberous root, shoot and total dry matter mass, commercial, non-commercial, and total productivity, as well as quality assessment of the root with determinations of pH, vitamin C, titratable acidity, and total soluble sugars. A silicon dose of 2.56 kg ha-1 promoted optimal root development in the Fortuna cultivar; however, silicon application at all tested doses reduced the levels of soluble sugars, while a dose of 3.6 kg ha-1 increased total titratable acidity. In contrast, silicon did not infl uence root development in the Maravilha cultivar, but an application of 3.13 kg ha-1 increased the total soluble sugar content by 86.13%. Beetroot semiarid, semiarid semi arid, arid semi-arid crops Therefore crop replications 0.0 00 0 (0.0 0.9 09 9 1.8 18 1 8 27 7 2.7 36 3 6 3. ha1 ha Maravilha. . Maravilha) height mass commercial noncommercial, noncommercial non non-commercial pH C acidity sugars 256 56 2.5 ha- cultivar however contrast 313 13 3.1 8613 86 86.13% 0. (0. 1. 2. 25 31 861 86.13 (0 86.1 ( 86.

RESUMO O alho é uma hortaliça rica em amido e substâncias aromáticas de alto valor condimentar, podendo ser consumida tanto na forma in natura quanto industrializada. A exigência do mercado consumidor vem crescendo nos últimos anos, sendo o alho-semente livre de vírus uma das tecnologias capazes de proporcionar um produto final de melhor qualidade comercial. Com o objetivo de avaliar a qualidade de alho livre de vírus sob condições de elevada altitude no semiárido nordestino, três experimentos foram desenvolvidos em 2018 em Portalegre-RN. No primeiro experimento, utilizaram-se cultivares de alho livre de vírus (LV) de primeira geração (G1); no segundo, os cultivares LV de segunda geração (G2) e no terceiro, os cultivares que não passaram pela limpeza clonal (infectados). O delineamento experimental empregado, nos três experimentos, foi em blocos casualizados com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos pelos cultivares Amarante, Branco Mossoró, Cateto Roxo, Gravatá e Hozan. O alho-semente LV proporcionou maior diâmetro do bulbo, sólidos solúveis, sólidos totais, pungência e rendimento industrial, demonstrando que a sanidade do material propagativo é relevante na qualidade do alho para o consumo industrial. Para sólidos totais sobressaíram-se os cultivares Amarante, Cateto Roxo e Hozan, sendo esse último se destacado em diâmetro de bulbo, sólidos solúveis, pungência e índice industrial. Houve correlações positivas entre diâmetro de bulbos, pungência e índice industrial, e sólidos solúveis, pungência e índice industrial.

ABSTRACT Garlic is a vegetable rich in starch and in aromatic substances; it has high value as a spice and is consumed as a fresh vegetable or in processed products. The garlic market demand has been growing in the last years, and virus-free garlic seed is a technology that can result in better quality products. The objective of this work was to evaluate the quality of virus-free garlic cultivars (VFGC) grown under high altitude conditions in the Semiarid region of the Northeast of Brazil. Three experiments were conducted in 2018 in Portalegre, state of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil: the first experiment with first-generation VFGC (G1), the second with second-generation VFGC (G2), and the third with infected cultivars (without clonal cleaning). The experiments were conducted in randomized block experimental design, with four replications. The treatments consisted of five garlic cultivars (Amarante, Branco-Mossoró, Cateto-Roxo, Gravatá, and Hozan). The use of virus-free garlic seeds results in bulbs with larger diameter and higher soluble solid and total solid contents, pungency, and industrial yield, showing that the seed health is important for the quality of garlics for fresh consumption and industrial processing. The cultivars Amarante, Cateto -Roxo, and Hozan had the highest total solid contents; and the cultivar Hozan had the largest bulb diameter and the highest soluble solid contents, pungency, and industrial index. The cultivar Hozan is the most indicated for dehydration due to its higher industrial index. Bulb diameter, pungency, and industrial index presented positive correlations with soluble solids, pungency, and industrial index.

RESUMO A cobertura do solo com materiais de origem vegetal é uma prática cultural tradicional na cultura do alho, especialmente entre pequenos produtores. O uso de alho-semente livre de vírus é uma tecnologia recente utilizada em várias regiões produtoras de alho do Brasil, por possibilitar a exploração do máximo potencial produtivo dos cultivares. O experimento foi desenvolvido de maio a setembro de 2018, em campo, com o objetivo de avaliar o uso da cobertura morta em cultivares de alho precoce em condições semiáridas. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos casualizados com quatro repetições, em parcelas subdivididas. As parcelas foram representadas pelos tratamentos com e sem cobertura morta, e as subparcelas pelos cultivares de alho livre de vírus (Araguari, Cateto Roxo, Canela de Ema, Centralina, Gravatá) e infectado Branco Mossoró. A cobertura morta do solo não influencia na altura e número de folhas, porém promove aumentos na produtividade total e comercial dos cultivares, com destaque para Gravatá, indicando que o uso dessa prática é importante na obtenção de bulbos com maior valor comercial; Os cultivares Branco Mossoró, Canela de Ema e Centralina com, maior número de bulbilhos por bulbo, são mais indicados para as condições climáticas da região.

ABSTRACT Soil cover with plant residues is a traditional cultural practice in garlic crops, mainly among small producers. Virus-free garlic seeds is a recent technology used in several garlic producing regions of Brazil; it enables the maximum exploration of the productive potential of cultivars. A field experiment was developed from May to September 2018 with the objective of evaluating the use of mulching in early garlic cultivars in semiarid conditions. A randomized block experimental design was used, with a split-plot arrangement and four replications; the plots consisted of treatments with and without mulch in the plots, and the subplots consisted virus-free garlic cultivars (Araguari, Cateto Roxo, Canela de Ema, Centralina, and Gravatá) and an infected cultivar (Branco Mossoró). The soil mulch did not affect the plant height and number of leaves, but promoted increases in total and commercial yields of the cultivars, especially the Gravatá, indicating that the use of this practice is important to obtain bulbs with higher commercial value; the cultivars Branco Mossoró, Canela de Ema, and Centralina had higher number of cloves per bulb and, thus, are more indicated for the climatic conditions of the region.