The aim of this study was to compare four selection indexes and REML/BLUP methodology in the evaluation of predicted genetic gains of traits of interest in snap bean breeding program. We evaluated 17 selected lines, in a randomized complete block design, with four replicates, in four environments, Bom Jesus de Itapaboana-RJ, in 2011 and 2012 and Cambuci-RJ, in 2011 and 2013. The evaluated traits were pod and grain productivity, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod and weight of 100 seeds. For gain prediction, the employed selection indexes were Pesek & Baker, Smith & Hazel, Mulamba & Mock, Williams and REML/BLUP methodology. Among the tested selection indexes, Mulamba & Mock was the one which showed the best gain distribution considering the tested variables, such as the higher coincidence coefficients in comparison to REML/ BLIJP, resulting in 62% of grain productivity and pod productivity per plant. The REML/BLUP methodology permitted to select lines with high relative performances and obtained simultaneous gains for the evaluated traits, being superior in relation to the tested selection indexes for snap bean crop.

Diferentes cultivares de tomateiro podem apresentar necessidades hídricas diferenciadas, tornando-se indispensável o estudo da demanda hídrica. Desta forma, objetivou-se avaliar a influência de diferentes tensões de água no solo sobre a produção e qualidade pós-colheita de frutos do tomateiro, cultivar Dominador F1, sob cultivo protegido e irrigado por gotejamento. O experimento foi instalado em casa de vegetação com delineamento em blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos foram constituídos por seis tensões de água no solo como indicativos do momento de irrigar. As tensões preestabelecidas foram 20, 45, 70, 95, 120 e 145 kPa a 20 cm de profundidade. Aos 140 dias após o transplantio as variáveis avaliadas foram: produção total, comercial e não comercial de frutos; produtividade total, comercial e não comercial de frutos; número de frutos por planta; classificação dos frutos comerciais; massa média dos frutos comerciais; incidência de podridão apical (%); eficiência no uso da água (EUA); acidez titulável (AT); sólidos solúveis totais (SST); pH; relação sólidos solúveis totais e acidez titulável (SST/AT); pectina solúvel; vitamina C; firmeza; coloração e teor de macro e micronutrientes da parte aérea. Os resultados demonstraram que para a obtenção dos maiores valores de produção e produtividade de frutos comerciais, número de frutos por planta, número de frutos grandes e médios e massa média de frutos comerciais, deve-se irrigar quando a tensão de água no solo estiver, em torno, de 20 kPa, à profundidade de 0,20 m. As diferentes tensões de água no solo não influenciaram, significativamente, a acidez titulável, pH, relação sólidos solúveis totais e acidez titulável e pectina solúvel. A eficiência no uso da água, em função das tensões de água no solo, aumentou até a tensão de 116,57 kPa. Das características de qualidade avaliadas, os teores de sólidos solúveis totais, de vitamina C, firmeza e índice L* de coloração, apresentaram efeito significativo com as tensões de água no solo.

Crossing and developing inbred lines have been promising options for guava breeding programs. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the genetic divergence among genotypes of S₁ inbred guava families by means of the Gower’s technique and the Ward-MLM methodology, to verify the correlation and relative contribution of traits, as well as to identify descriptors with minimum efficiency for this species. The experiment was implemented at the Estação Experimental da Ilha Barra do Pomba, in the municipality of Itaocara, RJ, Brazil. A randomized block design with 18 inbred families, three replicates, and ten plants per plot was used for the experimental design. After 19 months from the planting of the experiment, the 61 earliest and most productive genotypes (individual plants) were evaluated. For this purpose, 29 descriptors were evaluated, of which fifteen were qualitative and fourteen, quantitative. The characteristics required to obtain the distance matrix were analyzed based on the Gower algorithm, and a comparative cluster between the dendrograms of the morphoagronomic variables was achieved from this matrix. Lastly, the Ward-MLM procedure was applied to form the clusters of inbred families. By using all 29 descriptors, greater efficiency was achieved in cluster discrimination. Hence, according to the results identified, it is not possible to indicate minimum descriptors for the culture. Using the Ward-MLM method, the descriptors that most contributed to the divergence among the genotypes were fruit flesh mass, fruit weight, fruit diameter, fruit flesh thickness, fruit placental mass, and fruit length. The most divergent genotypes can be recommended for further crosses or self-pollinations to develop new lines in the guava breeding program of UENF.

The potential expression of crop productivity is a constant challenge for plant breeders in the face of oscillations in environmental variables, making selection difficult and increasing the operational and methodological costs in obtaining the ideal cultivar for a determined region. The objective of the research was to investigate the effects of genotype x environment interaction in the selection of cowpea lines with high grain yield, adaptability, and genotypic stability simultaneously, in environments of the Northwest region of Rio de Janeiro State, using mixed models (Maximum Restricted Likelihood - REML/Best Linear Unbiased Prediction - BLUP). 27 cowpea genotypes were evaluated in six environments by combining location (Cambuci-RJ and Bom Jesus do Itabapoana-RJ) and year (2016, 2017 and 2018). A randomized block design with four replications was performed. The genetic parameters were estimated via the REML/BLUP procedure, and the selection was based on the harmonic mean method of the relative performance of the genetic values (HMRPGV). A meaningful difference was observed for environment and genotype x environment interaction. The residual variance and the variance of the genotype x environment interaction formed the most significant fractions of the phenotypic variance. Lines 4 (Bico-de-ouro 1-5-24), 6 (Pingo-de-Ouro 1-5-4), 5 (Pingo-de-Ouro 1-5-26), and 9 (Pingo-de-Ouro 1-5-8), stood out as superior in terms of stability and adaptability and grain yield by HMRPGV. Commercial cultivars 13 (BRS-Tumucumaque) and 26 (BRS-Itaim) had high grain yield, adaptability, and specific stability in the evaluated edaphoclimatic conditions.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the vegetative development of radish seedlings in different organic substrates with seeds from two types of commercial packing. The completely randomized design was used in a 4 x 2 factorial scheme, consisting of four substrates (commercial, tanned bovine manure, mixed organic compound and vermicompost) and two seed packings (aluminized envelope and can), with eight replications, totalizing 64 seedlings. The biometric evaluations of the seedlings were carried out on the 14th day after sowing, and the following phytotechnical parameters were evaluated: leaf number, total fresh mass; fresh mass from aerial part and fresh mass from the root. According to the results, the commercial, vermicompost and mixed organic substrates provided the best results for the variables evaluated when the can was used.