Broccoli, Brassica oleraceaL. var. italicPlenck, belonging to the Brassica family, are known for their nutritional health benefits, as they contain bioactive compounds that could reduce cardiovascular, neurological or cancer risk. The demand has been growing in recent decades and is expected to continue in the coming years. Due to its growing popularity, considerable research is focused on different production topics. The main objective of this review is to update the information on broccoli related to the market, genetic improvement, crop management, postharvest and recycling of crop residues. Most of the articles focus on two topics: the functional value of broccoli in human health and the sustainable approach in the production chain. In the first, pre- and post-harvest factors are evaluated to obtain the maximum of bioactive compounds, in the second, new post-harvest practices are developed to minimize losses and new alternatives are proposed for the recycling of harvest and processing residues. Genetic breeding is being used to incorporate pest and disease resistance genes, and more stable cultivars to use in organic management systems. Very few studies arefocused on crop management and those are referred to the efficient water and soil use. It will be necessary to maximize efficiency in all links of the production chain in order to reduce the impact on climate change indicators.

Citrus canker, caused by the bacterium Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, is an endemic and quarantine disease in northeastern Argentina. Mid-season fruit canker intensity observations (1991-2008) in grapefruit cultivar in Bella Vista (Corrientes), were binary and ordinal categorized. From daily weather elements moisture and temperature variables were calculated in time periods beginning after accumulating 372 degree-days (DD) since 10 July, and fini-shing when the sum reached 985 DD (base Td = 12.5 °C) and from 930 DD to 1175 DD, respectively. The best logistic regression models included the effect of the interaction between DPr (days with precipitation > 12 mm) and DPTxn (days with maximum temperature ≤ 28 °C and minimum ≥ 14 °C ) with prediction accuracies of 94.4 % (binary) and 83.3 % (ordinal). Both logistic models were run in 14 sites of Spain and in Bella Vista, from 1980 to 2008. DPr was the most limiting weather factor for the bacterial expression in the spanish citrus sector, reaching a median value of zero in areas of high production. The temperature factor was clearly favorable for the disease progress. The effect of the interactive component (DPr*DPTxn) reduced dominantly to zero the probability that disease reach moderate to severe levels in Spain, differing with 51.7 % of the years in Bella Vista.

The severity of leaf spot, caused by Alternaria tenuissima, was observed in blueberry plantations (cultivar O’Neal) of San Pedro (59º 38’ S; 33º 44’ W), Concordia (31º 19’ S; 58° 5’ W) and Gualeguaychú (33º 01’ S; 58º 30’ W), for three epidemic cycles. Severity daily growth rates (TId%; N = 34) were calculated on epidemic curves adjusted to Logistic or Gompertz models (R2 > 0.65, low error). The variation in TId% levels was related to meteorological variables and the degree of leaf senescence (Snc: 1 to 4). Regression logistic models were used to estimate the probabilities of occurrence of severe TId% (> 0.033 %) and moderate to none TId% (≤ 0.033 %). The variable DPrT (rainy days with temperatures between 19 and 36 °C) calculated 10 days before to each value of TId%, was the most strongly correlated (Kendall correlation = 0.70) with TId%. The highest predictive accuracy (94.1 %) was achieved by bivariate models, such as those integrating DPrT and PrAc (daily rainfall accumulation) and DPrT and Snc. The results confirm the slow progress of spring epidemics, contrasting with high summer growth rates, consistent with the greater frequency of days with rainfall (free water source for infection) and temperatures between 19 and 36 °C. Leaves with increasing senescence favor the increase of infection rates.

In Capilla del Monte there would be soon legislation instructing household water recovery. Some of the species of remedial systems for cold climates show few variations in their aesthetic qualities, making it difficult to design the landscape. Zinnia peruviana is ornamental, tolerates impeded drainage and could be interseeded among those. It has been hypothesized that in the local wild populations of Z. peruviana there are individuals with good behavior under irrigation with greywater. The aim of the experiment was to identify and select germplasm of Z. peruviana able to grow and develop successfully in closed containers, irrigated with water from a household laundry. The plants received 90 mL of drinking water (0 or Testigo), or laundry water (I) every other day, in both cases. The survival and growing of the young plants showed no treatment effects. In the fully grown state they found plants significantly higher and with a greater amount of leaves, blossoming tops and axillary shoots in the Testigo. The differences were associated with prolonged exposure to the treatment I or higher sensitivity in reproductive state. However they could select four plants that stood out to be suitable for fulfilling its cycle with the greywater treatment and show commercially satisfactory phenotypes which can be explained by the presence of genetic information which allow them to accept treatment I.