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Abstract The interaction of genotype by environment challenges material selection for specific regions. The GGE biplot methodology proves to be effective in detecting and addressing this complexity. This study evaluated the performance of eight maize hybrids in three locations in the North/Northwest of Rio de Janeiro during the winter 2021–2021 and summer 2021–2022 crop seasons. The results were subjected to analysis of variance and Tukey’s test, and the GGE biplot analysis, performed represented more than 80% of the total variation. Commercial hybrids (single and double) were more productive and more. adaptable. In contrast, UENF interpopulation hybrids presented lower productivity but higher stability, with lower-cost seeds and being more accessible, especially for producers in the North/Northwest regions of Rio de Janeiro, also becoming the most suitable. The results highlight the importance of stability and adaptability in the selection of cultivars for common corn. The use of UENF hybrids is recommended to optimize production in the region, with the GGE biplot method showing effectiveness in identifying the best genotypes, indicating that the productivity results are consistent with the proportion of heterosis explored, demonstrating that simple hybrids are the most productive, followed by double and interpopulational hybrids.

Abstract Papaya (Carica papaya) is a trioecious species with female, male, and hermaphrodite plants. Given the sex segregation, selecting hermaphroditic plants is vital for orchard establishment due to their greater commercial value. However, selecting hermaphrodite plants through sexing is laborious and costly. Moreover, environmental stressors can exacerbate the issue by potentially inducing abnormal flower development, thus affecting fruit quality. Despite these challenges, the molecular mechanisms governing sex development in papaya remain poorly understood. Thus, this study aimed to identify proteins associated with sex development in female and hermaphrodite flowers of papaya through comparative proteomic analysis. Proteins from flower buds at the early and late developmental stages of three papaya genotypes (UENF-CALIMAN 01, JS12, and Sunrise Solo 72/12) were studied via proteomic analysis via the combination of the shotgun method and nanoESI-HDMSE technology. In buds at an early stage of development, 496 (35.9%) proteins exhibited significantly different abundances between sexes for the SS72/12 genotype, 139 (10%) for the JS12 genotype, and 165 (11.9%) for the UC-01 genotype. At the final stage of development, there were 181 (13.5%) for SS72/12, 113 (8.4%) for JS12, and 125 (9.1%) for UC-01. The large group of differentially accumulated proteins (DAPs) between the sexes was related to metabolism, as shown by the observation of only the proteins that exhibited the same pattern of accumulation in the three genotypes. Specifically, carbohydrate metabolism proteins were up-regulated in hermaphrodite flower buds early in development, while those linked to monosaccharide and amino acid metabolism increased during late development. Enrichment of sporopollenin and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathways characterizes hermaphrodite samples across developmental stages, with predicted protein interactions highlighting the crucial role of phenylpropanoids in sporopollenin biosynthesis for pollen wall formation. Most of the DAPs played key roles in pectin, cellulose, and lignin synthesis and were essential for cell wall formation and male flower structure development, notably in the pollen coat. These findings suggest that hermaphrodite flowers require more energy for development, likely due to complex pollen wall formation. Overall, these insights illuminate the molecular mechanisms of papaya floral development, revealing complex regulatory networks and energetic demands in the formation of male reproductive structures.

Abstract Despite the relevance of the global scenario regarding the papaya (Carica papaya L.) trade, there is still a limited number of papaya cultivars with different fruit patterns. Therefore, it is essential to explore the genetic variability at all levels of the germplasm used in the development of new papaya cultivars to meet its marketing goal. Thus, this study measured and explored the potential of genetic variability based on related to fruit quality traits, of a population of papaya lines in the F5 generation through several statistical analyzes. For this, 97 inbred lines obtained using the Single Seed Descent method, resulting from a cross between the JS-12 and Sekati genotypes, both with Formosa fruit pattern, were evaluated. Results indicated there was genetic variability in the fruit quality. The traits that most contributed to the variability were related to the fruit shape. The diverse population of 97 inbred papaya lines in the F5 generation showed promise for producing commercial-sized fruits in Formosa, Intermediate, and Solo patterns. Additionally, the selection of inbred papaya lines based on fruit shape using morpho-anatomical traits does not compromise physical and chemical parameters related to fruit quality.

Recent advancements in high-throughput phenotyping have led to the use of drones with RGB sensors for evaluating plant traits. This study explored the relationships between vegetation indices (VIs) with grain yield and morphoagronomic and physiological traits in maize genotypes. Eight maize hybrids, including those from the UENF breeding program and commercial varieties, were evaluated using a randomized block design with four replications. VIs were obtained at various stages using drones and Pix4D Mapper 4.7.5 software. Analysis revealed significant differences in morphoagronomic traits and photosynthetic capacity. At 119 days after planting (DAP), the RGB vegetation index VARI showed a significant correlation (r = 0.99) with grain yield. VARI also correlated with female flowering (r = −0.87), plant height (r = −0.79), 100-grain weight (r = −0.77), and anthocyanin concentration (r = −0.86). PCA showed a clear separation between local and commercial hybrids, explaining 46.7% of variance at 91 DAP, 52.3% at 98 DAP, 64.2% at 112 DAP, and 66.1% at 119 DAP. This study highlights the utility of VIs in maize phenotyping and genotype selection during advanced reproductive stages.

Abstract The objective of this work was to determine the total carotenoids, total phenolics, and antioxidant activity of 'UENF SD 08' (super-sweet corn) and to compare them with those of 'UENF50611' (field corn). The total carotenoid content was determined according to Rodriguez-Amaya, the total phenolic content by the Folin-Ciocalteau method, and the antioxidant activity by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical scavenging method. For 'UENF SD 08', the average values were: 936.76±16.34 µg 100 g−1 for carotenoids, 346.0±3.80 mg 100 g−1 for phenolics, and 45.53±0.01% for antioxidant activity. For UENF50611, the average values were: 1,173.38±21.66 µg 100 g−1 for carotenoids, 563.33±7.97 mg 100 g−1 for phenolics, and 59.82±0.11% for antioxidant activity. UENF50611 showed a higher antioxidant activity observed due to its higher levels of carotenoids and phenolic compounds; however, the values observed for the 'UENF SD 08' super-sweet corn are within the ranges already described in the literature. 'UENF SD 08' contains a lower concentration of carotenoids and phenolic compounds than 'UENF50611', its nonmutant genetic background. However, the super-sweet corn 'UENF SD 08' has agronomic advantages, is considered a source of the evaluated secondary metabolites, and its consumption can contribute to a diet with a higher content of antioxidants.

Abstract Papaya is a tropical and climacteric fruit that is recognized for its nutritional benefits and medicinal applications. Its fruits ripen quickly and show a drastic fruit softening, leading to great post-harvest losses. To overcome this scenario, breeding programs of papaya must invest in exploring the available genetic variation to continue developing superior cultivars with improved fruit quality traits. The objective of this study was to perform a whole-genome genotyping (WGG) of papaya, predict the effects of the identified variants, and develop a list of ripening-related genes (RRGs) with linked variants. The Formosa elite lines of papaya Sekati and JS-12 were submitted to WGG with an Illumina Miseq platform. The effects of variants were predicted using the snpEff program. A total of 28,451 SNPs having Ts/Tv (Transition/Transversion) ratio of 2.45 and 1,982 small insertions/deletions (InDels) were identified. Most variant effects were predicted in non-coding regions, with only 2,104 and 138 effects placed in exons and splice site regions, respectively. A total of 106 RRGs were found to be associated with 460 variants, which may be converted into PCR markers to facilitate genetic mapping and diversity studies and to apply marker-assisted selection (MAS) for specific traits in papaya breeding programs.

Abstract Objectives Many therapies have been proposed in order to investigate the mechanisms of neural repair associated with neurological diseases, including bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMC) transplantation. However, there is evidence that some encephalic injuries are less responsive to neural repair, such as, for example, cortical ablation. On the other hand, some models of cortical ablation have shown functional recovery after BMMC transplantation. Thus, it is relevant to expand the knowledge of BMMC transplantation-induced neuroplasticity in animal models, considering a promising approach for the rehabilitation of patients with neurological diseases. Using an experimental model of cerebral cortex ablation in adult male Wistar rats, which is known to be poorly responsive to neuroplasticity, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of BMMC on axonal sprouting in cortico-cortical and cortico-striatal pathways synaptic fields. An anterograde neurotracer was used to evaluate the distribution of axonal fibres. Results The results showed that BMMC were not able to significantly induce axonal sprouting in the evaluated synaptic fields. Our results reinforced the idea that cortical ablation may be less responsive to neuroplasticity and the beneficial effects of BMMC therapy depend on the particularities of a neural microenvironment intrinsic to a given cortical lesion.

ABSTRACT: In view of the need to increase genetic variability to obtain materials with a significant capacity to drought tolerance, this study conducted a cycle of a reciprocal recurrent selection of full-sib families of maize. To this end, 64 full-sib families of maize were evaluated in two environments according to their morpho-agronomic data in a randomized block design with two replicates. It were analyzed of Male flowering (MF); Female flowering (FF); Flowering interval (IF); days for flowering (DF); Plant height (PH); Ear height (EH); number of plants at the Stand (NPS); Number of broken plant (NBrP); Number of bedded plants (NBeP); Strawing (St); Ear length (EL); Ear diameter (ED); Ear number (EN); Prolificacy (Pr); Number of diseased ears (NDE); Number of ears attacked by pests (NEP); Ear weight (EW); Yield (YIE) and Total Chlorophyll Index (TCI). The analysis of variance was performed by the F test at 5% significance level, and also the evaluation of genetic parameters. Regarding morpho-agronomic data, the analysis of variance and the analysis of genetic parameters showed that there was no interaction genotype x environment with regard to the genetic variability among the families under study. Lastly, the final selection of the superior genotypes was made on the basis of the ranking of the 40 most productive families, from which, combined with the molecular data, the 30 most productive, most drought-tolerant, and most genetically diverse ones were selected to compose the next cycle of recurrent maize selection aiming water-stress tolerance.

ABSTRACT The goal of our study was to evaluate the nutritional potential of dented corn hybrids for silage production. We performed a two-location trial in which 19 dented corn hybrids and five corn controls grew in four randomized blocks within two experimental areas located in the Northern (Campos dos Goytacazes) and Northwestern (Itaocara) Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. We recorded yields of fresh and dry forage matter and yields of fresh and dry grain matter, as well as chemical composition variables. We interpreted variables by assuming a Normal distribution for yield variables and a Beta distribution for chemical composition and ratios. The SAS GLIMMIX procedure fitted the linear model under those assumptions. Dual-pool models fitted the gas production profiles generated by in vitro anaerobic fermentations. We used the nlme of R software to fit the dual-pool models and the information-theoretic approach to evaluate their quality of fit. We did a cluster analysis (NbClust of R) to group corn hybrids based on fresh and DM yields and kinetic parameters of in vitro gas production. Three clusters of corn hybrids stood out, their basic differences relied on fresh and DM yields. Nonetheless, the least-squares means for gas production characteristics among groups did not present disjoint confidence intervals. Therefore, we can infer that dented corn hybrids rank by forage yield, but not by forage quality, and recommend the most productive ones that consistently outstand in both locations (hybrids UENF-2203, UENF-2192, UENF-2193, and UENF-506-11).

Phosphorus is a non-renewable natural resource that will run out of reserves in the upcoming decades, making it essential to understanding the inheritance of nutrient use efficiency for selecting superior genotypes. This study investigated the additive and non-additive effects of commercially relevant traits for the popcorn crop (grain yield—GY, popping expansion—PE, and expanded popcorn volume per hectare—PV) in different conditions of phosphorus (P) availability in two locations in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Six S7 lines previously selected for P use—L59, L70, and P7, efficient and responsive; and L54, L75, and L80, inefficient and non-responsive—were used as testers in crosses with 15 progenies from the fifth cycle of intrapopulation recurrent selection of UENF-14, with adaptation to the North and Northwest regions of Rio de Janeiro State. Using the Griffing diallel analysis, P use efficiency was predominantly additive in the expression of PE, and non-additive effects were prominent for GY and PV. For obtaining genotypes that are efficient for phosphorus use, it is recommended that heterosis with parents that provide additive gene accumulation for PE be explored.

Popcorn is a food highly appreciated throughout the world, generating billions of dollars annually just in the North American market alone. Even in the face of the historical superiority of American hybrids, which occupy almost 100% of the grain production fields in Brazil, our researchers have been working to develop cultivars that combine important traits for the crop, such as tolerance to leaf diseases and high rates of grain yield and popping expansion. This work investigated the degree of genetic divergence among 40 diallel hybrids of popcorn, 16 parents and 6 elite controls using mixed models to discriminate superior materials to be adopted in the Brazilian agribusiness. Based on the individual Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) of each of the 15 variables analyzed, the Unweighted Pair-Group Method using Arithmetic Averages (UPGMA) and Tocher clusters were performed, and the study of Pearson correlation was carried out. The results pointed out that there is genetic variability among the genotypes evaluated and that the best candidates for composing superior genotypes are in the combination between the P10×L77 parents and/or between the P7 and L88 lines. Linear correlations showed that earlier flowering and taller genotypes exhibited an association with materials more tolerant to Exserohilum turcicum intensity.

Background Two endemic lycophyte species Isoetes cangae and Isoetes serracarajensis have been recently described in the State of Pará in the Amazon forest located in northern Brazil. Isoetes L. has survived through three mass extinctions. Plants are considered small-sized, heterosporous, and can display a great diversity of physiological adaptations to different environments. Thus, the current study aimed to estimate the genetic variation of the populations of I. cangae and I. serracarajensis to generate information about their different mechanisms for survival at the same geographical location that could point to different reproductive, adaptative and dispersal strategies and should be considered for effective conservation strategies. Methods The genetic diversity and population structure of I. cangae and I. serracarajensis were investigated using Inter Simple Sequence Repeat (ISSR) molecular markers. Total genomic DNA was isolated, and the genetic diversity parameters were calculated. Results The sixteen primers produced 115 reproducible bands, 87% of which were polymorphic. A high level of polymorphic loci (81.74% and 68.48%) and a high Shannon index (Sh = 0.376 and 0.289) were observed for I. cangae and I. serracarajensis, respectively. The coefficient of genetic differentiation between population areas (GST) showed a higher value in I. serracarajensis (0.5440). Gene flow was higher in I. cangae (1.715) and lower in I. serracarajensis populations (0.419). Overall, the results further show that I. serracarajensis and I. cangae are two species with considerable genetic variation and that these differences may reflect their habitats and modes of reproduction. These results should be considered in the development of effective conservation strategies for both species.

This study aimed to present the advancements in different breeding stages of super sweet corn (SS), from heterotic field corn populations to the single-cross of SS. Two parental field corn populations, four backcrossed SS populations, four SS intervarietal hybrids (SS-IH), eighteen SS single hybrids (SS-SCH) and two controls were evaluated in two environments over two crop years. The SS-IH and SS-SCH categories presented the highest ear yield, and SS-SCH presented the highest ear yield without husk (11.3 t ha-1). Although SS-SCH was the most productive category, it presented the lowest husk coverage quality. The ear yield and husk cover traits expressed the highest heterosis based on the midparents. The hybrid genotype categories (SS-SCH, SS-IH and controls) had the greatest ear length and diameter, as well as plant and ear height. It was possible to conclude that the techniques used to exploit heterosis are efficient in increasing SS yield but not husk coverage, since this trait requires productive parents. Single-crosses, such as LCSH-116 x LP8HS-129 and LCSH-116 x LP8HS-130, stood out as promising genotypes for registration since they recorded high husk coverage yield and quality.

ABSTRACT: The growing demand for quality of papaya by the domestic and international markets requires the development of genotypes that are capable of incorporating traits, such as high yield and fruit quality. This study estimated the genetic parameters and the specific combining ability of F4 papaya lines crossed to the SS-72/12 tester to identify genotypes with higher genetic value for hybrid production. We evaluated 169 treatments consisting of 62 topcross hybrid combinations, 97 F5 lines, and 10 controls in a 13 × 13 lattice design with five replicates and two plants per plot. The following traits were evaluated: plant height (PH), stem diameter (SD), first-fruit insertion height (FFIH), number of marketable fruits (NMF), number of deformed fruits (NDF), number of fruitless nodes (NFN), average fruit weight (FW), and yield (YLD). Differences p < 0.05 were found in most traits evaluated. The specific combining ability estimates indicate that hybrids formed by the cross between SS-72/12 tester and the following lines are promising, considering the multiple traits: UCLA08-088, UCLA08-101, UCLA08-071, UCLA08-014, UCLA08-025, UCLA08-028, UCLA08-122, UCLA08-055, UCLA08-026, and UCLA08-092. These hybrids meet the demands for domestic and international markets and may be available to producers as new papaya cultivars.

In support of breeding of papaya (Carica papaya), the disease incidence and severity of powdery mildew (Ovulariopsis caricicola) were evaluated in papaya genotypes. Two experiments in complete randomized blocks were carried out, one in the field and the other in a greenhouse. In field experiments, the lowest mean disease incidence was observed on the genotypes ‘Costa Rica’ and ‘Baixinho Super’, and the lowest mean disease severity on ‘Caliman M5’, ‘GTF’, ‘SH 11-08’, and ‘JS 11’. In the greenhouse experiment, the genotypes ‘Caliman M5’, ‘Golden’, ‘Kapoho Solo’, ‘Waimanalo’, ‘Mamão Bené’, ‘SH 12-07’, ‘JS 12’, and ‘GTF’ had the lowest mean incidence in at least one evaluation. On the other hand, for severity, the genotypes ‘Diva’, ‘Sunrise Solo 72/12’, ‘Kapoho Solo PA’, ‘Waimanalo’, ‘Maradol’, ‘Maradol GL’, ‘SH 15-04’, ‘FMV, ‘JS 12-4’, ‘SH 12-07’ and ‘Sekati FLM’ had the lowest means. These results indicate these genotypes for a possible use in breeding for reduction of powdery mildew intensity

Passiflora cristalina and Passiflora miniata are two new wild species found in the southern Amazon region. This study aimed to analyze the meiotic behavior of the two species, by meiotic analysis, meiotic index and pollen grain viability, using routine methodologies of the laboratory. By the meiotic analysis, the two species were diploid with 18 chromosomes, and nine bivalents were observed in diakinesis. Laggard chromosomes and fiber spindle problems were the abnormalities observed in both species. The recombination indices were 21.6 and 18.8 for P. cristalina and P. miniata, respectively. The most common abnormal post-meiotic products were triads. The meiotic index and the pollen grain viability for P. cristalina were 90.6% and 98.9%, respectively, and 91.6% and 82.2% for P. miniata, respectively. Based on the results, both species are fertile. Thus, gene transference to sour passion fruit by interspecific hybridization is possible in breeding programs.

This work aimed at introducing the characteristics of the passion fruit cultivar UENF Rio Dourado, developed from three cycles of recurrent selection, to the scientific community. The cultivar presents yield of 25 tons ha-1, mean values of 250 for number of fruits and 175g for fruit weight, providing a percentage increase in yield, number of fruits and fruit weight of 36%, 25% and 3%, respectively, when compared to the standard cultivar tested.

RESUMO Para iniciar um programa de melhoramento genético, a existência da variabilidade genética é essencial. Assim, a caracterização dos genótipos é o primeiro passo para adefinição da estratégia de melhoramento a ser adotada. Neste sentido, este trabalho teve como objetivo estudar a divergência genética, com base em caracteres morfoagronômicos, entre 19 acessos de abacaxizeiro (vAnanas comosusar. comosus) pertencentes à coleção ativa de trabalho da UNEMAT de Tangará da Serra (MT). Foram utilizados 52 descritores, sendo 31 descritores qualitativos e 21 quantitativos. Para aanálise dos dados, utilizou-se do coeficiente de coincidência simples, da distância euclidiana média padronizada e da análise conjunta por meio da distância de Gower. Pelos descritores avaliados, verificou-se amplavariabilidade entre os acessos de A. comosus var. comosus. A análise conjunta foi mais eficiente na representação da variabilidade genética entre os acessos avaliados. Sugerem-se os cruzamentos dos acessos 4; 5; 6; 7; 8; 13 e 19 com os acessos 3; 9; 10 e 11.

RESUMO O mamoeiro vem tornando-se uma das principais fruteiras cultivadas no Brasil dado ao grande mercado interno e ao crescente mercado de exportação. A demanda pela fruta fez crescer, nos últimos anos, as áreas de cultivo que lentamente se direcionam ao semiárido, e, com isso, cresce a necessidade de novas variedades melhoradas para o cultivo. Neste sentido, foram gerados híbridos de mamão pertencentes aos dois grupos heteróticos: Solo e Formosa,estes, avaliados consecutivamente ao longo do ciclo da cultura, tanto em um ambiente tradicional de cultivo como em um ambiente recente para a cultura, o semiárido. Foram identificados híbridos que superam as testemunhas em quase o dobro no aspecto de rendimento, tanto no grupo de híbridos pertences à categoria Solo (UC14, UC15 e UC16) quanto à categoria Formosa (UC10 e UC12). Estes, além de elevado rendimento, foram detentores de características favoráveis, como o elevado teor de sólidos solúveis e o baixo número de flores estéreis. Em adição, o coeficiente de repetibilidade das características avaliadas sugere que, dentre as características ligadas ao rendimento, o peso médio de fruto é a mais estável ao longo do ciclo de produção.

The success of any recurrent selection program depends on the genetic variability of the evaluated population, which is used to refer to the diversity of existing alleles at many genetic loci. Thus, the goal of the present study was to investigate the impact of recurrent selection across nine cycles of a UENF-14 popcorn population through the analysis of genetic diversity and structure using microsatellite markers (EST-SSRs). Genomic DNA was extracted from young leaves of 25 individuals from each cycle (C0, C1 C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, and C8), totaling 225 samples from the UENF-14 population. Fifty EST-SSR markers were used for the analysis of genetic diversity across the recurrent selection cycles, 16 of which were polymorphic. Thirty-four alleles were detected, with an average of 2.13 alleles per locus. Throughout all the recurrent selection cycles, there was a reduction in heterozygosity and an increase in inbreeding. The population structure showed a sharing of alleles, inferring that some may be directly related to the main selection characteristics.

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is a typical crop of tropical areas, and Brazil is one of the leading world producers. In recent decades, papaya culture has expanded to different regions of the country, but the number of cultivars available is still limited. In the present study, a complete diallel cross was carried out using eight accessions of papaya from the UENF/Caliman germplasm bank. Four genotypes belong to the Formosa heterotic group and four, to the Solo group. This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence and viability of exploring heterosis in heterotic intragroup hybrids. Fifty-six hybrid progenies were generated and evaluated. Among the Formosa intragroup hybrids, two hybrid combinations (MR x J4 and MR x SK) showed heterosis for all traits, as well as good average total fruit production. Among the Solo intragroup hybrids, three hybrid combinations (WM x GG, WM x SS and WM x SM) stand out for fruit production and high content of soluble solids. In Formosa x Solo hybrids, all hybrid combinations with the parent JS (JS x WM, JS x GG, JS x SS and JS x SM) showed high fruit quality and good average for fruit production. The heterotic profile of the hybrids tested allowed the identification of promising hybrids within Formosa and Solo heterotic groups. The analysis of the canonical variables also allowed the visualization of distinct groups of hybrids, depending on the provenance of the parents.

Em programas de melhoramento genético, informações sobre a correlação entre caracteres são de grande importância para se aperfeiçoar a seleção simultânea de caracteres. Contudo, a quantificação e a interpretação da magnitude de uma correlação podem resultar em equívocos na estratégia de seleção. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar, por meio da análise de trilha, as relações, direta e indireta, entre os componentes primários de produção e a produtividade de espiga de milho superdoce, e identificar os caracteres que mais contribuem para a produtividade de espiga (variável básica). Verifica-se que as variáveis utilizadas explicaram 94,77% da variação do peso de espiga (R²). Pela análise de trilha, apenas dois caracteres, o volume do grão (0, 2637) e o volume de espiga (0, 2536), apresentaram efeito direto na produção. Constata-se, portanto, que, apesar de a maioria dos caracteres apresentarem altas estimativas de correlação, essas ocorreram por efeitos indiretos de outros caracteres. Assim, tanto para seleção direta, quanto para seleção indireta, essas características são eficientes no aumento do peso médio da espiga de milho superdoce. Neste caso, a melhor estratégia seria a seleção simultânea de caracteres, enfatizando-se as características cujos efeitos indiretos são maiores. É oportuno salientar que o volume de grão e volume de espiga apresentaram maiores herdabilidades, quando comparados com peso de espigas, ou seja, 91,92, 88,6 e 80,52%, respectivamente. A alta herdabilidade estimada (91,92 e 88,6%) é um indicativo de possibilidades de elevados ganhos genéticos na seleção.

Over the past three decades, molecular marker studies reached extraordinary advances, especially for sequencing and bioinformatics techniques. Marker-assisted selection became part of the breeding program routines of important seed companies, in order to accelerate and optimize the cultivar developing processes. Private seed companies increasingly use marker-assisted selection, especially for the species of great importance to the seed market, e.g. corn, soybean, cotton, and sunflower. In the Brazilian public institutions few breeding programs use it efficiently. The possible reasons are: lack of know-how, lack of appropriate laboratories, few validated markers, high cost, and lack of urgency in obtaining cultivars. In this article we analyze the use and the constraints of marker-assisted selection in plant breeding programs of Brazilian public institutes

We investigated the agronomic performance of super-sweet corn genotypes. Super-sweet corn genotypes were backcrossed with regionally adapted field varieties (CIMMYT 8 and Piranão 8). Eight morphological and yield-related traits were evaluated. A significant effect of interaction was observed between the five groups of genotypes (donor parents; super-sweet backcrossed parents; super-sweet intervarietal hybrids; common intervarietal corn hybrids; and field corn populations). Despite the low yield of genotype SH2 Piranão, the hybrids resulting from interbreeding of the backcrossed parents for the improvement of super-sweet corn were promising. The agronomic performance of the super-sweet parents and their hybrids indicates the possibility of breeding lines with high genetic value to obtain single-cross hybrids and cultivars of super-sweet corn adapted to the northern region of the State of Rio de Janeiro.

O mamoeiro é uma das fruteiras tropicais de grande impacto na fruticultura brasileira. Os principais entraves à expansão da cultura são a baixa variabilidade genética e a ocorrência de doenças que encarecem a produção. Neste contexto, realizou-se um cruzamento entre os genótipos 'JS12' e 'Golden' na expectativa de se transferir a característica coloração verde-clara da casca dos frutos (característica Golden), associada à tolerância da mancha fisiológica do mamoeiro, do genitor 'Golden' para o genitor 'JS12'. A variação genética entre e dentro das progênies segregantes obtidas foi avaliada na população RC1S1. Três indivíduos possuidores da característica Golden (38RC1S1-11, 30RC1S1-10 e 31RC1S1-10) foram selecionados pela análise de agrupamento. Estas progênies aliam maior proporção genômica do genitor recorrente (JS12) e bons atributos morfoagronômicos, sendo os mais indicados para o avanço das autofecundações e retrocruzamentos em mamoeiro.

The failure to obtain the ideal stand is one of the causes of decreased crop yields, in this sense it is important to investigate the genetic effects related to seed quality. The aim of this study was to measure the general combining ability (GCA), the specific combining ability (SCA) and the reciprocal effects (RE) for popcorn seed quality in addition to evaluate the association between germination and vigor tests with field emergencein order to identify hybrids with better germination and vigour. Ten inbred lines were evaluated using a complete diallel cross with reciprocals. Seed quality was measured by germination tests (GT) and by modified cold vigour tests (MCV). In the GT, the numbers of strong normal seedlings (SNS), weak normal (WNS), abnormal (AS) and ungerminated seeds (UGS) were counted. In the MCV, the numbers of normal seedlings (NPC), abnormal (ASC) and ungerminated seeds (UGSC) were counted, and the plants' dry matter (DM) was measured. Analysis of variance for GCA, SCA and RE were significant for all variables. The quadratic components for SCA were higher than those for GCA for the SNS, AS, UGS, ASC and UGSC traits, which indicates higher significance for the non-additive effects. The most favourable GCA estimates, were found in lines P3 and L70. The best hybrids were P1xL70, P3xP6 and P8xL70. The RE results showed that L70 and P3 should be used as the female parent in the P1xL70 and P3xP6 hybrid crosses, respectively. The MCV was the test that was most strongly correlated with field emergence, with a magnitude of 0.667.

A resistência genética constitui alternativa sustentável para o controle da mancha-de-phoma na cultura do mamoeiro. No entanto, estudos básicos são necessários para a escolha de genitores e combinações híbridas resistentes à doença. Neste trabalho, por meio de cruzamento dialélico, envolvendo oito genótipos de mamão, quatro do grupo Solo e quatro do grupo Formosa, estimou-se a capacidade geral e específica de combinações híbridas quanto à resistência a mancha-de-phoma. Os genitores, bem com os híbridos obtidos dos cruzamentos foram avaliados em blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições. Quantificaram-se em duas épocas, março e maio de 2010, as severidades de mancha-de-phoma em folha, com auxílio de escala diagramática. Os genótipos Maradol JS12-N, Sekati e São Mateus demonstram melhor capacidade geral de combinação. Os híbridos Maradol x Golden, Maradol x Sunrise Solo 72/12, JS12-N x Golden, JS12-4 x Waimanalo, Sekati x Waimanalo, Waimanalo x Golden, Waimanalo x São Mateus, Golden x Sunrise Solo 72/12 e Golden x São Mateus apresentaram resultados promissores para seleção quanto à resistência à doença, com valores negativos de capacidade específica de combinação para severidade de mancha-de-phoma.Genetic resistance represents a viable alternative to control phoma-spot in papaya crop. However, basic studies are necessary to base the choice of genitors and hybrid combinations disease resistant. In this research, a diallel cross was conducted involving eight genotypes of papaya, four of the Solo group and four of Formosa group and it was estimated general and specific abilities of combination for the phoma-spot resistance. The treatments were evaluated in a randomized block design with four replications. The severity of phoma-spot in leaves was quantified in two ocasions: March and May of 2010. The genotypes Maradol JS12-N, Sekati e São Mateus show better general combining ability. The hybrids Maradol x Golden, Maradol x Sunrise Solo 72/12, JS12-N x Golden, JS12-4 x Waimanalo, Sekati x Waimanalo, Waimanalo x Golden, Waimanalo x São Mateus, Golden x Sunrise Solo 72/12 and Golden x São Mateus showed promising results for selection, with negatives values of specific combining ability for severity of phoma spot.

The continuous gains in cycles of recurrent selection have raised disagreement among researchers. Two hundred and forty-two full-sib families were obtained from CIMMYT and Piranão populations and evaluated in a simple lattice design in two environments to estimate the response to selection in the 11th cycle of the UENF reciprocal recurrent selection program. No genotype x environment interaction was observed for most of the traits evaluated, indicating that a single recurrent selection program can be conducted for both sites. The population studied exhibited wide genotypic variability and heritability estimates ranged from 33 to 73%, indicating prospects of selection gain for the following cycles. The predicted genetic gain in yield was 12.90%. It is possible to conclude that the populations studied may be promising for the achievement of new selection cycles, which provides a continuous concentration of favorable alleles and the production of hybrids for the North and Northwest regions of the state of Rio de Janeiro.

In order to select superior hybrids for the concentration of favorable alleles for resistance to papaya black spot, powdery mildew and phoma spot, 67 hybrids were evaluated in two seasons, in 2007, in a randomized block design with two replications. Genetic gains were estimated from the selection indices of Smith & Hazel, Pesek & Baker, Williams, Mulamba & Mock, with selection intensity of 22.39%, corresponding to 15 hybrids. The index of Mulamba & Mock showed gains more suitable for the five traits assessed when it was used the criterion of economic weight tentatively assigned. Together, severity of black spot on leaves and on fruits, characteristics considered most relevant to the selection of resistant materials, expressed percentage gain of -44.15%. In addition, there were gains for other characteristics, with negative predicted selective percentage gain. The results showed that the index of Mulamba & Mock is the most efficient procedure for simultaneous selection of papaya hybrid resistant to black spot, powdery mildew and phoma spot.Com a finalidade de selecionar híbridos superiores para concentração de alelos favoráveis à resistência de mamoeiro à pinta-preta, oídio e mancha de phoma, foram avaliados, em duas épocas, em 2007, 67 híbridos simples, em delineamento de blocos casualizados com duas repetições. Os ganhos genéticos foram estimados a partir dos índices de seleção de Smith & Hazel, Pesek & Baker, Williams e Mulamba & Mock, com intensidade de seleção de 22,39%, correspondendo a 15 híbridos. O índice de Mulamba & Mock evidenciou ganhos mais adequados para as cinco características avaliadas, quando utilizado o critério de peso econômico atribuído por tentativas. Em conjunto, as severidades da pinta-preta em folhas e em frutos, características consideradas de maior interesse para a seleção de materiais resistentes, expressaram ganho percentual de -44,15%. Além disso, registraram-se ganhos para as demais características, com ganho percentual seletivo predito negativo. Conclui-se, portanto, que o uso do índice de Mulamba & Mock é o procedimento mais eficiente para seleção simultânea de híbridos de mamoeiro resistentes à pinta-preta, oídio e mancha de phoma.

Small farmers have played an important role in maintaining genetic resources of traditional varieties. Collecting and characterizing germplasm, especially landraces and heirloom varieties, are strategic activities that would create a knowledge base describing the traditional varieties of a given region and reduce the risk of genetic erosion. The objectives of this work were as follows: collect sweet potato roots from rural properties and local markets in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil; characterize the accessions using RAPD and ISSR molecular markers, comparing the efficiency in discrimination of these two types of molecular markers; and estimate the genetic variability of the population. Fifty-nine samples from rural properties and 19 from local markets were studied. A matrix of binary data was developed to analyze the molecular data using the Jaccard index to estimate genetic differences among accessions, and clusters were made using the UPGMA method. The molecular techniques detected genetic variability among the accessions, with cophenetic correlation coefficients (CCC) of 0.80 for RAPDs and 0.89 for ISSRs. The RAPD and ISSR marker results corresponded well, with a correlation of 0.55. All of the accessions were considered distinct, which demonstrates that traditional farmers maintain sweet potato genotypes that have good genetic diversity.Os pequenos agricultores têm um importante papel na manutenção de recursos genéticos das variedades tradicionais. A coleta e caracterização de germoplasma, especialmente variedades locais e heirloom são atividades estratégicas que permitem o desenvolvimento de conhecimentos sobre as variedades tradicionais de uma determinada região reduzindo o risco de erosão genética. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram: coletar raízes de batata-doce em propriedades rurais e estabelecimentos comerciais do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil; caracterizar os acessos usando os marcadores moleculares RAPD e ISSR; e estimar a variabilidade genética na população. Cinquenta e nove amostras coletadas em propriedades rurais e em 19 estabelecimentos comerciais foram estudadas. Uma matriz de dados binários foi desenvolvida para análise dos dados moleculares, usando o índice de Jaccard para estimar a dissimilaridade genética entre os acessos, e os grupos foram obtidos usando o método UPGMA. As técnicas moleculares detectaram variabilidade genética entre os acessos, com correlação cofenética de 0,80 para RAPD e 0,89 para ISSR. O resultado obtido com RAPD e ISSR foi correspondente, com uma correlação de 0,55. Todos os acessos coletados foram considerados distintos, o que demonstra que os agricultores tradicionais da região Norte Fluminense detêm genótipos de batata-doce com expressiva diversidade genética.

This study aimed to quantify genetic variability among 46 accessions of papaya from ‘Solo’ and ‘Formosa’ groups using 19 morphoagronomic traits separately and simultaneously, and to evaluate the efficiency of simultaneous analysis. The experiment was conducted for three growing seasons (May and August 2007, and November 2008), in Linhares-ES, using a randomized block design with two replications and 20 plants in two rows per plot. Quantitative traits were analyzed by analysis of variance and then used to estimate the Mahalanobis distance, while for the qualitative traits it was used the coefficient of simple coincidence. The genetic distance for the joint analysis was estimated based on the algorithm of Gower. The matrices of distance were compared using the Mantel correlation with 1000 permutations. The clusters of accessions were performed by UPGMA. Although they have made the same number of groups (seven), both types of variables separately and jointly did not allow the formation of groups substantially similar to the group ‘Formosa’. On the other hand, the accessions of ‘Solo’ group were allocated practically in the group I for all distance used. The cluster formed by the data simultaneously provided greater disjunction of accessions, due to greater homogeneity within groups and heterogeneity among groups. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo quantificar a variabilidade genética entre 46 acessos de mamoeiro dos grupos Solo e Formosa utilizando 19 variáveis morfoagronômicas separadamente e em conjunto, e verificar a eficiência da análise conjunta no estudo da diversidade genética. O experimento foi conduzido em três épocas distintas (maio e agosto de 2007, e novembro de 2008), no município de Linhares-ES, utilizando-se delineamento em blocos casualizados, com duas repetições e 20 plantas por parcela em fileira dupla. As características quantitativas foram submetidas à análise de variância e posteriormente, utilizadas para estimar a distância de Mahalanobis, enquanto para os descritores qualitativos utilizou-se o coeficiente de coincidência simples. A análise conjunta das variáveis quantitativas e qualitativas foi estimada com base no algoritmo de Gower. As matrizes de distâncias foram comparadas usando a correlação de Mantel com 1000 permutações. Posteriormente, foi realizado o agrupamento dos acessos pelo método UPGMA. Embora tenha sido constituído número igual de grupos (sete), os dois tipos de variáveis separadamente ou em conjunto não possibilitaram a formação de agrupamentos consideravelmente semelhantes para o grupo Formosa. Ao contrário, os acessos do grupo heterótico Solo ficaram alocados praticamente no grupo I em relação a todos os métodos de distância. O agrupamento formado pelos dados em conjunto proporcionou maior disjunção dos genótipos, decorrente de maior homogeneidade dentro dos grupos e heterogeneidade entre os grupos.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de alguns aspectos do manejo da cultura do mamoeiro como espaçamento e nível de adubação NPK, sobre alguns atributos de qualidade dos frutos do híbrido do grupo 'Formosa' UENF/CALIMAN-01(UC01). O experimento foi conduzido na fazenda Caliman Agrícola S.A., em Linhares-ES. Utilizou-se o delineamento estatístico experimental em blocos casualizados, com esquema fatorial, com três espaçamentos de plantio entre plantas (E1 = 1,80 m; E2 = 2,25 m, e E3 = 2,70 m), cinco níveis de adubação NPK convencional (A1 = 80% do padrão da empresa (PE); A2 = 100% PE; A3 = 120% PE; A4 = 140% PE, e A5 = 160% PE), e três períodos de avaliação (junho, agosto e outubro de 2007). O padrão de adubação NPK da empresa (PE) consiste em 350; 105 e 660 kg ha-1ano-1 de sulfato de amônio (20% de N), superfosfato simples (18% de P2O5) e cloreto de potássio (60% de K2O), respectivamente. Foram analisados a firmeza do fruto e da polpa, a concentração de sólidos solúveis (SS), o pH, a acidez titulável (AT) e a razão SS/AT da polpa. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância e teste de médias. Os resultados mostram que, entre as condições de espaçamento e níveis de adubação NPK testados, o melhor desempenho foi obtido pelas combinações E1A1 ou E2A1, os quais devem ser adotadas para o manejo do híbrido UC01. Os tratamentos resultaram em frutos com atributos de qualidade superiores, além de proporcionar redução nos gastos com adubação NPK e menor impacto ambiental em função da aplicação excessiva de adubo no solo.

Diversity and genetic relationship in forty landraces of Cucurbita spp. collected at small farms in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, were analyzed by RAPD and ISSR markers, using 20 and 15 primers, respectively. Both markers were efficient to cluster the accessions separating among species, but not so much to the detection of intra-specific variability, considering the event of different pairs of accessions comprising null genetic distances observed for both markers in C. moschata. Low values observed for genetic distance among the C. moschata landraces showed that most likely genetic losses is in progress in that region of cultivation due to anthropic and market pressure, which are stimulating the small farmers to abandon their local varieties in order to use commercial seeds, including hybrids, which is causing risk of genetic erosion.

The genus Dimorphandra has distinguish relevance considering either medicinal or biodiversity aspects because it includes two species that are economically important flavonoids sources for pharmachemical industry (D. mollis Benth. and D. gardneriana Tul.), and species endemic to Brazil, such as D. jorgei Silva and D. wilsonii Rizz., threatened by extinction. In order to evaluate variability among accessions of D. mollis (fava-d'anta), D. gardneriana and D. wilsonii, it was collected fruit from individual plants from three Brazilian states in a total of 57 accessions, which were analyzed with RAPD markers. It was used 20 seeds per progeny; the DNA was extracted from fully-formed young leaves, which were collected in bulk. The data were analyzed using a binary matrix, in which the score one represented presence of a band and zero, absence. The similarity matrix was developed by using the arithmetic complement of the Jaccard index, later grouped based on the Neighbor Joining algorithm. It was found considerable intra and inter specific variability in Dimorphandra spp., which were separated into four groups. Though genetic variability was found, the collecting trips showed that most of these areas are subject to loss of genetic resources of fava-d'anta due to the following factors: continuous anthropic activity, propensity for natural fires, and loss of natural seed dispersers (large fruit-eating mammals). Therefore, protections of these areas and ex situ conservation are essentials for the maintenance of genetic variability of these species.O gênero Dimorphandra tem grande relevância, sobretudo nos aspectos medicinais e de biodiversidade, por incluir duas espécies que são importantes economicamente como fontes de flavonoides para indústria farmacoquímica (D. mollis Benth. e D. gardneriana Tull.), e espécies endêmicas do Brasil, como a D. jorgei Silva e D. wilsonii Rizz., sendo esta ameaçada de extinção. Objetivando avaliar a variabilidade entre acessos de D. mollis, D. gardneriana e D. wilsonii, foram realizadas coletas de frutos separados por planta em três estados brasileiros em um total de 57 acessos que foram analisados por meio da técnica RAPD. Utilizaram-se vinte sementes por progênie e o DNA, extraído de folhas definitivas, jovens, e coletadas em bulk. Os dados foram analisados utilizando-se uma matriz de dados binários. Para formação da matriz de dissimilaridade, foi utilizado o complemento aritmético do Índice de Jaccard e posteriormente o agrupamento pelo algoritmo de Neighbor Joining. O estudo revelou que existe variabilidade entre e dentro das espécies de Dimorphandra spp., o qual formou quatro grupos. Apesar da variabilidade genética constatada, as expedições de coleta demonstraram que a maioria das áreas amostradas está sujeita a perdas de recursos genéticos de fava-d'anta devido aos seguintes fatores: ocorrência de ação antrópica contínua; propensão a incêndios naturais; e diminuição dos dispersores naturais de sementes (grandes mamíferos frugíveros). Assim, a proteção destas áreas e a conservação ex situ, são primordiais para manutenção da variabilidade genética dessas espécies.

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a diversidade genética entre 20 acessos de Psidium spp. (UENF 1830 a UENF 1849, UENF- Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense) por marcadores RAPD. Vinte e oito primers foram utilizados, gerando um total de 157 bandas. Os marcadores moleculares RAPD foram capazes de revelar a existência de diversidade entre os 20 acessos de Psidium. Para a interpretação dos dados, o índice Nei e Li foi utilizado. Com base na análise do agrupamento hierárquico UPGMA e o método de otimização Tocher, essa diversidade pôde ser observada pela presença de acessos similares e divergentes

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estimar a variabilidade genética em dois ciclos de seleção recorrente do maracujazeiro-amarelo (Passiflora edulis) e avaliar o impacto da seleção nas progênies selecionadas via alterações nas frequências alélicas, detectadas com uso de marcadores microssatélites. Vinte e três pares de iniciadores microssatélites foram utilizados na genotipagem de 66 progênies de irmãos completos. Estimaram-se a frequência alélica, heterozigosidade esperada (He) e observada (Ho), conteúdo de informação polimórfica (PIC) e coeficiente de endogamia (f). Foram encontrados 32 alelos nas populações, dos quais apenas dois foram perdidos durante a seleção. O número médio de alelos por locos foi de 2,46, no primeiro ciclo, e de 2,30 no segundo ciclo. As diferenças nas frequências alélicas nos dois ciclos de seleção recorrente não foram significativas. A He média no primeiro ciclo de seleção foi de 0,20 por loco, ligeiramente maior que a Ho (0,15). No segundo ciclo de seleção, o valor médio da Ho foi menor que o da He, com média de 0,12. Os valores médios de f aumentaram no segundo ciclo seletivo, de 0,26 para 0,32. A maioria dos locos apresentou valores negativos de f, o que sugere altos índices de heterozigosidade. O valor médio do PIC decresceu de 0,18 para 0,16 no segundo ciclo. Houve pequena perda de variabilidade e alterações nas frequências alélicas; porém, esta oscilação pode ser considerada normal quando se pratica seleção.

This study aimed to compare multiallelic distances to quantify genetic diversity in papaya. We evaluated forty-three individuals in the S2 generation, from the backcross between F1 (Cariflora x SS783) and Cariflora, and four accessions from the UENF/Caliman GermplasmBank. Genetic distances used were Smouse and Peakall (1999), Kosman and Leonard (2005) and weighted index. Clustering among genotypes was performed using the hierarchical unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic mean analysis (UPGMA) and projection of the distance onthe bidimensional plan. A high correlation between genetic distances was observed; however, through UPGMA group analysis, the distance determined by the weighted index provided the complete separation of 52BC1S2-08, 52BC1S2-29 and 52BC1S2-34 inbred lines. Throughprojection of distances in the plan, Kosman and Leonard (2005) coefficients and weighted allowed the differentiation of individuals in the S2 generation (52BC1S2-08, 52BC1S2-29 and 52BC1S2-34), the progenitor (‘Cariflora’ and ‘SS783’), and the four germplasm bank accessions in a different manner than the Smouse and Peakall (1999) index, which did not provide this discrimination among the accessed genotypes. We conclude that the Kosman and Leonard (2005) coefficient and weighted index are more efficient than the Smouse and Peakall (1999) algorithm on the disposition of the accessed genotypes in dendrograms and in the Cartesian axis displaying genetic similarity.O presente trabalho visou à comparação de distâncias multi-alélicas sobre a quantificação da diversidade genética em mamão. Para tanto, foram avaliados 43 indivíduos da geração S2, oriunda do retrocruzamento entre F1 dos (‘Cariflora’ x ‘SS783’) e ‘Cariflora’, e quatro acessos do Banco de Germoplasma da UENF/Caliman. As distâncias genéticas utilizadas foram: Smouse e Peakall (1999), Kosman e Leonard (2005) e índice ponderado. Posteriormente foi realizado o agrupamento entre os genótipos utilizando unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic means analysis (UPGMA) e projeção de distância no plano bidimensional. Observou-se elevada correlação entre as distâncias genéticas, entretanto, pela análise de agrupamento UPGMA, a distância utilizando o índice ponderado proporcionou a completa separação das linhagens 52RC1S2-08, 52RC1S2-29 e 52RC1S2-34. Pela projeção das distâncias no plano, os coeficientes Kosman e Leonard (2005) e índice ponderado permitiram a separação dos indivíduos da geração S2 (52RC1S2-08, 52RC1S2-29 e 52RC1S2-34) para com os progenitores(‘Cariflora’ e ‘SS783’) e em relação aos quatro acessos do banco de germoplasma, diferentementedo índice de Smouse e Peakall (1999), que não proporcionou essa distinção entre os genótipos avaliados. Conclui-se, pois, que o coeficiente Kosman e Leonard (2005) e o índice ponderado foram mais eficientes que o algoritmo de Smouse e Peakall (1999) na disposição dos genótipos avaliados em dendrogramas e eixos cartesianos representativos da similaridade genética.

The study of genetic diversity is fundamental in the preliminary selection of accessions with superior characteristicsand for a successful use of these genotypes in breeding programs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate, as a strategy for geneticdiversity analysis, the bioinformatics approach called artificial neural network. Based on the average of three growing seasons,eight quantitative traits and thirty-seven papaya accessions were evaluated in a randomized complete block design, with tworeplications. By Anderson’s discriminant analysis, 91.90 % of the accessions were correctly classified in the groups previouslydefined by artificial neural network. It was concluded that the technique of artificial neural network is feasible to classify theaccessions. The presence of significant genetic diversity among accessions was observed.

This study aimed to evaluate the genetic and seasonal influence on sex expression in segregating generationsof papaya elite and backcrossed genotypes. In the four seasons of the 2005/2006 growing season, 200 hermaphrodite plantswere evaluated. Of the eight studied traits, four were related to flowering and four to fruiting, i.e., to the percentage of normal,deformed, sterile, and total number of flowers, as well as the percentage of total, carpelloid, pentandric, and marketablefruits. Significant differences due to the genotype x season interaction were verified. Based on the genotypic determinationcoefficient and the variation index it was concluded that winter and spring are most appropriate for the selection of superiorgenotypes. Thus, selection in early stages of plant development is more successful, indicating that the physiological age mayalso be a factor involved in the expression of the above traits.

ISSR markers are polymorphic and their results easily reproducible. They are therefore intensely used in phylogeneticstudies and sex differentiation of some economically interesting plant species. The objectives of this study were to analyze the geneticdiversity in Caricaceae using ISSR markers, to identify a specific ISSR band that could distinguish female from hermaphroditepapaya genotypes and to verify whether this marker could be used for early sex differentiation. The ISSR-PCR was performed withnine primers and they could distinguish all species. It was observed that Jacaratia spinosa was closer to Vasconcellea than toCarica. The species C. papaya was only distantly related to both genera. A 500 bp ISSR marker was found in 25 % of the papayagenotypes studied. Specifically in these cases this marker could be used for early sex differentiation in papaya.

Genetic resistance represents a sustainable alternative to disease control in papaya crop. The purpose of this studywas to evaluate the use of testers to estimate combining ability and select hybrids resistant to black spot, phoma spot and chocolatespot. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with two replications and 20 plants per plot. The severity ofphoma spot and black spot on leaves and the lesion area of black spot and chocolate spot on fruits were evaluated in twoseasons. The combining ability of the following crosses is negative for all traits: tester ‘JS 12’ with ‘Sunrise Solo’ and ‘Kaphoro SoloPV’; tester ‘Americano’ with ‘Caliman M5’, ‘Sunrise Solo’, ’Baixinho de Santa Amália’ and ‘Waimanalo’; and tester ‘Maradol’with ‘Caliman G’, ‘Caliman AM’ and ‘Sunrise Solo PT’. These results may be useful in breeding for disease resistance byhybridization.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes espaçamentos de plantio e de níveis de adubação NPK sobre a atividade da redutase do nitrato (RN) nas folhas do híbrido de mamoeiro UENF/CALIMAN-01 , visando a sugerir possível ajuste em seu manejo de adubação nitrogenada, no sentido de maximizar a eficiência do uso do nitrogênio. O experimento foi conduzido na fazenda Caliman Agrícola S.A., no município de Linhares - ES. Utilizou-se o delineamento estatístico experimental em blocos casualizados, com esquema fatorial, com três espaçamentos de plantio entre plantas (E1 = 1,8 m; E2 = 2,25 m, e E3 = 2,7 m), cinco níveis de adubação NPK convencional (A1 = 80% do padrão; A2 = 100% padrão da empresa; A3 = 120% do padrão; A4 = 140% do padrão, e A5 = 160% do padrão) e cinco períodos de avaliação (meses de março a julho). O padrão de adubação NPK da empresa consiste em 350; 105 e 660 kg ha-1ano-1 de sulfato de amônio (20% de N), superfosfato simples (18% de P) e cloreto de potássio (60% de K), respectivamente. Os dados obtidos para a atividade da RN foram submetidos a uma análise de variância e teste de médias. Dentre os tratamentos testados, o nível A1 (80% do padrão), independentemente do espaçamento, poderia ser indicado no manejo do híbrido de mamoeiro UENF/CALIMAN-01, pois em todos eles a atividade da redutase do nitrato, em praticamente todos os períodos avaliados, apresentou valores adequados, ou até mesmo superiores aos encontrados na literatura em cultivares de mamoeiro. A redução da adubação NPK pôde ser justificada, uma vez que não houve diferença na produtividade das plantas entre os tratamentos avaliados.

O conhecimento da variabilidade genética e fenotípica entre diferentes acessos de goiabeiras é importante para se apoiar programas de melhoramento dessa espécie na região Norte Fluminense que carece de novas culturas capazes de gerar renda aos produtores locais. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a divergência genética entre seis cultivares e 19 acessos de goiabeiras, por meio de marcadores moleculares RAPD e características morfoagronômicas. Foram obtidas 117 marcas polimórficas, utilizando-se 28 iniciadores. Os resultados mostraram uma concordância parcial entre os métodos de agrupamentos estudados, com a formação de 12 grupos. O acesso Vita 3 e o acesso 6 foram os mais divergentes, apresentando distância genética de 0,663. A análise comparativa dos agrupamentos revelou que os marcadores RAPD e os descritores morfológicos foram eficientes para discriminação dos acessos e que houve variabilidade genética potencial para uso em Programa de Melhoramento Genético.The knowledge of the genetic and phenotypic variability among different accessions of guava is important for supporting improvement programs of this specie in northern Rio de Janeiro state, which needs new cultivars able to generate income for local farmers. This work aimed to evaluate the genetic divergence among six cultivars and 19 accessions of guava via RAPD molecular markers and morphologicalcharacteristics. One hundred and seventeen polymorphic markers were obtained from 28 primers. The results showed a partial agreement between the methods of studied groupings, with the formation of 12 groups. The accessions ‘Vita 3’and ‘6’ were the most divergent, showing genetic distance of 0.663. The comparative analysis of groupings showed that RAPD markers and morphological descriptors were effective in discriminating the accessions and to show potentialgenetic variability useful in genetic improvement programs.

Durante a germinação e o desenvolvimento pós-germinativo de milho, o fluxo metabólico é intenso, ocorrendo síntese e degradação de açúcares (glicose, frutose e sacarose) e hidrólise de amido, além da redução da concentração do ácido abscísico (ABA). Acredita-se que altas concentrações de glicose exógena, promovam acúmulo de ABA, proporcionando atraso na germinação e desenvolvimento de plântulas. Concentrações menores, por outro lado, podem ocasionar estímulo na germinação e desenvolvimento. Neste trabalho, foi observado que a glicose (800 µM) estimulou a germinação e o desenvolvimento inicial de genótipo de milho comum e retardou, severa ou brandamente, genótipos de milho doce (su1), provavelmente devido às diferentes concentrações endógenas de glicose de cada genótipo. Foi visto, também, que a concentração de 1,2 ηM de insulina foi capaz de estimular o maior desenvolvimento de genótipos de milho comum (UENF 506-8) e doce H43IN e nula para o genótipo doce HDC. Quando adicionada insulina e glicose ao meio, foi obtido efeito aditivo para o desenvolvimento. Esses resultados sugerem que a insulina e glicose apresentam forte influência na germinação e no desenvolvimento de sementes de milho.During germination and development of corn seeds the metabolic flow is intense, the synthesis and degradation of sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose) and hydrolysis of starch, besides to the decrease in abscisic acid (ABA) concentration are some of the major events. High concentrations of exogenous glucose are believed to promote accumulation of ABA, causing delay in the germination and development of seedlings, while lower concentrations stimulated the germination and development. In our studies it was verified that 800 µM glucose stimulated the germination and initial development of the common corn genotype and delayed severely or softly for sweet corn (su1) genotypes, probably due to different glucose endogenous concentrations of each genotype. It was also verified that 1.2 ηM insulin was capable to stimulate the development for the common corn and sweet H43IN genotypes and did not affect HDC sweet genotype development. These events may have happened due to metabolic differences in the mutants. When insulin and glucose were added to the medium, addictive effects on the development were observed. These results suggest that both insulin and glucose have strong influence on germination and development of corn seeds.

O estudo de fatores que influenciam no processo de amadurecimento é fundamental para o planejamento do processo de comercialização, principalmente em frutos com padrão de respiração climatérico e perecível, como é o caso do mamão. Nesse trabalho, avaliou-se o efeito da aplicação do 1-MCP (1-metilciclopropeno) sobre o amadurecimento de frutos de mamoeiro nos estádios 0; 1 e 2 de maturação. O 1-MCP diminui a produção de etileno (≈79%) e a taxa respiratória (≈45%), principalmente em frutos no estádio 0 de maturação. O uso deste inibidor da ação do etileno retardou a perda de coloração verde da casca dos frutos, principalmente em frutos nos estádios 0 e 1 de maturação. Houve redução na perda de firmeza do fruto e do mesocarpo nos estádios 1 e 2. Entretanto, em frutos no estádio 0 de maturação, a firmeza do mesocarpo manteve-se alta, o que pode comprometer a aceitação destes frutos pelo consumidor. O teor de sólidos solúveis não foi influenciado pela aplicação do 1-MCP. O efeito do 1-MCP na redução da atividade das enzimas PME e PG foi maior em frutos nos estádios 0 e 1 de maturação em comparação a frutos no estádio 2 de maturação. A atividade da PME demonstrou crescente aumento ao longo do período de armazenamento, porém a atividade da PG permaneceu baixa ao longo dos cinco primeiros dias, com aumento posterior. Os resultados mostraram que a PME exerce influência significativa na perda de firmeza da polpa nos primeiros dias, com atuação posterior da PG. O 1-MCP mostrou-se eficiente em retardar o processo de amadurecimento de frutos de mamoeiro, tornando-se mais eficiente quando associado a estádios de maturação iniciais.The study of factors that influence the process of ripening is critical for planning the marketing process, mainly in standard breathing climacteric and perishing fruits, as it is the case of papaya. In this work it was evaluated the effect of the application of 1-MCP (1- methylcyclopropene) in the pattern of fruit ripening of papaya at the maturation stages 0, 1 and 2. The 1-MCP delayed the production of ethylene (≈79%) and the respiratory rate (≈45%) mainly in fruit maturation stages 0. The use of the inhibitor of the ethylene action delayed the degreening of the fruits, especially in fruit maturation stages 0 and 1. With 1-MCP application there was a reduction in loss of flesh and fruit firmness in stages 1 and 2. However, in fruit maturation stage 0, the flesh firmness showed excessively high, which may decrease the acceptance for consumer of these fruits. The solid soluble content was not influenced by the application of the 1-MCP. The effect of 1-MCP in the reduction of the activity of the enzymes PME and PG was bigger in fruit maturation stages 0 and 1 than fruit maturation stage 2. The PME enzyme activity demonstrated an increasing over the shelf life; however, the PG enzyme activity remained low during the first five days of shelf life, increasing later. The results showed that the PME enzyme exerts significant influence on loss of flesh firmness, and the PG acting later. The 1-MCP was effective delaying the process of ripening of papaya fruits being more efficient when associated with initial maturation stages.

Leaf area estimation is an important feature in physiological research involving predominantly photosynthesis, transpiration and growth. This study was carried out to develop a practical and nondestructive empirical mathematical model to estimate the area of one leaf and the total leaf area for papaya trees (Carica papaya L.). Two irrigated commercial orchards were evaluated over a period of 50 to 550 days after transplanting, during which the length of the leaf midrib (LM) varied from 0.04 to 0.60 m. A mathematical model was developed to estimate the area of one leaf for the papaya tree, taking into account LM and the age of the plant measured in days after transplanting. The model was considered satisfactory. Based on the average length of the last two leaves of the crown and the total leaf number of the plant, it was possible to satisfactorily estimate the total leaf area of the papaya tree.A estimativa da área foliar é importante no estudo de aspectos fisiológicos que envolvam, principalmente, crescimento, transpiração e fotossíntese. Desenvolveu-se um modelo matemático empírico prático e não-destrutivo para estimativa da área de uma folha e a área foliar total do mamoeiro (Carica papaya L.) em pomar comercial. Para isso foram avaliados dois pomares irrigados. As plantas foram avaliadas no período de 50 a 550 dias após o transplantio, em que as folhas tiveram o comprimento da nervura central (LM) variando de 0,04 m a 0,60 m. Um modelo matemático foi desenvolvido para a estimativa da área de uma folha do mamoeiro, levando em consideração o LM e a idade da planta, representada em dias após o transplantio. O modelo foi considerado satisfatório. Com base no comprimento médio das duas ultimas folhas da copa e do número total de folhas presentes na planta pode-se estimar a área foliar total do mamoeiro.

The aim of this work was to study the genetic parameters, to obtaine the progenies by crossings among the yellow passion fruits cultivars (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa), following the Design I. The results of the variance analysis demonstrated large variability to be exploited in the population. The trait number of fruit per plant presented the largest additive genetic variation coefficient, demonstrating that larger gains could be obtained for the trait. In terms of genetic action, number of fruits per plant, skin thickness and number of days by flowering have demonstrated to be characterized by the overdominance. Other important traits seem to have presented larger addictive effect than the dominance, as weight, length and width of fruits. The highest values of the coefficients of heritabilities were obtained for the males and the smallest for the females within males, and for the selection the coefficients should be used in the narrow sense.Com o objetivo de se estimarem parâmetros genéticos, procedeu-se a obtenção de progênies por cruzamentos entre cultivares de maracujá amarelo (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa) seguindo o Delineamento I. Os resultados da análise de variância demonstraram existir grande variabilidade a ser explorada na população. Número médio de frutos expressou o maior coeficiente de variação genético aditivo, demonstrando que maiores ganhos podem ser obtidos para o caráter. Em termos de ação gênica, número de frutos por planta, espessura de casca e número de dias para o florescimento demonstraram ser caracterizadas por efeito sobredominante dos genes. Outras características importantes apresentaram efeito aditivo maior do que o dominante, como ocorreu com peso, comprimento e largura de frutos. Os valores dos coeficientes de herdabilidade mais elevados foram obtidos para famílias de machos e os menores para famílias de fêmeas dentro de machos, sendo que para fins de seleção devem ser utilizados os coeficientes no sentido restrito.

O conhecimento da variabilidade genética e da relação entre diferentes acessos de aceroleira é importante para maximizar o uso dos recursos genéticos para futuros programas de melhoramento. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a divergência genética entre 48 acessos de aceroleira, por meio de marcadores moleculares RAPD e características morfoagronômicas. Foram utilizados 25 iniciadores, possibilitando obter 108 marcadores, sendo observadas 92 marcas polimórficas. Os marcadores obtidos foram analisados, usando os métodos de otimização de Tocher e hierárquico UPGMA, que gerou um dendrograma utilizando o índice de Jaccard. Os resultados mostraram uma concordância parcial entre os métodos de agrupamentos estudados, com a formação de 14 grupos. Os acessos ACE 023 e ACE 033 foram os mais distintos, apresentando distância genética de 0,58. A análise comparativa dos agrupamentos revelou que os marcadores RAPD, associados com características morfoagronômicas, foram eficientes para a discriminação dos acessos e que houve uma variabilidade genética potencial para o programa de melhoramento genético e informações úteis, como a indicação de acessos promissores para avaliação clonal.The knowledge on genetic variability and the relationship among different Barbados cherry accesses is important to maximize the resources for the future genetic breeding. The objective of this work was to determine the genetic variability among 48 accessions of Barbados cherry evaluated using RAPD as DNA markers and morpho-agronomical characteristics. It was used 25 primers, making it possible to obtain 108 markers and to generate 92 different polymorphic products. The obtained markers were of analyzed by the method of Tocher and UPGMA what generated a dendrogram using the Jaccard index. There was a concordance among the studied methods with the formation of 14 groups. The accessions ACE 023 and ACE 033 were the most distinct, presenting a genetic dissimilarity of 0.58. The results allowed to us to conclude that RAPD marker associated with morpho-agronomical characteristics were efficient to discriminate the genetic relationship among the accessions of Barbados cherry and the divergent accessions should be useful in the use of genetic breeding and six of them were recommended for future clonal evaluation as varieties and clonal propagation.

This research was done to study the reproductive system of papaya hermaphrodite plant based on the histochemical nature of pollen grain, stigma receptivity, in vivo pollen grain germination and pollen:ovule ratio. In the histochemical analysis, pollen grains were stained by using Sudan IV and I2KI solution ; the stigma receptivity was assessed by alpha-naphthtyl acetate solution in closed and opened flowers. Pollen germination and pollen tube growing were examined in flower buds near anthesis with 0.1% aniline blue. To estimate the pollen:ovule ratio , anthers from each flower bud were dissected and all pollen grains were counted; ovules were dissected from ovaries and were counted under stereomicroscope. The results indicated that papaya pollen grains are of lipidic nature; the stigmas were receptive before the opening and until 48 hours after opening; the pollen grains germinated and emitted polinic tube before flower opening and the pollen:ovule ratio indicated the predominance of autogamous reproductive system. These results indicate that hermaphrodite papaya trees is preferentially of optional autogamous with cleistogamy.Esta pesquisa teve o objetivo de estudar o sistema reprodutivo preferencial de plantas hermafroditas de mamoeiro, com base na natureza histoquímica dos grãos de pólen, receptividade do estigma, teste de germinação in vivo do grão de pólen e razão pólen : óvulo. Na análise histoquímica dos grãos de pólen, foram utilizados os corantes Sudan IV e solução de I2KI; a receptividade do estigma foi avaliada com a solução de acetato de alfa-naftil em flores abertas e fechadas. A germinação e o crescimento do tubo polínico in vivo foram avaliados em flores fechadas, utilizando solução de azul de anilina a 0,1%. Para estimar a razão pólen:óvulo, anteras de cada flor foram dissecadas, e os grãos de pólen foram contados; ovários foram dissecados, e os óvulos foram contados sob estereomicroscópio. Os resultados indicaram que os grãos de pólen do mamoeiro são de natureza lipídica; os estigmas estavam receptivos antes da abertura e até 48 h após a abertura; os grãos de pólen germinaram e emitiram tubo polínico antes da abertura floral, e a relação pólen:óvulo, indicou predominância do sistema reprodutivo autógamo. Esses resultados indicaram que o modo de reprodução preferencial do mamoeiro hermafrodita é autógamo facultativo com cleistogamia.

The objectives of this research were to evaluate the genetic variability and predict genetic gain in the white maize landrace rescued in Barbacena, Minas Gerais, Brazil. The Brazilian maize landraces have economic and social importance for certain areas in Brazil, and research on this germplasm is very important for local food security. Three experiments were carried out with 100 half-sib progenies, in Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Coimbra and Barbacena, Minas Gerais, Brazil. These sites were chosen for their soil and climatic differences. An analysis of variance was significant among the progeny for all characters, indicating the presence of genetic variability between the three populations. In Campos dos Goytacazes and Coimbra, the genetic variation of the white maize landrace was responsible for most of the phenotypic variance in grain yield and can be used in selection cycles. There was no significant genetic variance in grain yield in Barbacena. For the white maize landrace it was concluded that: the characters of the component of productivity such as plant density and number of plants with kernels can produce indirect genetic gain for grain yield and are suitable for breeding; prebreeding of the maize landrace is necessary before being used directly in the elite germplasm; the population contains high genetic variability and opportunities for genetic gain; the average agronomic traits are suitable only for traditional production systems with few inputs, and polyculture; the difference between environments produces specific responses in the progeny i.e. there is a progeny x environment interaction.Os objetivos deste trabalho foram avaliar a variabilidade genética e predizer os ganhos genéticos de uma população crioula de milho branco resgatada em Barbacena, Minas Gerais (MG), devido à importância social e econômica do milho branco em determinadas localidades brasileiras, à manutenção e ao resgate de populações crioulas e aos poucos trabalhos sobre esse tipo de grão. Para tanto foram instalados três experimentos, com 100 progênies de meios-irmãos, em Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Coimbra e Barbacena (MG), escolhidos pelas diferenças edafoclimáticas. Pela análise de variância foram verificadas diferenças significativas entre as progênies para todos os caracteres, o que indicou a presença de variabilidade genética na população para os três locais. Em Campos dos Goytacazes e Coimbra, a variância genética da população crioula de milho branco foi responsável pela maioria da variância fenotípica para produtividade de grãos, podendo ser explorada em ciclos de seleção. Em Barbacena, não foi detectada variância genética significativa para a produtividade de grãos. Para a população crioula de milho branco Barbacena, conclui-se que caracteres do componente primário de produtividade como estande final e número de plantas com grãos podem apresentar ganhos genéticos direto e indireto com a produtividade e são adequados para o melhoramento. No entanto, é necessário o pré-melhoramento da população antes desta ser utilizada diretamente em germoplasma elite. Além disso, foi observado que a população apresenta variabilidade genética e ganhos genéticos preditos altos; as médias das características agronômicas são adequadas somente para o sistema produtivo tradicional com poucos insumos e policultivo; e a diferença entre os ambientes proporciona resposta específica das progênies, ou seja, interação progênie x ambiente.