ABSTRACT. The fungus Monilinia fructicola, which causes brown rot in fruits, is one of the main peach pathogens. The emergence of fungicide-resistant fungus isolates, as well as the attempt to reduce sprays, favors adoption of other control strategies. Among them, one of the most important is genetic resistance. This study was carried out aiming to evaluate the susceptibility of 16 peach and 4 nectarine genotypes to brown rot, as well as to evaluate how well the sporulation area and diameter correlate with number of spores in the lesions. Both wounded and non-wounded fruits were inoculated with 10 μL of M. fructicola suspension. Wounded fruits from all genotypes (nectarines and peaches) showed susceptibility to M. fructicola, from 92 to 100% of incidence. The disease incidence was between 18 and 100% when non-wounded fruits were inoculated. High variability was detected for the fungus sporulation, in both wounded and non-wounded fruits, with ranges between 16 to 96% and 0 to 94%, respectively. The fungus sporulation was variable among the genotypes (between 0.1 to 96.0 conidia per mm2) and it is positively correlated with the diameter and area of sporulation. The genotypes Conserva 947, Conserva 1662, Conserva 672, Conserva 1600, and 'Bolinha', are the ones with less susceptible to brown rot.

ABSTRACT. Because of climatic changes, the cultivation of temperate climate plants such as peach in subtropical climates has become a challenge. In these areas, temperatures exceeding 25°C often occur during the pre-flowering and flowering phases. The high temperature causes damages by acting during the early stages of pollen-pistil interaction processes. The objective of this work was to evaluate the stigmatic receptivity of peach flowers at 18°C and 30°C. The pollen adherence was evaluated as well as the germination and presence of pollen tubes in the transmitting tissue of the style. The genotypes responded differently to temperature. ‘Granada,’ ‘Diamante’, and ‘Sensação’ had a stigmatic receptivity that was less affected when flowers were exposed to the higher temperature. Most genotypes showed a reduction in the number of pistils with pollen tubes growing in the style, particularly when pollination was delayed.

RESUMO No Brasil as cultivares de morangueiro utilizadas, são oriundas de programas de melhoramento genético de outros países, e apresentam características sensoriais que atendem à demanda do local de origem. Além disto, essas características podem ser variáveis com as condições de clima e solo, bem como, com o sistema de cultivo adotado, sendo de grande importância a avaliação desses materiais no local de cultivo. O objetivo do trabalho foi caracterizar sensorialmente morangos das cultivares Camarosa, Diamante, Aromas, Ventana, Albion, Camino Real, Earlibrite e Festival produzidas em Pelotas-RS. Para tanto, os frutos foram avaliados quanto à aparência, textura e sabor através do Método Descritivo Quantitativo, por uma equipe composta de oito provadores treinados. A cultivar Camino Real mostrou melhor coloração enquanto a 'Earlibrite' se caracterizou pela maior intensidade de brilho e a 'Camarosa' exibiu maior quantidade de defeitos, o que resultou em comprometimento da qualidade visual. A Cultivar Albion, seguida da Ventana e da Camino Real apresentou frutos de qualidade superior às demais, além de ter mostrado boas características sensoriais ao serem produzidas na região de Pelotas.

ABSTRACT The strawberry cultivars used in Brazil are from breeding programs of other countries, and have sensory characteristics that meet the demand of the place of origin. Furthermore, these characteristics may vary with the climate and soil conditions, as well as with the cropping system, for these reasons is very important to evaluate the materials in place of cultivation. The objective was to perform the sensory characterization of the strawberry cultivars Camarosa, Diamante, Aromas, Ventana, Albion, Camino Real, Earlibrite and Festival produced in Pelotas, Brazil. So, the fruits were evaluated for appearance, texture and flavor through the quantitative descriptive analysis, by a team of eight trained panelists. Camino Real Cultivar showed the best color while 'Earlibrite' was characterized by the highest brightness intensity whereas Camarosa exhibited the greatest number of defects, resulting in impairment of visual quality. The cultivar Albion, followed by Ventana and Camino Real presented fruits with superior quality than the others, and they showed good sensory characteristics when produced in Pelotas region.

O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar o efeito da composição de diferentes substratos na produção de mudas de mirtileiro. Foram utilizadas mudas da cultivar 'Georgiagem', oriundas de multiplicação in vitro. Foram utilizados sete diferentes substratos, os quais são: T1 - Plantmax® (100%); T2 - Plantmax® + perlita (1:1); T3 - Solo + matéria orgânica + perlita (1:1:1); T4 - solo + casca de arroz (1:1); T5 - solo + composto industrial + vermiculita (1 :1:1); T6 - casca de acácia + solo (1:1); T7 - acícula de pinus + solo - (1:2). O substrato acícula de pinus + solo, seguido pelos substratos Plantmax®, casca de acácia + solo e casca de arroz + solo promoveram maior acúmulo de massa seca da parte aérea e raízes. Os substratos solo + composto industrial + Perlita e Solo + composto industrial + vermiculita, com pH alcalino, apresentaram menor produção de massa seca e menores concentrações de Fe, Mn, Zn, N e P. Os substratos acícula de pinus, casca de acácia + solo, casca de arroz + solo e Plantmax® com ou sem perlita, mostraram-se os mais adequados para a produção de mirtileiro, cultivar 'Georgiagem'.

The research aimed to evaluate the effect of the composition of different substrate on the production of blueberry seedlings. The seedlings used were highbush, 'Georgiagem' from in vitro multiplication. Seven different substrate were used: T1 - Plantmax® (100%); T2 - Plantmax® + perlita (1:1); T3 - soil + composed industrial + perlita (1:1:1); T4 - soil + rice husks (1:1); T5 - soil + composed industrial + vermiculite (1:1:1); T6 - acácia bark + soil (1:1); T7 - pine needle mulch + soil (1:2). The substrate pine needle mulch + soil, followed by the substrate Plantmax®, acácia bark + soil and soil/rice husks + soil, which promoted greater dry mass of roots and shoots. The substrate Soil + composed industrial + perlita and soil + composed industrial + vermiculite, pH alkaline, showed lower production of dry matter and lower concentrations of Fe, Mn, Zn, N and P. Pine needle mulch + soil, soil + rice husks, acácia bark + soil and the substrate Plantmax® with or without perlita g were the most suitable r for the production of blueberry seedlings, cultivar 'Georgiagem'.

A propagação da amoreira-preta pode ser feita através de estacas de raiz, lenhosas ou herbáceas, ou através de técnicas de cultura de tecidos. Entretanto, pouco se sabe sobre o crescimento e desenvolvimento inicial de mudas micropropagadas de amoreira-preta. Sendo assim, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o desenvolvimento inicial de plantas micropropagadas de amoreira-preta, previamente aclimatizadas, provenientes do laboratório de cultura de tecidos da Embrapa Clima Temperado, Pelotas-RS. O tratamento avaliado foi o fator cultivar, sendo Guarani, Tupy, Xavante e Seleções avançadas 6 e 12, com quatro repetições, sendo cada unidade experimental composta por cinco plantas, 25 plantas por bloco, totalizando 100 plantas. Após 52 dias em casa de vegetação (25-01-2007), as plantas foram retiradas dos sacos de plástico, e tiveram seu sistema radicular lavado e seccionado na altura do colo, sendo avaliadas as variáveis número de folhas altura da parte aérea e comprimento do sistema radicular (cm), medidos do colo ao ápice da maior ramificação e do colo ao ápice da maior raiz, respectivamente e peso da massa fresca e seca da parte aérea e da raiz (g). Nas condições em que o trabalho foi realizado, a seleção 6 e a cultivar Guarani apresentaram, respectivamente, o maior número médio de folhas. O maior comprimento médio da parte aérea das plantas de amoreira-preta foi observado na cultivar Tupy. Não houve diferença significativa para o comprimento médio do sistema radicular bem como para a massa fresca e seca da parte aérea e do sistema radicular entre as cultivares e seleções avançadas de amoreira-preta.to inicial expexpresso em comprimento de haste e, consequentemente, maior vigor durante esta fase, podendo assim ser indicada como material com maiores possibilidades de sucesso para implantação de um pomar de amoreira-preta em comparação aos demais materiais estudados.

The blackberry propagation can be done through root cuttings, woody or herbaceous stem cuttings, or through tissue culture techniques. However, little is known about the initial growth and development of micro propagated blackberry seedlings. The aim of this work was to evaluate the initial development of micro propagated blackberry plants, previously acclimatized, obtained from the laboratory of tissue culture of Embrapa Temperate Climate, Pelotas, Brazil. Three cultivars and two thornless advanced selections (Selection 6 and 12) were evaluated in a randomized block design with four replications and five plants per plot. After 52 days in a greenhouse (01/25/2007), the plants were removed from the plastic bags and had their roots washed and sectioned. The following variables were evaluated; number of leaves; shoot length (cm), measured from the top to the button of the largest branch of the colon; root length (cm) measured from the crown to the longest root apex; fresh and dry weight of shoot and root (g). Under the conditions of this experiment, the selection 6 and cultivar Guarani had, respectively, the highest average number of leaves on 01/25/07. The highest average length of the aerial part of the blackberry plants was observed in cultivar Tupy. There was no significant difference on the average length of roots fresh and dry weight of shoots and roots among cultivars and advanced selections of blackberry. Under the conditions of this trial, it can be concluded that cv. Tupy has a higher growth, expressed by cane length. As a result, it has lager vigor during this phase and can be recommended for new blackberries plantings as the cultivar with better chances of success, among all the tested ones, during the present trial.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o comportamento fenológico, a produtividade e a qualidade de oito cultivares de mirtilo do grupo rabbiteye (Bluegem, Bluebelle, Powderblue, Florida, Delite, Briteblue, Climax e Woodard), na região de Pelotas, RS. O trabalho foi realizado durante os ciclos produtivos de 2003/2004, 2004/2005 e 2005/2006. As plantas foram dispostas no pomar em blocos varietais aleatórios, com 16 plantas por cultivar, no total de quatro linhas, com duas cultivares por linha. Para a análise das características dos frutos, a média de cada ano de avaliação foi considerada como uma repetição. Foram observadas as datas de início e fim da floração, início e final de colheita, massa, diâmetro longitudinal dos frutos, número de frutos por planta, teor de sólidos solúveis totais, produção média por planta e produtividade estimada por hectare. Não houve diferença entre as cultivares avaliadas quanto às características massa, diâmetro médio de frutos e teores de sólidos solúveis totais. Na região de Pelotas, há viabilidade técnica para o cultivo de mirtilo, cujas cultivares Bluebelle, Briteblue e Bluegem são as mais produtivas.

The aim of this work was to evaluate the yield and quality of blueberry cultivars from the rabbiteye group (Bluegem, Bluebelle, Powderblue, Florida, Delite, Briteblue, Climax and Woodard), in Pelotas County, Southern of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, during three growing seasons: 2003/2004, 2004/2005 and 2005/2006. The plants were set in randomized varietal blocks in the orchard, with 16 plants per cultivar, totaling four lines, with two cultivars per line. For statistic analysis of the fruits characteristics, each year of evaluation was considered as one repetition. The characteristics evaluated were the start and the end of flowering, beginning and end of harvest, mass, longitudinal diameter of fruits, number of fruit per plant, content of total soluble solids, average production by plant, and the estimated productivity per hectare. There was no difference among the cultivars evaluated for the characteristics mass, mean diameter of fruits and levels of total soluble solids. In the region of Pelotas, there is technical viability for growing blueberry, whose cultivars Bluebelle, Briteblue and Bluegem are the most productive.