In the present study, the effects of two CaCl₂.2H₂O levels (440 and 1320 mg L^-1) and two subcultures were evaluated on in vitro shoots of Lavandula angustifolia cv. Provence Blue. Ca²⁺ content of the apical, middle and basal portion of shoots was determined. Increasing CaCl₂.2H₂O level in the culture medium increased tissue Ca²⁺ content and decreased hyperhydricity. Shoot-tip necrosis also decreased with 1320 mg L^-1 CaCl₂.2H₂O, but it did not occur in the second subculture. The middle and basal portion had higher Ca²⁺ content than apical portion. In non-hyperhydric tissues, there were smaller and more juxtaposed cells. Scanning electron microscopy of the leaves demonstrated that trichomes from in vitro leaf surface occurred in smaller quantities.

O uso de indutores de resistência em plantas representa um método alternativo e promissor no controle de podridões pós-colheita de frutos. Assim sendo, foi conduzido um experimento na Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná - Câmpus Dois Vizinhos - PR, no ano de 2004, com objetivo de avaliar a aplicação pré-colheita de quitosana e acibenzolar-S-metil (ASM) sobre o comportamento pós-colheita de frutos de morangueiro da cultivar Aromas. O efeito da aplicação de quitosana (0,5; 1,0 e 2,0%) e de uma dose de ASM (0,0025%) foi verificado em relação à testemunha (água destilada) e ao tratamento-controle com aplicação de fungicidas. A aplicação na pré-colheita de quitosana, nas três doses avaliadas, retardou a maturação dos frutos, manteve maior firmeza de polpa e acidez titulável e diminuiu a perda de massa. Esses tratamentos também diminuíram a produção de etileno, o teor de açúcares redutores e mantiveram mais elevado os teores de polifenóis totais. A aplicação de quitosana, nas três doses avaliadas, induziu maior resistência das plantas a patógenos, resultando na diminuição de podridão dos frutos em pós-colheita. No entanto, a concentração de 2% de quitosana causou dano aos frutos na pós-colheita, elevando a taxa respiratória e o teor de açúcares redutores. O ASM teve efeito na retenção da acidez titulável e na redução de podridões, similar ao tratamento com fungicidas. A aplicação de quitosana e ASM na pré-colheita não interferiu na qualidade organoléptica dos frutos em pós-colheita.

Antioxidants are compounds with varied chemical structures that are affected by biotic and abiotic factors. The objective of this study was to characterize and compare bioactive compounds and the antioxidant capacity of fruit from four blackberry cultivars produced under different climatic conditions. Ascorbic acid content, total polyphenols, flavonoids, monomeric anthocyanins and antioxidant activity of the fruit were evaluated, and high levels of bioactive compounds as well as antioxidant activity were observed regardless of the cultivar or growing location. The results showed that bioactive production is affected by the cultivar and environment. Furthermore, the antioxidant potential of the blackberry fruit depends on the total phenolics and anthocyanin.

Micropropagation is an important technique for clonal mass propagation and a tool for in vitro studies. One of the first steps to overcome in this process is the establishment of new explants in vitro. ‘Delite’ rabbiteye blueberry was cultured in vitro with four cytokinins (zeatin (ZEA), 6-(γ-γ-dimethylallylamino)-purine (2iP), 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP), and kinetin (KIN)) at eight concentrations (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 µM). Additionally, nine combinations of nitrogen salts were tested, using Woody Plant Medium (WPM) and a modified WPM as the basic medium. ZEA and 2iP showed better responses, but ZEA was superior at lower (2.5 µM) concentrations (89.7% survival, 81.3% shoot formation, 1.3 shoots, 13.8 mm shoot length, 10.0 leaves). BAP and KIN showed very low responses. In the combinations of salts with modified WPM, no differences were observed. However, the original WPM with treatments of 0.5 × NH₄NO₃ and 1 × Ca(NO₃)₂, 0.5 × NH₄NO₃ and 0.5 × Ca(NO₃)₂, and the modified WPM alone showed the lowest rates of survival and shoot formation and the shortest shoot lengths. The highest shoot lengths were observed in treatments with the original WPM, 1.5 × NH₄NO₃ and 0.5 × Ca(NO₃)₂, and 1.5 × NH₄NO₃ and 1.5 × Ca(NO₃)₂. This initial study with ‘Delite’ can be the basis for further experiments with different combinations of salts, 2iP, and ZEA.

The aim of this work was to study the influence of sucrose and glucose, amino acids and BAP (6-Benzylaminopurine) levels on in vitro shoot regeneration of fox grape cv. Bordô and grapevine cv. Chardonnay. The nodal segments from micropropagated material were used as explants and half-strength MS medium as the basal medium. Sucrose and glucose at 15, 30 and 45 g.L-1 were tested as a carbon source and the supplementation of adenine, asparagine, alanine, glycine, cysteine, glutamine, arginine was tested at 40 g.L-1. The BAP levels (1 and 5 μM) in solid and double-phase media were evaluated and compared with a control medium without BAP. Bordô had best in vitro growth than Chardonnay. Sucrose was a better carbohydrate source than glucose for both the cultivars. Bordô and Chardonnay had different amino acid preferences for some parameters. In conclusion, for in vitro shoot regeneration from the nodal segments, culture on solid medium with 5 μM BAP, 15 g.L-1 sucrose for Bordô and 45 g.L-1 sucrose for Chardonnay showed better results. Similarly, the supplementation of 40 g.L-1 arginine for Bordô and 40 g.L-1 arginine or glycine for Chardonnay showed better results.