Abstract The goal of this work was to evaluate blackberry cultivars in terms of productivity and bioactive compounds. Two experiments were conducted: in the first experiment four cultivars were evaluated (Cherokee, Guarani, BRS-Tupy and Xavante). In the second experiment, the effects of pruning management in the BRS-Tupy cultivar were evaluated with the following treatments: drastic winter pruning (zero primocane), and maintenance of two, three or four primocanes in the winter pruning. Vegetative, productive and fruit quality characteristics were determined, including measurement of bioactive compounds. Among the cultivars, the cultivar BRS-Tupy was superior in terms of productive characteristics, but for content of anthocyanins and flavonoids, the cultivar Xavante stood out (191.97 and 68.44 mg 100 g-1, respectively). Drastic winter pruning produced lower fruit quality. The number of primocanes has a directly proportional influence on the soluble solids content and productivity component. For farmers who want fruits with greater levels of bioactive compounds, the use of cultivar Xavante is recommended; however, for those who aim for productive aspects, we suggest the use of cultivar BRS-Tupy with four primocanes per plant.

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of boron foliar application, branch girdling and plant growth regulators on the performance of pear trees cv. Garber. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design with three replications. Treatments consisted of different boron rates (220, 440, 660 and 880 mL 100 L-1), branch girdling, and the plant growth regulators Promalin® (benzyladenine + gibberellins AG4+7) (560 mL 100 L-1) and Biozyme * TF (200 mL 100 L-1). The percentage of fruit set, stem length, fruit length, fruit diameter, flesh firmness, soluble solids and yield were assessed. The greatest fruit set was observed with Promalin® in both years and also boron and Biozyme * TF in the second year. The use of Promalin® increased peduncle length, fruit height but negatively affected soluble solids. Yield was also increased by this plant growth regulator and boron. Concluding, Promalin® improves fruit set, yield, and fruit quality and boron positively influence yield.

Com o objetivo de avaliar a influência das práticas de manejo do solo e intensidades de raleio de frutas no crescimento e classificação comercial de pêssegos das cultivares Cerrito e Chimarrita, foi instalado o experimento em pomares de pessegueiros (Prunus persica L. Batsch), localizados no município de Pelotas-RS. Nestes, parcelas de solo vêm sendo manejadas desde 1996, com cobertura de aveia-preta (Avena strigosa Schreb), sistema de produção integrada de pêssego (PIP) e parcelas mantidas com gradagens, arações e emprego de herbicidas, sistema convencional (PC). As plantas, nos dois sistemas de manejo do solo (PIP e PC), foram submetidas a três intensidades de raleio de frutas, tomando-se por referência a relação, o número de frutas.cm-2 de área da secção transversal do tronco, medida a 20 cm da superfície do solo, permanecendo: 4; 5 e 6 frutas.cm-2. Avaliaram-se, nas frutas, no período de pós-raleio à colheita, o crescimento semanal do diâmetro sutural e, na colheita, a classificação comercial (tipo 1; 2 e 3). Na cv. Cerrito, não ocorreu influência do sistema de manejo do solo, assim como das intensidades de raleio, no crescimento final e classificação comercial das frutas, e não houve interferência da cobertura total do solo com aveia-preta, com o crescimento das frutas nos distintos períodos de avaliação, quando comparado ao sistema de manejo convencional do solo (PC).

With the objective of evaluating the influence of soil management practices and the intensity of fruit thinning during their growth and the commercial classification of peach' cultivars Cerrito and Chimarrita, an experiment was conducted in peach orchards (Prunus persica L. Batsch), in the rural area of Pelotas/RS. Since 1996, in these orchards, plots have been managed with a sod of black-oat (Avena strigosa Schreb) as well as weeds soil cleaning through tilling and/or use of herbicides. These are common practices in the Peach Integrated Production system (PIP), and the conventional production system (PC). In both systems (PIP and PC), the plants were submitted to three intensities of fruit thinning, having as reference the ratio: fruit number.cm-2 of the transversal trunk section area, measured 20 cm above soil surface, leaving: 4; 5; or 6 fruits.cm-2. From September to December fruit growth at the sutured diameter was measured every week and during the harvesting period, the classification of the fruits by size (type 1, 2 and 3). Total soil covering with black-oat showed no interference in the fruit growth when compared to the conventional soil management (PC), for cv. Cerrito.

A persicultura, no Brasil, é praticada há bastante tempo, porém poucos estudos foram realizados visando alternativas de manejo nos pomares para aumento de produtividade. Este trabalho teve por objetivo avaliar o desenvolvimento anual do diâmetro do tronco e produção nos terceiro e quarto anos, em pessegueiro cv. Chimarrita, enxertado sobre o porta-enxerto Capdeboscq. Foram avaliados quatro sistemas de condução: I - espaçamento de 0,5 m entre plantas, conduzido em 'Áxis colunar'; II e III - 1,0 m e 2,0 m, respectivamente, conduzidos em 'Y' e IV - 4,0 m em 'Vaso' (sistema tradicional). Entre as linhas de plantio o espaçamento foi constante de 5,0 m para todos os sistemas de condução. O pomar foi implantado em julho de 1997 na Fazenda experimental do Centro Agropecuário da Palma, propriedade da Universidade Federal de Pelotas, localizada no município de Capão do Leão, RS. Avaliou-se a taxa de crescimento anual do diâmetro do tronco, produtividade, qualidade físico-química das frutas e ocorrência de podridão parda. Os resultados obtidos na taxa de crescimento foram semelhantes em ambos os anos, porém observou-se maior incremento relativo no período 2000/2001, no sistema de condução I. A produtividade foi superior no sistema I e II diferindo do sistema IV, no entanto, a qualidade físico-química e a ocorrência de podridão parda foram semelhantes em todos os sistemas.

The peach culture has been practiced for a long time in Brazil but a few studies were performed aiming to define choices of orchard management for increasing productivity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate fruit production and annual growth rate of the trunk diameter in the third and fourth year after planting of peach-trees cv. "Chimarrita" on Capdeboscq rootstock. Four training systems were evaluated, as follow: I -spacing of 0,5 m among plants trained as "columnar axis"; II and III - spacing of 1 and 2 m, respectively trained as an "Y shape" and IV - 4,0 m as an "open vase" (traditional system). The space between tree rows was steady in 5,0 m for all the training systems. The orchard was implanted in July 1997 in the Experimental Farm of Centro Agropecuário da Palma, Universidade Federal de Pelotas located in a rural district of Capão do Leão, RS. The annual growth rate of the trunk diameter, productivity, physicochemical quality of fruits and rottenness occurrence were evaluated. The trunk rate was similar in both years, but a greater relative increasing was observed in 2000/2001 period for training system I. The productivity was higher in system I and II differing from the IV system, nonetheless the physicochemical quality and rottenness occurrence were similar in all systems.