Vivian Loges

Colheita, pós-colheita e embalagem de flores tropicais em Pernambuco

Pernambuco State produces tropical flowers (Heliconiaceae, Zingiberaceae, Costaceae, Araceae) mainly in the rain forest zone and coastal lands. The climatic conditions of the region favour the blooming and the obtaining of flowers with good color, size and quality. The flower industry in Pernambuco is organized in associations and cooperatives and has increased in the last 10 years, due to private and governmental investments, giving to the farmers financial aid, research support and capacitation for exporting. This work describes the procedures used during harvest and postharvest manipulation of tropical flowers, with the objective of helping growers to reach new market niches.

Genetic variability for agronomic characteristics in lettuce progenies with heat tolerance

Lettuce progenies with tolerance to early bolting were evaluated in relation to commercially desirable agronomic characters, as well as to estimate important genetic components for crop breeding. The experimental design was random blocks with three replications and 18 treatments (13 progenies F7, the genitors Verdinha, Regina, and Tinto, and cultivars Luisa and Baba de Verao). The genetic, phenotypic, and environmental variances, the heritability, and the correlation among the characters number of leaves, plant and leaves fresh weight, plant diameter, stem length, and bolting, were estimated. The F test was significant (p<0,01) for all the studied characteristics. In the clustering of means by the Scott-Knott test, at 5% probability, treatments were assembled in two groups, except for plant diameter, in which cultivar Tinto remained isolated in a third group. The genetic variance was higher than the environmental variance for all evaluated characteristics, and the heritability, below 90%, revealed the environmental influence over some characters. When bolting was correlated to the other characteristics, results were positive and significant for most combinations, considering the genetic correlations. Under these experimental conditions, progeny 76 stood out for its low stem length and reduced bolting index, although its commercial performance was inferior to the control cultivars, genitors, and some other progenies.

Resistência de cultivares e híbridos de cebola a tripes

Resistance to Thrips tabaci was estimated for onion cultivars ValeOuro IPA-11, Roxa IPA-3, Belem IPA-9, Texas Grano-502, Brownsville and Duquesa, and for the hybrids Dessex and Granex Ouro. The experiment was carried out under field conditions in Juazeiro, Bahia State, Brazil, without the use of chemical control. Leaf characters were evaluated at 26; 48 and 69 days after transplanting date (DAT), and yield characters were evaluated at 93 DAT. The experiment design was total randomized blocks with three replications. The cv. Duquesa showed the lowest number of immature forms of T. tabaci, which was associated with the lowest number of leaves and the largest degree of insertion between the central leaves, suggesting a nonpreference type of resistance. The cv. Duquesa and hybrids Granex Ouro and Dessex were mode\rately resistant to the thrips based on yield characters and on the number of immature forms of the insect.

Genetic study with Heliconia psittacorum and interspecific hybrids

Um estudo genetico sobre sete cultivares de H. psittacorum e hibridos interespecificos de Heliconia foi conduzido. O diâmetro da haste (DH) apresentou maior estimativa de herdabilidade (99,32 %), maior coeficiente de variacao genetica (56,90 %) e CVg/CVe (1,85), refletindo uma situacao favoravel para selecao. As correlacoes geneticas de DH com dias para emissao da inflorescencia (DEI) (0,64), periodo desde a emissao do perfilho ate a colheita da inflorescencia (CICLO) (0,63) e massa da haste (MH) (0,96), demonstram que, genotipos com hastes de diâmetro maior, apresentaram maior tempo da emissao a colheita da inflorescencia e maior massa da haste. O comprimento da inflorescencia (CI), DH e DEI foram os caracteres mais importantes, responsaveis por 99,55 % da variacao total. Os valores de repetibilidade foram acima de 0,60 para DH e CI e os coeficientes de determinacao acima de 93 % para DH, MH, DEI e CI.

Correlações entre caracteres agronômicos associados à resistência a tripes em cebola

Genotypic, phenotypic and environmental correlation between agronomic characteristics and Thrips tabaci resistance were determined in 62 half-sibs progenies of onion ValeOuro IPA-11 cultivar. The experiment was conducted under field conditions in Juazeiro, Bahia State, Brazil, with evaluations at 48; 69 and 93 days after transplant (DAT). Commercial bulb yield (PBC) presented genotypic correlation with leaf length (CF) (0,63**); leaf number (NTF) (0,74**); damaged leaf number (NFD) (0,74**); commercial bulb average weight (PMBC) (0,54**); commercial bulb yield (%BC) (0,61**); and non-commercial bulb yield (%BNC) (-0,63**). Genotypic correlations were observed in the number of ninfas of T. tabaci between two fully developed central leaves (NINFA), at 69 DAT and central leaf angle (ANG) (-0,76**); NTF (0,46**); %BC (-0,35**); and yield of unproductive plants (%I) (0,39**). These correlations indicate that lower NINFA numbers occur in plants with lower NTF and higher ANG. Lower NTF plants, on the other hand, have higher ANG (-0,92**). Never thelessNTF correlated positively with PBC, PMBC (0,45**) and %BC (0,43**). Positive genotypic correlations between NFD and PBC, PMBC (0,40**) and %BC (0,51**), imply that this population presents resistance through tolerance.

Storage of cut Heliconia bihai (L.) cv. Lobster Claw flowers at low temperatures

The postharvest conservation of cut Heliconia flowers is an important factor to the success of commercialization, especially with regard to exportation. In the present study, the maximal storage time of cut inflorescences of Heliconia bihai cv. Lobster Claw at two different temperatures (12 and 19 °C) was evaluated and compared to laboratory conditions (25 °C, control treatment). Changes in visual quality, fresh weight and bract color (L*, a* and b*) were determined. The visual quality of the inflorescences and fresh weight decreased with time in all treatments. Symptoms of chilling injury were observed on the inflorescences stored at 12 °C for six and eight days. Bract color was not affected by temperature, storage time or the senescence process. The results indicate that a temperature of 12 °C is not recommended for a storage time longer than four days, whereas 19 °C can be used for a storage time of up to eight days for cut inflorescences of H. bihai cv. Lobster Claw.

Caracteres de produção da cebola associados à resistência a tripes

The variability of yield characters associated to Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) resistance was estimated in 62 half-sib progenies of onion cv. ValeOuro IPA-11. The controls were the cvs. ValeOuro IPA-11 and the parentals Roxa IPA-3 and Belem IPA-9. The experiment was conducted in field conditions, in Juazeiro, Bahia State, Brazil, following a complete randomized block design, with three replications. The estimates of the parameters from the population of ValeOuro IPA-11 demonstrated high enviromental influence for all characters. The highest estimates of herdability and expected gain with 20% of selection pressure were, respectively, 35.74% and 10.39% for the production of commercial bulbs (PBC), 31.33% and -24.48% for percentage of unproductive plants (%I), 33.92% and -16.80% for production of non commercial bulbs (PBNC) and 30.31% and 13.18% for percentage of non commercial bulbs (%BNC). These characters seem to indicate better possibility of genetic progress with the selection. The characters mean infestation of immature T. tabaci on the two completely developed inner leaves (NINFA) present herdability of 18.24 and 21.34% and expected gain with 20% of selection pressure of 18.24 and -11.22% at 48 and 69 days after transplanting (DAT), respectively, indicating superior gains in selections at 69 DAT. Although NINFA were 31.96 insects, 45.16% of ValeOuro IPA-11 progenies demonstrated PBC values above the average, suggesting that tolerance may be the resistance mechanism.

Genetic Diversity Analysis of Heliconia psittacorum Cultivars and Interspecific Hybrids Using Nuclear and Chloroplast DNA Regions

Walma Nogueira Ramos Guimaraes1,*, Gabriela de Morais Guerra Ferraz1, Luiza Suely Semen Martins2, Luciane Vilela Resende3, Helio Almeida Burity4 and Vivian Loges1 1Department of Agronomy, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, 2Department of Biology, Biochemical Genetics Laboratory/Genome, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, 3Department of Agronomy, Federal University of Lavras, Minas Gerais, 4Agronomic Research Institute of Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil

Interaction and distribution of beetles (Insecta: Coleoptera) associated with Heliconia bihai (Heliconiaceae) inflorescences

Abstract The insect fauna associated with the genus Heliconia (Heliconiaceae) is quite diversified and includes terrestrial and aquatic species. In plants with an upright inflorescence, the bracts may form phytotelmata. Insects are one of the main taxa that have adapted to phytotelmata environments, including species of Diptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Dermaptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera, and Odonata, among other orders. The Coleoptera fauna associated with phytotelmata is poorly studied, and the objective of this study was therefore to determine the distribution of beetles in Heliconia bihai (L.) (Zingiberales: Heliconiaceae) bracts in cultivated and uncultivated areas in northeastern Brazil. In addition, we describe their functional relationships. With respect to the coleopteran assemblage, 6 families were found in both areas and 3 were found only in the uncultivated Heliconia. The most abundant and frequently occurring family in both areas was Hydrophilidae, represented by a single species, Pelosoma lafertei (Mulsant) (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae). Staphylinidae were the second most abundant and the second most frequently occurring family. The detritivores were most abundant (6 species), followed by herbivores (3 species), and predators (2 species). Abundance and richness were higher in the uncultivated area. Temperature and pH were the main factors affecting the coleopteran assemblages. A high acidity indicates an environment rich in organic matter, the main food source in phytotelmata environments.

Temporal stability of Heliconia spp. flower stem production

The instability of heliconia flower stem production may be related to climatic variation. Therefore, that information is very important for planning the species production throughout Brazil, mainly in northeast region. The objective of this work was analyzed the previous effects of photoperiod, air temperature and precipitation in the flower stem production of Heliconia psittacorum cv. Red Opal, H. psittacorum x H. spathocircinata cv. Golden Torch, H. stricta cv. Fire Bird and H. rauliniana, and the monthly temporal stability. The flower stems with two to three open bracts were harvested twice a week between May, 2004 and March, 2012 from a field in Camaragibe – PE, Rain Forest Zone of Pernambuco, Brazil. Pearson’s linear correlation demonstrate flower stem production occur in response to the environment stimulus. H. rauliniana inflorescence initiation response mainly to the shortest photoperiod and cv. Fire Bird to highest photoperiod. Production of the cv. Golden Torch was more stable in April, with reduction in September (39.46%) and an increase in December (87.02%), compared with the annual average. The cv. Red Opal produced more in September (31.43%), with a reduction in February (44.8%) and stable in July. H. rauliniana production was stable in September and increase in November (274.8%). The cv. Fire Bird production was stable in April, with the lowest production in November and the highest in March (65%). With this information is possible to predict the cultivar production in the Rain Forest Zone of Pernambuco State, Brazil