Cristhian Leonardo Fenili’s research while affiliated with Santa Catarina State University and other places

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the summer pruning time in 'Fuji' apple trees on the quality of fruit at harvest and after storage in controlled atmosphere with extremely low O2 (CA-ELO) (0.5 kPa O2). The treatments evaluated were summer pruning in December, January, and February, in addition to a control treatment (without summer pruning). The experiment was carried out in the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 growing seasons. The fruit were evaluated at harvest and after eight months of CA-ELO (0.5 kPa O2 + <0.5 kPa CO2/1.5 ± 0.2°C/92 ± 2% RH) storage, at chamber opening, and after 7 days of shelf-life at 23 ± 3°C and 60 ± 5% RH. The quality of the fruit was evaluated through of soluble solids, flesh firmness, titratable acidity, fruit color, and physiological disorder incidence (sunburn and flesh browning), in addition to enzymatic activity and concentration of functional compounds. There was no significant effect of the summer pruning time on fruit flesh firmness, soluble solids, titratable acidity, and rot incidence after storage under CA-ELO plus 7 days of shelf life. Summer pruning in February resulted in fruit with higher peel red color development, which in general contains a higher concentration of functional compounds at harvest (total phenolic compounds and total antioxidant activity), and lower flesh browning incidence in 'Fuji' apples stored under CA-ELO. The nitrogen (N) concentration and nitrogen/calcium ratio (N/Ca) in the second growing season were lower in fruit from plants pruned in February, compared to no summer pruning or earlier pruning. The superoxide dismutase and peroxidase enzyme activity were lower in fruit from treatments with summer pruning in January and February, whereas the polyphenol oxidase enzyme activity was lower when summer pruning was conducted in February.

Under mild climate conditions where chilling requirements are not met, the different phenological stages tend to extend and vary according to the year and chilling intensity. Knowledge on the phenological stages becomes important for the management of some cultural practices such as fruit thinning and phytosanitary treatments. The phenology of ‘Condesa’, ‘Imperatriz’, ‘Fred Hough’, ‘Gala’, ‘Fuji Suprema’ and ‘Baronesa’ apple cultivars with different chilling requirements was studied for a period of 20 years. The method employed made it possible to analyze the evolution of the different phenological stages, allowing the chronological determination of their development. The results suggest adaptability of the different cultivars in the same region, highlighting the influence of environmental factors. The duration of the different phenological stages varied according to the chilling requirements of each cultivar, being directly influenced by climatic factors.

The study was carried out to evaluate the effects of nitric oxide (NO) treatment at different doses and times during controlled atmosphere (CA) storage on quality of ‘Baigent’ apples. The evaluated treatments were: control; 10 µL L⁻¹ of NO applied only at the beginning of CA storage; 1, 2 or 5 µL L⁻¹ of NO applied every 30 d of CA storage; and 5 µL L⁻¹ of NO applied at the beginning and at the end of CA storage. Fruit were stored for 7.5 months in 1.2 kPa O₂ + 2.0 kPa CO₂, 1.5 ± 0.2 °C, and relative humidity of 94 ± 2%. NO treatments, except 10 µL L⁻¹ NO applied only at the beginning of CA storage, reduced ethylene production. At removal from CA storage, 5 µL L⁻¹ NO, applied every 30 d of CA storage or at the beginning and at the end of CA storage, reduced respiratory rates. Control fruit and fruit treated with 2 µL L⁻¹ NO every 30 d of CA storage had higher soluble solids content, and control fruit and fruit treated with NO at 1 or 2 µL L⁻¹ every 30 d of CA storage had higher titratable acidity. NO treatments, regardless of the dose and application time during CA storage, delayed skin yellowing and reduced hydrogen peroxide content and the incidence of pulp mealiness. The application of 5 µL L⁻¹ of NO at the beginning and at the end of CA storage maintained a higher total phenolic compound content and reduced the incidence of flesh browning. Treatment with 5 µL L⁻¹ NO at the beginning and at the end of CA storage provided better quality maintenance of ‘Baigent’ apples.

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of protected cultivation, with anti-hail screen or plastic cover, on phenological behavior, water potential, gas exchange, vegetative growth and vine production under protected cultivation systems in an altitude region of Santa Catarina. Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was carried out in São Joaquim, SC, in the 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21 harvests, with the cultivar Chardonnay on Paulsen 1103 rootstock. Methodology: The treatments consist of an uncovered environment (control) and crops protected with white screen anti-hail (4 mm x 7 mm) and clear plastic raffia cover (160 µm). Results: The anti-hail net did not interfere in the phenological stages, photosynthesis and gas exchange of the plants and reduced the RFA, vegetative growth and production, in relation to the plastic cover, and similar development conditions to the control treatment (without cover). The plastic cover accelerated the maturation process, reduced photosynthetically active radiation (RFA), promoted vegetative growth, delayed leaf senescence and increased productivity about to plants without cover. The highest red to far red ratio was observed in an uncovered system. The light saturation point was higher in plants in the cultivation system protected with plastic cover. Plants under plastic cover showed an anticipation of fruit maturation about to the screen and without cover.

This study aims to evaluate the effect of nitric oxide (NO) treatment under controlled atmosphere (CA) on quality of ‘Laetitia’ plums, mainly on internal browning. The experiment followed a completely randomized design, with five repetitions and a 25-fruit experimental unit. The evaluated treatments were: control (no NO); NO at 2 μL L⁻¹ (low dose) applied every 5 days of storage; NO at 5 μL L⁻¹ (medium dose) applied every 5 days of CA storage; and NO at 10 μL L⁻¹ (high dose) applied only at the beginning of CA storage. The treatments with NO in CA storage did not delay the loss of flesh firmness and compression force of the fruit. Treatments with NO reduced ethylene production and respiratory rates and delayed the skin color evolution, especially when applied at medium dose every 5 days of CA storage and high dose at the beginning of CA storage. The treatment with low dose of NO every 5 days of CA storage was the most effective to reduce the internal browning of ‘Laetitia’ plums.

Plants can develop anatomical variations depending on the cultivation environment, and such characteristics can influence their physiology and significantly alter their capacity. The aim of the study was to evaluate the anatomical characteristics of the leaves of ‘Niágara Rosada’ grape varieties grown in different growing environments and different regions in the 2019/20 production cycle. An experiment was carried out in three cultivation conditions (full sun, under canvas and under plastic) in the region of Lages-SC. Another test was conducted in orchards with crops under full sun, in the regions of Lages-SC and Caçador-SC, altitudes of 1100 and 900 m, respectively. The variables analyzed were: stomatal density and stoma size, plant production and average cluster mass and chlorophyll index. In the first experiment, higher stomatal density was observed in plants grown in full sun compared to plants under canvas and greater stomatal area in plants grown under plastic in relation to the other conditions. The chlorophyll index was higher in plants grown under canvas, with no differences for plants grown under plastic. Plants grown under plastic showed higher production and average mass of clusters compared to plants grown under canvas and full sun. The stomatal density of vines produced in Caçador is higher than vines produced in Lages. The cultivation of vines under plastic cover is very advantageous in several aspects, such as: increased production and also protects against natural events, such as hail.

O objetivo do trabalho foi verificar o efeito da reaplicação dos indutores de brotação na floração, brotação e produção da macieira ‘Maxi Gala’. O experimento foi desenvolvido em pomar experimental localizado no município de Caçador, durante os ciclos de 2016/2017 a 2019/2020. Os tratamentos foram aplicados no estádio B e C e, os com reaplicação, de 7 a 14 dias após a primeira aplicação. Foram realizadas a avaliação da fenologia, brotação de gemas axilares e terminais, frutificação efetiva, produção por planta e massa média dos frutos. Os tratamentos aplicados no estádio B propiciaram um maior adiantamento dos eventos fenológicos em relação às aplicações no estádio C. A brotação das gemas axilares e dos terminais foi maior em todos os tratamentos com indutores de brotação em relação ao tratamento testemunha. Em alguns ciclos, a aplicação sequencial de indutores de brotação aumentou a brotação de gemas axilares e terminais em relação ao tratamento de uma única aplicação. A frutificação efetiva dos tratamentos com aplicação sequencial de indutores de brotação não foi reduzida em relação ao tratamento com uma única aplicação. Alguns tratamentos com reaplicação melhoraram a produtividade das macieiras. Na média, a reaplicação de indutores de brotação aumentou a massa média dos frutos.

Aims: This work aims to evaluate the efficiency of Revent® 500 SC (Thidiazuron) concentrations as a bud breaker promoter in apple trees, cv. Maxi Gala and Supreme Fuji, through phenology, sprouting of buds, fruit set and production per plant. Place and Duration of Study: The experiments were carried out in southern Brazil, municipality of Caçador / SC, during the seasons from 2017 to 2019, in the cultivars Fuji Suprema and Maxi Gala / Marubakaido / M9. Methodology: The treatments were 1. Control (without application); 2. Mineral Oil (MO) 3.5% + Hydrogenated Cyanamide (HC) 0.35%; 3. MO 3.5% + HC 0.5%; 4. MO 3.5% + Thidiazuron (TDZ) 0.005%; 5. MO 3.5% + TDZ 0.01%; 6. MO 3.5% + TDZ 0.015%; 7.MO 3.5% + TDZ 0.02%; 8.MO 3.5% + TDZ 0.025%, applied in stages B and C. Several variables were evaluated such as phenology, sprouting of axillary and terminal buds, fruit set, production per plant and average fruit mass. Results: All treatments with bud breakers advanced the phenological stages in relation to the control in the three years. In the sprouting of the axillary and terminal buds, all treatments were superior to the control. TDZ treatments showed higher sprouting of axillary buds in 2017/18 compared to standard treatments with hydrogenated cyanamide. In plant production, the treatment MO 3.5% + TDZ 0.02% was higher than the other treatments in the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons, in both cultivars. TDZ associated with mineral oil is efficient in inducing the sprouting of ‘Maxi Gala’ and ‘Fuji Suprema’ apple trees and can be used to recover sprouts from previous years.

The aim of this work was to verify the effectiveness of the reapplication of bud break producers on flowering, sprouting and production of ‘Fuji Suprema’ apple trees. The experiment was carried out in an experimental orchard located in the municipality of Caçador, SC, during 2016/2017 to 2019/2020 seasons. Treatments were applied at stages B and C, and those with reapplication, from 7 to 14 days after the first application. Phenology, axillary and terminal bud break, frui set, production per plant and average fruit mass were evaluated. Phenology was advanced in relation to control with the application of bud break promoters. However, treatments applied at stage B provided greater advance in relation to applications at stage C. In axillary and terminal bud break, all treatments were superior to control. In some seasons, the sequential application of bud break promoters increased bud sprouting compared to single application treatment. There is no reduction fruit set in treatments with sequential application in relation to single application. In plant production, sequential applications did not differ from single application. The average fruit mass was not altered by the sequential application of bud break promoters.