PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHANGES DURING TOMMY ATKINS MANGOES DEVELOPMENT IN SÃO FRANCISCO VALLEY, PETROLINA, PE, BRAZILABSTRACT -The objective of this study was to characterize the mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruit growth, cv. Tommy Atkins, from anthesis to commercial harvest, identifying when the mango reaches the harvest maturity stage based on physical and physicochemical determinations. The fruits were harvested at 35, 49, 63, 70, 77, 84, 98 and 112 days after the anthesis (DAA), and the following determinations were made: longitudinal diameter, ventral diameter, transversal diameter, product of the diameters, fresh mass, dry mass, water content and percentage, Blush scale for skin color and soluble solids. This study indicated that mango cv. Tommy Atkins delayed 98 DAA to reach the maturity and the dry mass, among those studied, is the best growth indicator.

Several strategies have been employed in the breeding of passion fruit with a view to the generation of superior progeny. In an effort to develop more precise methods in breeding, we compared the efficiency of the Post-Hoc Blocking Row-Col technique, which is an a posteriori technique that consists of the overlapping of a block structure on the original-field design, with a randomized-block design and compared different selection strategies within and among half-sib families, using the REML/BLUP mixed-model methodology. Twenty-three half-sib families from the third cycle of recurrent selection of the breeding program of Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro -UENF were evaluated. The trial took place in the experimental unit of UENF, in Itaocara -RJ, Brazil. Plants were trained on vertical stakes, with four replicates and three plants per plot. They were assessed individually for the traits number of fruits per plant, fruit mass per plant, fruit length, fruit diameter, peel thickness, total soluble solids, pH, pulp percentage, and production per plant. No significant difference was found in the test of efficiency of the designs for any of the evaluated traits. Withinfamily heritability (h 2 ad ) had a similar magnitude to individual heritability (h 2 a ), indicating that even in the 4th cycle of recurrent ©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp.com.br Genetics and Molecular Research 18 (2): gmr18305 N.R. Cavalcante et al. 2selection, genetic variability still exists within the evaluated progeny. Selection within half-sib families provided superior gains when compared with selection among families for the traits number of fruits; production; fruit mass, length, and diameter; total soluble solids; pH; and pulp percentage. The best selection strategy was within families, as it generated higher selection-gain estimates than those obtained with selection between families and the directselection and index-selection approach.