Carlos Alberto Scapim

MELHORAMENTO DO TOMATEIRO: II. PROCEDIMENTO DE GARDNER E EBERHART NA ANÁLISE HETERÓTICA DE CARACTERÍSTICAS MORFOAGRONÔMICAS E DA QUALIDADE DOS FRUTOS

Tomato cultivars Ângela I.5100, Floradade, IPA-05, Jumbo AG-592, Santa Clara and their diallel crosses, not including reciprocals, were evaluated as to ten morphologycal and five fruit quality traits, using Gardner and Eberharts methodology. Enough variability among parental was detected for the majority of the studied traits. The results clearly indicated that significant increases in total carotenoid and beta-carotene contents are to be expected in crosses involving Ângela I.5100, Floradade and Jumbo AG-592 while the cross AG-592 x Ângela I.5100 is the most proper for increases in vitamin C content. Taking into account all the characters tested, cultivar Ângela I.5100, Floradade and Santa Clara showed the best potentials for plant breding purposes.

Insecticide Treatment and Physiological Quality of Seeds

The use of high-quality seeds enhances the probability of success of a crop. Another important factor is the use of techniques which target the improvement of seed field performance. Applications (seed dressing) of fungicides, inoculants, insecticides and micronutrients on seeds are practices most used by farmers for several years. These products have provided more favorable conditions to crop’s growth as well as its development. Chemical treatment on seeds have been one of the most common techniques in use on current farming due to its low-cost technology, low-environmental impact, and, in general, a significant effect on yield (Zambolim, 2005). High quality seed is one of the essential prerequisites to achieve higher crop productivity. Seed physiological quality is influenced by genetic traits inherited from their parent trees, as well as germination and vigor, which are affected by environmental conditions, harvesting methods, drying process, processing, storage and packing (Zambolim, 2005). Nevertheless, storage of insecticide treated seeds may cause significant reduction on both germination and vigor as demonstrated by a number of authors (Bittencourt et al., 2000); (Gotardo et al., 2001). This fact might be related to deterioration caused by the use of insecticides, which induce the formation of free radicals and subsequent oxidative stress (Braguini, 2005). Chemical treatment on seeds has become an important procedure on agricultural production by a number of reasons. Firstly, by using this kind of treatment, many pest insects attacking not only seeds but also in some cases the aerial part of plants can be efficiently controlled. Secondly, these products can be handled in either protected or controlled environment regardless of climatic conditions, therefore, reducing additional and unwanted machinery movement in the land for cultivation. These arguments are added to the fact that, in that referred kind of treatment; small quantities of products are used per area unit, which implies lower risks of environmental contamination. In addition, chemical treatment is a procedure of simple implementation and low cost (Goulart, 1999; Machado, 2000).

COMPARAÇÃO DE TESTADORES NA AVALIAÇÃO DA CAPACIDADE DE COMBINAÇÃO DE FAMÍLIAS S2 DE MILHO-PIPOCA

The large-scale production of Baculovirus to control fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, presents many limitations. The most important limiting factor is that the baculovirus, which infects fall armyworm, causes liquefaction of the integument immediately after death. This disruption of the integument difficultates the large scale production because dead insect must be frozen before being harvested. This fact implies in high lab work need, increasing the cost of the biopesticide. This problem was overcome by the discovery of a new baculovirus nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV) isolate in Cascavel/PR, that doesn’t cause liquefaction of the integument (isolate 6NR) immediately after the insect death. This is an extremely important factor in a large-scale baculovirus production. In addition, mortality caused by isolate 6NR on 6-day-old-larvae was above 93% (SEM=0.7%), the average weight dead larva was 116.21 mg (SEM=22.9), the larval equivalent and weight equivalent/ha were 15.04 g (SEM=1.2) and 140.32 larvae (SEM=20.1), respectively.

Soybean Seeds Produced in Out Season in West of Paraná State – Brazil

The soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill], a legume cultivated by the Chinese during approximately 5000 years, was introduced in Brazil by the end of the 19th century, with great agricultural repercussions as from the end of the 1940s (Marcos Filho et al., 1982). Since it is a vastly applicable species, it has been cultivated extensively throughout the country and at present is one of the main agricultural activities with great relevance in agribusiness. In fact, huge investments have been made and high technological progress has been developed for the increase of its production. In fact, soybean culture growth in the 1970s has changed the style of traditional agricultural activities in Brazil with developments in production based on modern policies in agriculture and prime matter processing industries. Soybean culture was the main trigger within the Brazilian concept of agribusiness not merely in production volume and in economical aspects in the production chain, but also within the business vision of the rural entrepreneur, suppliers of fertilizers and agro-industrial products so that the sector’s competitive advantages may be maintained and broadened. Soybean is of great importance in the Brazilian production system especially in grain production and in exports mainly for the Chinese market. In the 2008-2009 harvest, soybean world production reached 210.6 billion tons in an area of 96.3 million hectares. However, the USA is the greatest world soybean producer with 80.5 million tons and a cultivated area of 30.2 million hectares, featuring a mean productivity of 2,666 kg ha-1. Brazil comes second with a production of 57.1 million tons and a cultivated area of 21.7 million hectares, featuring a mean productivity of 2,629 kg ha-1 (Companhia Nacional de Abastecimento, 2010). It is expected that the 2009-2010 harvest will reach 64.7 millions of tons. Soybean is produced in all Brazilian states. The state of Mato Grosso is currently the prime producer, featuring 17.963 million tons in an area of 5.8 million hectares and a mean productivity rate of 3,082 kg ha-1; the state of Parana comes next, with a production of 9.510 millions of tons in an area of 4.1 million hectares and mean productivity of 2,337 kg ha-1 (Companhia Nacional de Abastecimento, 2010). Such world and national production rate is due to the fact that the legume is the main source of oil production and vegetal protein for human nutrition. It should further be