RESUMO -A produção integrada de frutas procura reduzir o uso de agrotóxicos, eliminar produtos considerados perigosos para a saúde humana ou prejudicial para o meio ambiente e, ao mesmo tempo, fomentar as boas práticas de manejo agrícola. Assim, os sistemas de produção convencional (PC) e integrado (PI) de pêssegos da cv. Marli foram comparados em relação às principais práticas de manejo da planta e do solo, controle fitossanitário, aspectos econômicos, bem como à qualidade da fruta, objetivando estabelecer o sistema de Produção Integrada de Frutas de Caroço (PIFC) na Depressão Central-RS. Na área conduzida sob PI, foram utilizadas as práticas de acordo com o manejo preconizado pela Organização Internacional de Controle Biológico e no sistema de PC, aquelas de uso comum pelo produtor. A produção de pêssegos obtidas em ambos os sistemas não foi afetada. Na área de PI, houve menor número de frutas por planta quando comparada com a PC, entretanto, os pêssegos apresentaram maior tamanho e peso, não afetando a produção final. A classificação das frutas demonstrou que os pêssegos provenientes do sistema de PI são na maioria, pertencente à CAT I (diâmetro > 57 mm), enquanto os do sistema PC são de CAT II (48 a 57 mm). Houve maior incidência de Grapholita molesta e Monilinia fructicola no pomar de pêssegos provenientes do sistema de PI. O monitoramento de pragas e o manejo de doenças proporcionaram uma sensível redução na aplicação de agroquímicos. De uma forma geral é possível produzir pêssegos de melhor qualidade, mantendo a produtividade com uma redução considerável no uso de agroquímicos. Termos para indexação: Pêssego, qualidade dos frutos, manejo do solo, manejo da planta. CONVENTIONAL PRODUCTION X INTEGRATED PRODUCTION OF PEACHES ´MARLI' IN THE CENTRAL DEPRESSION OF RIO GRANDE DO SUL STATEABSTRACT -The integrated production of fruits with Pit tries to reduce the use of pesticides, to eliminate products considered dangerous for human health or harmful to the environment and, at the same time, encourage good agricultural practices. Therefore the objective of the present work was to compare conventional (CP) and integrated (IP) production systems of peaches cv. Marli, with regards to plant and soil management, diseases and pest control, economical aspects, as well as fruit quality, to warrant the integrate production of stone fruits system (IPSF) in the Central Depressão-region of the state of RS. In the area managed as IP, the practices were in agreement with the handling recommended by the International Organization of Biological Control and in the CP system, the grove was managed as common used by the grower. Peach production in both systems wasn't affected. In the IP area, there was smaller number of fruits per plant compared to the CP area, however the peaches were of greater size there was no effect on total yield per plant. The majority of peaches from the IP system were classified as CAT I fruit (diameter > 57 mm) while most of the peaches from the CP system were classified as CAT II fruit (48 a 57 mm). Ther...

Thinning is a cultural practice that leads to balance between fruit yield and quality. It is carried out in a short period of time and requires qualified workforce, whose shortage ends up increasing costs. This study aimed at evaluating the thinning effect of metamitron on peach trees at different periods of time after bloom. The experiment was carried out in a commercial orchard of 'Sensação' peach trees located in Morro Redondo, Rio Grande do Sul (RS) state, Brazil, in 2015-2016 crops. Treatments were the application of 200 mg L-1 metamitron, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 days after full bloom (DAFB), and manual thinning 40 DAFB. Fruit abscission, effective fructification, period of manual and chemical thinning, number of fruits and yield per plant, mean fruit mass and fruit caliber were evaluated. When metamitron was applied 40 DAFB, percentages of fruit abscission and fruit set, besides the number of fruits, were similar to the ones found when manual thinning was carried out. The intensity of the thinning effect of metamitron in peach trees depends on the application period.

In the peach tree cultivation, the producer has the challenge of obtaining good quality fruits and maintaining production in a balanced way over the years. Thinning favors these parameters and reduces the fruit load on plants. Manual thinning commonly practiced on peach trees requires high labor and increases production costs. Chemical thinning as an alternative to manual thinning, which depending on the species, time and concentration, has demonstrated high efficiency. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of metamitron applied at different seasons and concentrations on the chemical thinning of peach trees in southern Brazil. Experiments were conducted in a commercial peach orchard (‘Maciel’ cultivar), in the municipality of Morro Redondo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, during the 2015 and 2016 harvests. In experiment 1, metamitron at concentration of 200 mg L-1 was applied at 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 days after full bloom and manual thinning performed at 40 days after full bloom. In experiment 2, metamitron was applied at concentrations of 100 mg L-1, 200 mg L-1, 300 mg L-1 and 400 mg L-1 and manual thinning at 40 days after full bloom, in addition to control plants. Fruit abscission, fruit set, total number of fruits per plant, yield per plant, average mass and fruit diameter were evaluated. Metamitron at concentration of 200 mg L-1 has thinning effect when applied before 40 days after full bloom. Metamitron concentration of 100 mg L-1 applied at 40 DAFB promoted fruit abscission superior to manual thinning. Therefore, the application of metamitron to ‘Maciel’ peach trees close to full bloom at concentration of 100 mg L-1 results in thinning practice similar to manual thinning.

High effective peach fruit set results in an excessive amount of fruits, requiring thinning accomplishment, which is a manual practice and demands specialized labor, raising production costs. In this sense, chemical thinning may be an alternative to improve the peach production chain. The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of 6-benzyladenine (BA) on chemical thinning and the effect of different BA dosages on peach production and color characteristics of 'Maciel' fruits. Treatments consisted of plants without thinning (Control), sprayed BA at doses of 100 mg L-1 , 200 mg L-1 and 400 mg L-1 , applied 45 days after full bloom (DAPF) and hand thinning at 45 DAPF. The applications of different dosages were carried out by spraying, using backpack spraying equipment. Percentage of thinning abscission, number of fruits per plant, yield per plant, fruit mass, color and average fruit diameter were evaluated. The doses of 200 and 400 mg L-1 BA for thinning increased the percentage of fruit abscission and fruit mass. The doses of 400 mg L-1 BA presented lower yield per plant, but fruits with higher average mass. Increasing BA dose reduced the number of fruits per plant. Hand thinning and 400 mg L-1 BA resulted peach fruits with larger diameter. BA application to thin peaches did not alter the fruit skin color. Therefore, BA may be a chemical thinning alternative for 'Maciel' peach cultivar, because it reduces the time of thinning in plants when compared to manual thinning. For an efficient chemical thinning with BA the product dose must be taken into account, along with climatic conditions and the cultivar.

Aims: The objective of this study was to evaluate peach fruits quality after chemical thinning using metamitron at different times in the South of Brazil. Study Design: The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with five replications of three plants, fruits were harvested and evaluated the central plant in the plot, and twenty fruits were evaluated in each replicate.