Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) has aroused interest from producers, leading to an intense demand for technical information, especially for obtaining quality seedlings. The objective of this study was to evaluate passion fruit seedlings according to age and morphological characteristics. The experiment was carried out at the seedling nursery of the State University of Montes Claros, Campus Janaúba-MG, Brazil, from March to June 2017. The cultivars BRS Gigante Amarelo, BRS Rubi do Cerrado, BRS Pérola do Cerrado and Redondo Amarelo were evaluated, distributed in randomized blocks with five replications, in a split-plot scheme (4 × 4). There was an adjustment of the model (IQM = 6.3857 − 0.3892 NL + 3.3512 SD − 0.2063 SPAD + 0.0730 LA), which proposes a quality parameter of passion fruit seedlings, high level of significance and coefficient of determination, necessary for the reliability and accuracy of the results obtained. Considering the proposed model (IQM), there is no need for destructive analysis, and evaluations can be performed in the nursery itself as soon as a seedling lot reaches the recommended height of 30 cm. The evaluated characteristics contribute significantly to the quality of the seedling, and it is recommended, besides the height measurement, to evaluate the number of leaves, the stem diameter, the leaf area and the SPAD index, because the combination of these parameters will guarantee the necessary quality of the seedlings to be transplanted in the field.

The objective was to evaluate the production yield and influence of the action of ascorbic acid on the color of dehydrated white and purple sweet potatoes produced in a semi-arid region. The experiment was carried out at the Laboratory of Technology of Products of Plant Origin (TPOV) of the State University of Montes Claros, Janáuba, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Sweet potato roots of the cultivars Brazlândia roxa and Brazlândia branco were used. To determine the action of ascorbic acid on the color of dehydrated white and purple sweet potato, a completely randomized design with 4 replications was used. Analysis of variance was performed in a 2 × 2 factorial scheme, with two cultivars (Roxa and Branca) and absence and presence of ascorbic acid. The results were submitted to statistical analysis using the Sisvar Software. The average yield of white potato was 23% and purple 18.41%. For the variable of soluble solids, no significant differences were observed between the varieties. The sweet potato cultivar Brazlândia Branca showed better yield when submitted to the drying process. The sweet potato cultivar Brazlândia, when submitted to the dehydration process, presented a more yellowish color, however, with less intense coloration in the presence of ascorbic acid.

Carrot (Daucus carota) is one of the most important vegetables in the world. Cow urine is a fertilizer available in rural areas and can be used in agriculture. However, there are no indications of the best dose to be used in carrots. The authors aimed with this work to evaluate different concentrations of cow urine in the cultivation of ‘Brasília’ carrots. The treatments consisted of five doses of cow urine (0%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0%) applied during the culture cycle. After 90 days, the agronomic characteristics (weight, length, diameter, productivity, luminosity, chromaticity, and Hue angle) were evaluated. The application of cow urine increased the weight, diameter, and length of ‘Brasilia’ carrots.