A alface apresenta sensibilidade às variações de temperatura durante a germinação, sendo afetada negativamente por altas temperaturas. Deste modo, métodos capazes de minimizar tais efeitos, se revestem de grande importância para promover germinação satisfatória. Assim, objetivou-se com o presente estudo avaliar a utilização do etefon (precursor do etileno) na germinação de sementes de alface sob diferentes condições de temperatura. O delineamento experimental foi o inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial 2x6, sendo duas temperaturas (20 e 30°C) e seis concentrações de etefon (0, 200, 400, 600, 800 e 1000 ppm), com quatro repetições. Avaliaram-se a germinação, protrusão radicular, primeira contagem da germinação e índice de velocidade de germinação. O etefon maximizou a germinação e velocidade de germinação de sementes de alface expostas à temperatura de 30°C, enquanto na temperatura de 20°C ocorreram decréscimos. Incrementos também foram verificados no percentual de protrusão radicular para as sementes expostas a 30°C. Em todas as concentrações estudadas, a temperatura de 20°C proporcionou maior percentual e velocidade de germinação. Concentrações entre 726 e 786 ppm proporcionaram melhores respostas no desempenho germinativo de sementes submetidas a 30°C, ao passo que em temperatura de 20°C o etefon promoveu efeito negativo.

High doses of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in irrigated systems may lead to an increase in the productivity of industrial tomatoes, but may also alter the final quality of the fruits. The objective of this was to evaluate the agronomic yield and post-harvest quality of industrial tomatoes, under NPK doses for climatic conditions of Northern Minas Gerais state, Brazil. The study was conducted in the city of Jaíba, MG, Brazil, in randomized block design with four repetitions in a 3 x 3 factorial scheme, consisting of three doses of N (90, 135 and 180 kg ha-1), of P (270, 405 and 540 kg ha-1) and of K (225, 337 and 450 kg ha-1), corresponding to 50, 75 and 100% of the fertilization recommendation; and three tomato hybrids: BRS Sena, Heinz 9553 and BHN 0574. The following variables were evaluated: number of bunches, number and weight of fruits, productivity and fertilizer efficiency index; besides the physico-chemical characteristics: firmness, soluble solids concentration, pH and pulp industrial yield. The hybrid Heinz 9553 showed higher weight, number of fruits, productivity and industrial yield at doses of 75 and 100% of NPK recommendation. The fertilizer doses did not interfere on the soluble solids, pH and fruit firmness of the three hybrids. The hybrid BRS Sena was not influenced by the increase of NPK and there was lower weight, number of fruits, productivity and fertilization efficiency. The hybrid BHN and Heinz hybrids can be indicated for cultivation at doses of 100 and 75% of NPK recommendation, because they promote higher agronomic yield and do not alter the post-harvest quality of the tomatoes.

Objective: To determine the ideal harvest season of ‘Prata-Anã’ banana bunches by means of physical and chemical analyses of fruit cultivation conditions in the northern state of Minas Gerais. Study Design: The employed experimental design was the completely randomized design was used in a 5x5 factorial scheme, with five bunch ages and five assessment days. Study Location and Duration: The experiment was run in an area with banana trees planted 20 months beforehand, located at Unimontes’s Experimental Farm, at 530 m of altitude, with coordinates being -15°43’46.99” south latitude and -43°19’17.61”west longitude, between April and November 2017. Methodology: The bananas bunches the were marked weekly from April 14 to May 12, and week days were standardized for each marking. Five bunch ages were defined – 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 weeks after inflorescence emission – for harvest. For differentiation of emerged bunches, tapes of different color were used. When the bunches marked in the first week completed 20 weeks, all bunches were harvested, which happened on September 1. After harvested the fruits were subjected to storage in refrigerated chamber at 10°C ± 1°C and relative humidity of 90% +5% for 25 days. After being stored for 25 days, the bananas were taken out of the chamber and exposed to a room temperature of 25°C, which analyzes were performed for 9 days, with a two-day interval in between, simulating the marketing period. The following analyses were carried out: Firmness, peel color, soluble solids, pH, titratable acidity, amide, total sugars, reducing sugars and electrolyte extravasation. Results: Lower hue, chroma, soluble solids, titratable acidity, total sugar, reducing sugar and electrolyte extravasation values were found for bananas harvested at 16 weeks. Conclusion: Bunch harvest age had a direct influence on post-harvest quality of bananas ‘Prata-Anã’. Fruits from 16-week bunches were superior in physical and chemical characteristics compared to other ages, meaning a longer post-harvest life.