Resumo: O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do desponte de ramos e do raleio manual realizado em diferentes estágios de desenvolvimento de flores e frutos sobre a produção e a qualidade dos frutos do pessegueiro (Prunus persica) 'BRS Kampai'. O experimento foi realizado durante três safras nas condições da Depressão Central do Rio Grande do Sul, e os tratamentos foram: T1, desponte da metade do ramo misto; T2, desponte de um terço do ramo misto; T3, raleio de flor no estádio de balão rosado; T4, raleio na plena floração; T5, raleio do fruto com 5 mm; T6, raleio do fruto com 20 mm; e T7, sem desponte ou raleio (testemunha). Avaliaram-se a produção e a qualidade dos frutos. Plantas sem raleio foram mais produtivas, mas com alta frequência de frutos com diâmetro inferior a 60 mm. O desponte reduziu a produção por planta e ocasionou frutos pequenos. A época de raleio não afetou a produção, e o diâmetro dos frutos foi maior quando o raleio foi realizado durante a floração. Pessegueiros 'BRS Kampai' podem ser raleados a partir da floração, o que proporciona maior tamanho dos frutos, sem reduzir a produção.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of shoot heading and of hand thinning in different development stages of flowers and fruits on the fruit production and quality of 'BRS Kampai' peach (Prunus persica) trees. The experiment was performed during three crop years, under the conditions of the “Depressão Central” region in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, and the treatments were: T1, heading of half of the mixed shoot; T2, heading of one third of the mixed shoot; T3, flower thinning in the pink bud stage; T4, thinning at full bloom; T5, thinning of fruit with 5 mm; T6, thinning of fruit with 20 mm; and T7, no thinning or heading (control). Fruit production and quality were evaluated. Plants with no thinning were more productive, but showed high frequency of fruits with a diameter smaller than 60 mm. Shoot heading reduced production per tree and resulted in small-sized fruit. Thinning time did not affect production, and fruit size was greater when thinning was performed at the bloom stage. 'BRS Kampai' peach trees can be thinned starting at bloom, which provides greater fruit size, with no production loss.

The objective of this study was to evaluate, using meta-analysis, the main factors related to post-weaning body weight and weight gain that affect pregnancy rate of heifers bred at 18 months of age. Data of 1398 beef heifers from six experiments were analyzed as a set. Information related to methodology and results of each experiment were codified in Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. The independent variables analyzed were: body weight at seven months of age (BW7M), daily weight gain from seven to 12 months (DWG7-12), body weight at 12 months of age (BW12M), daily weight gain from 12 to 15 months (DWG12-15), body weight at 15 months of age (BW15M), daily weight gain from 15 to 18 months (DWG15-18), daily weight gain from 7 to 18 months (DWG7-18) and body weight at 18 months of age (BW18M). The response variable was pregnancy rate (PR). Body weight at 18 months of age and DWG7-18 showed high correlation with PR and between each other. The other variables presented low correlation with PR. Body weight at first breeding and daily weight gain from seven to 18 months are the most important variables affecting the pregnancy rate of heifers bred at 18 months of age in the autumn. Weaning weight and weight gain during intermediate steps of the post-weaning period are not good predictors of pregnancy rate. Higher pregnancy rates can be obtained provided enough post-weaning weight gain and minimum body weight at first breeding are achieved, irrespective of when weight is gained.