Beauregard sweet potatoes have high concentration of β‐carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, which helps in human growth and development. The objective of the work was to optimize the Beauregard sweet potato flour production process, maintaining a high content of carotenoids. A central rotational composite design 23 was performed with three central points and six axial points. Independent factors were ascorbic acid concentration, immersion time, and drying temperature while investigated responses were carotenoid, vitamin C and protein content and color. The optimum conditions for the processing of sweet potato flour was ascorbic acid concentration used in the immersion of 1.84 g 100 ml–1, immersion time of 43.6 min, and drying temperature of 43.3°C. The process showed 100% general desirability, and the product obtained present 419.85 μg g–1 of carotenoids, 24.92 mg 100 g–1 of vitamin C, and 5.26 mg 100 g–1 of protein content. Practical applications Sweet potato (Ipomoea potatoes L. (Lam.)) is an energetic food, containing a high content of vitamins and minerals. The Beauregard variety, with orange pulp, has advantages over other cultivars because it has high productivity and is more nutritious due to its high content of β‐carotene (115 μg g–1 of fresh roots), in addition to different color and flavor. The drying process of roots for the production of flour is a method most used to reduce post‐harvest losses that occur due to its high perishability. The use of experimental planning through a central rotational composite design (DCCR) is an efficient statistical tool that allows determining the ideal conditions of the Beauregard sweet potato flour production process in which the high nutritional value is maintained, preserving the B‐carotene) and with less alteration of the color sensory attribute.

Solar energy is a clean and renewable energy production option and can be applied to pumping water. Pumping water with photovoltaic solar energy is one of the technologies that has stood out in the country. In this context, the work aimed to evaluate the different methods of a drip irrigation system as a function of the use of an indoor amorphous photovoltaic pumping system, without electrical energy storage. The study was installed at the State University of Western Paraná. Voltage and current data were generated by the photovoltaic panels; solar irradiation was measured by the pyranometer device; the water pump flow rate was determined using the flow meter and in-line drip tube types. Irrigation performance was determined by the water distribution uniformity coefficients (CUD) and Christiansen’s uniformity coefficient (CUC). Tests were performed on open and partially cloudy days. The experiment totaled 40 sampled data, half being collected on sunny days and the other half on partially cloudy days, at 9:45 am; 11:00 am; 1:30 pm and 3:00 pm. The methodology had the greatest influence on the CUD value. For the CUC parameter, the values were approximately 89% for the studied methods. Values remained under control for the Shewhart graph, but with the process capacity index affected.

The definition of the ideal plant population is important for good safflower agricultural management in Brazil, as they are gaining importance as oleaginous plant. Two experiments were conducted in an Rhodic Acrudox in 2014 in Cascavel, PR, Brazil, to evaluate the effect of plant density on growth, yield components and grain yield in safflower oil during autumn and winter seasons. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with three replications and four plant densities per meter (5, 10, 15 and 20 m). Densities of 14 and 16 plants per meter gave greater heights of plants during autumn and winter, accordingly. Increasing densities reduce the number of branches and chapters in autumn, but increase in the productivity of grains and oil. The oil content was improved by cultivating plants in winter, since the population of safflower in winter is higher as compared to fall. In safflower sown in autumn, between 15 and 16 plants per meter was sufficient for maximum grain yield and oil. The oil yield was 15% higher in autumn (992 kg ha-1) as compared to winter (858 kg ha-1

A tendência de mudança da matriz energética com relação aos combustíveis do mundo direciona à necessidade de uma série de pesquisas que buscam a otimização do uso do biodiesel e das misturas de diesel-biodiesel das oleaginosas, como a soja e outras culturas. Este estudo teve como objetivo demonstrar a produção de biodiesel de óleo bruto de soja (extraído a frio) de uma prensa mecânica como estratégia para o pequeno produtor e avaliar o desempenho de um motor gerador, usando as misturas deste biodiesel e de diesel mineral. Foram utilizadas blendas de biodiesel de soja extraído a frio (10, 20, 40%) e de diesel mineral (90, 80, 60%) em uma carga resistiva menor e maior, com potência aproximada 4,6 kW e 1,6 kW respectivamente, aplicada ao motor gerador com a finalidade de avaliar o seu desempenho. O biodiesel produzido do óleo de soja extraído da prensa mecânica apresentou as especificações de acordo com as normas ANP. A avaliação da eficiência energética dos combustíveis, com o conjunto moto gerador da marca Branco modelo BD 4000, demonstrou variações no consumo, e a blenda com 20% de biodiesel de soja e com 80% de diesel mostrou redução no gasto de combustível e um bom rendimento do conjunto. Os resultados da pesquisa sugerem esta como sendo uma estratégia viável ao pequeno produtor.

North American safflower cultivars can be considered as alternatives for cultivation in light of the limited improvement in the commercially grown and registered cultivars in Brazil. This study aimed to evaluate the initial growth and agronomic performance of North American safflower cultivars in Brazil. The experimental design for North American cultivars included random blocks with six cultivars (S-351, 3307, 8311, 0260, 0210 and S-323) and six replicates. The emergence percentage, emergence speed index, average emergence time, and average emergence speed were determined at 15 days after emergence (DAE). Plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves per plant, fresh plant mass, and dry plant mass were determined at 30 DAE. Plant height, stem diameter, number of branches, number of chapters, number of leaves, fresh plant mass, dry plant mass, fresh root mass, and dry root mass were determined at the flowering stage. The final plant density, number of chapters per plant, 100-grain weight, grain yield, oil content, and protein content were determined at the harvest stage. Cultivar S-351 had the greatest initial growth and exhibited greater emergence and emergence speed index. At 30 DAE, the cultivars did not differ with respect to the accumulation of dry mass and number of leaves. During flowering, cultivars S-323 and 8311 had greater accumulation of plant and root dry mass, as well as a greater number of leaves, branches, and chapters. Cultivars 210 and 260 had higher grain yield, whereas cultivars 3307 and S-323 had higher oil content, and cultivar S-351 had higher protein content.