Salinity is a major abiotic stress that adversely affects several physiological and biochemical aspects of plants. Antioxidants can be used as a potential remediation mechanism to promote plant resilience. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to evaluate increasing doses of the antioxidant lycopene on the germination and initial growth of common bean seedlings under conditions of salt stress. Seeds were treated with the following lycopene concentrations: 0.018; 0.036; 0.072; 0.144; and 0.288 g L-1 and two controls (negative and positive) and evaluated under two growth conditions (without and with salt stress) for physiological quality and pigment content. Data were analyzed by completely randomized design, in 2 x 7 factorial (two growth conditions, with paper towel moistened with water or salt solution x seven treatments, including five lycopene doses and two controls), in four replicates of 50 seeds by concentration. With the results of the analysis of variance, growth conditions (without and with salt stress) were compared by the Tukey test (5%), and the effects of lycopene doses were analyzed by polynomial regression. Lycopene promoted tolerance of bean seeds to salt stress and had a positive influence on the attenuation of salt harmful effects to the initial growth of seedlings, mainly at the doses of 0.072 g L-1 and 0.144 g L-1.

Dentre os principais fatores que afetam a germinação de sementes e o desenvolvimento de plântulas, encontra-se a temperatura, que pode afetar as reações bioquímicas que determinam o processo germinativo. Objetivou-se com o presente trabalho avaliar diferentes condições de temperaturas na qualidade fisiológica de sementes de maxixe. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, constituído de cinco regimes de temperaturas (20, 25, 30, 35 °C constantes e 20-30 ºC alternada), que consistiram nos tratamentos, com quatro repetições de 50 sementes. As características analisadas foram: germinação, primeira contagem de germinação, índice de velocidade de germinação, comprimento radicular, comprimento e massa fresca de plântulas. As temperaturas influenciaram a germinação e o vigor das sementes de maxixe.  Temperaturas constantes de 25 e 30 °C mostraram-se mais adequadas para condução dos testes de germinação e avaliação da qualidade fisiológica das sementes. No entanto, a temperatura alternada de 20-30 °C promoveu resultados satisfatórios para a germinação e massa fresca de plântulas.

Natural factors such as salinity act directly on seed germination and vigor and, consequently, affect the establishment and development of seedlings in the field. In view of the above, the objective of this study was to assess the effect of saline stress on the germination and vigor of seeds from black bean cultivars. The study was conducted at the Seed Analysis Laboratory of the State University of Montes Claros, Janaúba-Minas Gerais, Brazil. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 2 × 5 factorial arrangement (two cultivars × five osmotic potentials), with four repeats of 50 seeds per treatment. Bean seeds from cultivars Campeiro and Esteio were used, with sowing carried out on germitest paper rolls moistened at five osmotic potentials via sodium chloride solutions (NaCl): 0.0 [distilled water]; -0.3; -0.6; -0.9 and -1.2 MPa. Seed rolls were kept in a digital germinator, and the germination and vigor percentages of the seeds were determined by first germination count, germination speed index (GSI), and fresh and dry mass of seedlings. The germination and vigor of seeds from common-bean cultivars, black commercial type, are negatively affected under saline stress caused by NaCl solution with osmotic potential lower than -0.6 MPa. The seeds of the studied cultivars showed a different behavior regarding saline stress conditions, and cultivar Campeiro proved to be more tolerant to saline stress in relation to Esteio during the germination process and seedling formation.

O mogno africano é uma espécie arbórea muito valorizada pela indústria, pois sua madeira de alta qualidade possui grande potencial econômico tanto para o mercado interno quanto para o mercado externo. Apesar da alta valorização, os estudos e pesquisas sobre a espécie são escassos, sendo de extrema importância aprofundar o conhecimento. O objetivo do estudo foi avaliar o efeito de diferentes temperaturas sobre a germinação e vigor de sementes de mogno africano em condição de laboratório. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi o inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 4x5, sendo 4 lotes de sementes e cinco regimes de temperatura (20, 25, 30, 35°C constantes e 20-30°C alternada), com quatro repetições de vinte e cinco sementes por tratamento. Inicialmente determinou-se o teor de água das sementes e em seguida realizou-se os seguintes testes: germinação, primeira contagem da germinação, comprimento, massa fresca e seca de plântulas. As temperaturas de 25 e 30ºC constantes são favoráveis à germinação e ao vigor das sementes de mogno africano. Temperaturas de 20 e 35ºC constante e 20-30ºC alternadas são prejudiciais ao processo germinativo, comprometendo o desempenho fisiológico das sementes. Nas temperaturas favoráveis à germinação, as sementes dos lotes 1 e 3 mostraram-se com qualidade fisiológica superior aos demais.

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of different levels of irrigation on the quality parameters involved in the dried-bananas production from 3 different cultivars. The experimental design was a completely randomized factorial 3 x 3, with three genotypes of bananas (Prata-Anã, FHIA-18 and BRS Platina) produced in the semi-arid region of Minas Gerais.) and three irrigation levels (50, 75 and 100% of crop evapotranspiration - ETC), with three replications. For the processing purpose, the fruits were selected at the maturity stage 6. Then they sanitized in hypochlorite of sodium solution at 100 mg L-1, peeled and dehydrated through the drying convective method with hot air, in dryer with forced air, in dryer with forced air circulation at 65ºC for 24 hours. The dried bananas were evaluated according to the following physical and chemical aspects: moisture, length, diameter, firmness, color (brightness, chroma and ºHue), soluble solids and titratable acidity, and sensory characteristics: purchase intention and acceptance. The humidity, length, diameter, firmness, color and acidity of dried bananas were influenced by the different studied irrigation levels. In the sensory evaluation, the best result regarding appearance, color, texture and flavor requirements was observed in banana processed from 'Prata-Anã' irrigated with the total level of water (100%). The dried banana processed from 'BRS Platina' was the least accepted in the sensory tests.