The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic dissimilarity between half-sibling progenies of kale in order to determine the most divergent progenies and, also, to select potential parents. Thirty-six kale genotypes were evaluated, being thirty-three half-sibling progenies and three commercial cultivars, in a randomized block design with four replicates and six plants per plot. Twenty-eight traits were evaluated in each plant per plot, thirteen quantitative and fifteen qualitative traits. Genetic divergence was studied using MANOVA and canonical variables for quantitative observations. In addition, dendrograms were made for quantitative, qualitative and joint analyses by UPGMA method, using Mahalanobis distance. Genetic divergence was observed between genotypes. Commercial cultivars were more divergent than half-sibling progenies. Among half-sibling progenies, the most divergent ones were P1, P21, P23, P25 and P30. We concluded that half-sibling progenies P1, P23 and P30 can be used as potential parents to compose the recombinant population.

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp) can suffer significant losses due to the attack of Meloidogyne javanica. The most effective control is through nematicides, however, it is an expensive treatment, so alternative measures have been sought. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate the effect of silicon on the control of M. javanica in cowpea plants. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, in a completely randomized design, in a 5 × 2 + 1 factorial scheme, being: five doses of Si (0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 mg dm -3 ), two soluble sources of Si (Quimifol Silício® and sodium silicate P.A.), plus an additional treatment consisting of tomato cultivation in soil without the addition of Si and with nematodes, with four replications. Sixty days after inoculation in the plants, the root systems were collected and evaluated: volume, length and fresh mass of roots, gall index, egg mass index, reproduction factor, reproduction index, and reduction of reproductive factor of M. javanica. The sources of silicon at different doses had a positive effect on root variables. They were also able to reduce the parasitism variables of M. javanica in cowpea plants.