RESUMO Este estudo investigou o efeito de um método de secagem com razões intermitentes no tempo efetivo de secagem, consumo específico de energia e rendimento de óleo essencial de folhas de manjericão cravo (Ocimum gratissimum L.). Os testes de secagem foram conduzidos no Laboratório de Pós-colheita de Plantas Medicinais, Aromáticas e Condimentares do Departamento de Engenharia Agrícola da Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, (20° 46’ 13.5” S; 42° 52’ 23.3” N, e altitude de 665 m) em outubro e novembro de 2017. O experimento foi conduzido usando um esquema fatorial 3 × 4, incluindo três temperaturas de secagem a 50, 60 e 70 °C, com quatro processos de secagem: contínua e as três razões intermitentes seguintes de secagem/repouso em minutos 10/20, 15/15 e 20/10. O delineamento foi inteiramente casualizado e com três repetições. A aplicação da razão intermitente 10/20 reduziu o tempo efetivo de secagem e o consumo específico de energia. Quanto ao rendimento de óleo essencial, o uso da intermitência apresentou resultados diferentes para cada temperatura de secagem; os maiores rendimentos foram observados com secagem contínua a 50 °C e secagem com a razão intermitente 20/10 a 60 °C. Os resultados indicam que a secagem intermitente a 50 °C não é recomendada para preservar o rendimento de óleo essencial.

ABSTRACT This study investigated the effect of a drying method with intermittent ratios on the effective drying time, specific energy consumption and essential oil yield of clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum L.) leaves. The drying tests were conducted at the Postharvest Laboratory of Medicinal, Aromatic and Condiment Plants, from the Departamento de Engenharia Agrícola of the Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil (20° 46’ 13.5” S; 42° 52’ 23.3” W, and altitude of 645 m) in October and November 2017. The experiment was conducted by using a 3 × 4 factorial scheme including three drying temperatures at 50, 60 and 70 °C, with four drying processes: continuous drying and the following three intermittent drying/tempering ratios in minutes: 10/20, 15/15 and 20/10. The design was completely randomized and with three repetitions. The application of the 10/20 intermittent ratio reduced the effective drying time and the specific energy consumption. Regarding the essential oil yield, the use of the intermittence presented different results for each temperature of drying; the highest yields were observed with continuous drying at 50 °C and drying with the 20/10 intermittent ratio at 60 °C. The results indicate that intermittent drying at 50 °C is not recommended to preserve essential oil yields.

Abstract There are no guava cultivars resistant to the Meloidogyne enterolobii; for this reason, genetic breeding has been performed by introgressing genes into the current cultivars through interspecific hybridization. We used 33 microsatellite markers for the genetic-molecular characterization of segregating populations of Psidium resistant to M. enterolobii, aiming at selection within and between populations for generation advancement in the guava breeding program. The average number of alleles per locus ranged from 1.60 to 2.09. Populations 1 (P. guineense × P. cattleyanum) and 5 (P. guajava × P. cattleyanum) obtained the greatest genetic diversity, which can be confirmed by the higher observed-heterozygosity values (0.422 and 0.312, respectively). Bayesian analysis showed that the populations were subdivided into three groups, agreeing with the number of groups observed by Nei’s genetic distance. The population obtained from the P. guineense × P. cattleyanum cross differed from the others with a clear structuring, whereas the P. guajava × P. cattleyanum and P. cattleyanum × P. guineense populations were the most similar between each other. The SSR markers were efficient in discriminating the populations, and individual 80 may be employed in future crosses with guava, allowing generation advancement in the guava breeding program aimed at resistance to M. enterolobii.