The productive lifecycle of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis var. altilis L.) can exceed a decade, admitting the use of entirely male genotypes, with more uniform production than traditionally used dioecious. In order to study the productivity of seven Italian male genotypes of green asparagus (Italo, Zeno. Eros, Ercole, H-668, Marte and Giove) versus the American control (UC-157), a trial started in 2006 was evaluated at Chacra Experimental, Faculty of Agronomy - UNCPBA (36°48', lat.S-59°51', long.W). A total of 27 harvests were carried out in the period 09/18/2019–11/12/2019, quantifying total commercial fresh production (PFCT) and production by shoot length: : long (22 cm, PFC-L) and short (17 cm, PFC-C), in t.ha-1; Total number of shoots ( NTT) including total discard and commercial (NTCT), long and short (NTC-L and NTC-C) and unit weight (PPT-L), size distribution (J: Jumbo; XL: Extra-Large; L: Large; M: Medium; S: Small and A: Asparagine); discard (DE: spiked; MC: very short and OD: other defects) and response to foliar biological fertilizer (Arco-Plus, from Mycophos). Analysis of variance was performed with ANOVA-LSD test (P≥0.05). On average, the set of Italian genotypes exceeded 18% in t.ha-1,and 29% in NT, 13.5% in NTC-L, and 18.3% in NTC-C compared to the UC-157. In harvests, the following stood out: 18 and 19 (941,625a and 813,375a commercial shoots/ha, respectively), and the least productive were: 1-4 (average 729j). In shoots.ha-1, it was achieved, on average: NTT: 722562; NTCT: 403750; NTC-L: 225812 and NTC-C: 177938; while in t.ha-1: PFCT: 5.53; PFC-L: 3.4 and PFC-C: 2.12. The main defect was DE: 253125a shoots.ha-1. In PFCT, the following stood out: Ercole: 6.46ª; Giove: 6.03ab; Mars: 5.87ab; Eros: 5.55abc; H668: 5.47abc; Italian: 5.47abc); UC-157:4.76c and Zeno: 4.65c) t.ha-1. In PFC-L and PFT-C, Ercole stood out (4.02a and 2.43a t.ha-1 respectively). The favorable election of F was expressed in the variables: PFCT: 11%; NTC-L: 15%; NTC-C: 16%; and in the largest calibers (J: 11%; XL: 70% and L: 23%), therefore, the productivity of the Italian genotypes, especially Ercole, is encouraging.

Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis var. Altilis L.), is a globally valued vegetable, marketed mainly as I Gama (fresh); the industrialization processes for obtaining II Gama by-products (dehydrated, canned and creams) are still incipient, which has the particularity of generating a high proportion of discard (30-50%) corresponding to the bases of the stems, which are cut at the time of conditioning, shoots with shape defects and spikes. The supply of asparagus in Argentina is concentrated in the September-December period; Therefore, in the months where the demand is unsatisfied , there is the possibility of extending the supply calendar, through agro-industrial processing (dehydrated, etc.). Although the by-products obtained from this species are numerous, the production of powders and flours is a segment of the agro-industry with incipient studies and applications. In this context, the objective of this study was to prepare a review of the characteristics of the crop, quality requirements, benefits of consumption, market, agroindustry experiences (flours and flavoring powders), market potential of asparagus powder (uses, trends of the market and type of consumers), tending to intensify the use of the raw material (by-products) taking as reference national and international sources of information. These product categories would promote the recovery / conversion of lost / wasted food, from production to consumption, into nutritious and safe food with added value and would represent alternatives to optimize the population's diet, contributing to improve health, food security and environmental sustainability.

Aconcagua INTA is an Argentine widespread cucurbit cultivar with high yield and suitability for the dehydration industry, developed from an interspecific cross (Cucurbita maxima x Cucurbita moschata). Its seed production involves the use of etephon in the maternal progenitor to castrate male flower organs, while the other line serves a pollen donor. Because this process is not totally effective, some hermaphrodite flowers remain in the maternal line, leading to self-pollination and –therefore- seeds of non-hybrid origin, which are phenotypically different from the hybrid. Thus, the percentage of non-hybrid seeds needs to be estimated and labelled in commercial seed lots of this cultivar. To this end, the present study analyzed, comparatively, morphological, biochemical and molecular markers that may be used for the early identification of this hybrid and its parental lines. Thus, a morphological marker based on leaf characteristics, protein profiles by UTLIEF, and the microsatellite molecular marker CMBR22, were evaluated in hybrid and parental plants. All three marker systems were able to accurately identify the hybrid and the parental lines, with results revealing 100% correspondence among the three types of markers. The protein and molecular markers developed herein represent a valuable tool for the early identification of hybrids in seed lots of cv. Aconcagua INTA.

The objective of this review is to highlight the potential and feasibility of the cultivation of native species of the sub-Andean Yungas, Physalis peruviana and P. pubescens, in Argentina. Both species produce fruits with similar characteristics, being almost indistinguishable. Some names of the fruit are Physalis, cape gooseberry, capulí, aguaymanto, Cape goosberry or goldenberry. It is an exotic fruit of worldwide growing interest, mainly for its nutraceutical properties and excellent prices in Europe and the US, where it is considered a "speciality" fruit. It grows in environments with thermal ranges from 5 to 35°C, with a base temperature of 6.29°C and an optimal temperature of 21°C, requiring a constant supply of water, with demands in the range of 1000 to 1800 mm of precipitation, well distributed throughout the year. The main pests are Epitrix cucumeris (Coleoptera), Chloridea (Heliothis) subflexa (Lepidoptera) and Liriomyza sp. (Diptera). The most important pathogen is Fusarium oxysporum, followed by Phoma sp., Pythium sp., Cercospora physalidis and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. The fruit can be affected by postharvest pathogens such as Botrytis sp., Cladosporium, Pestalotia and Phomopsis. In Tucumán, INTA-Famaillá carried out adaptation tests with both Physalis species, verifying their agronomic viability. Argentina’s northwestern region has developed as an agro-export hub for fresh berries to the northern hemisphere, where the main consumer markets for goldenberry are located, constituting an opportunity. The processing of goldenberry allows the production of stable, sensory-pleasant products, broadening the possibilities of commercialization, and allowing the addition of value (pulp, nectars, juices, jams, dehydrated products, energy bars, sauces, ice cream, etc.).

Among the more than 500 known species of Passiflora, 19 of them are native to Argentina. In the framework of a breeding program to obtain ornamental varieties from native species, the objective of this work was to know the anatomical and colorimetric components that determine flower color in Passiflora species and their hybrids. For this, anatomical studies of the cellular components of the epidermis of the petals were carried out and the colorimetric values ​​on the CIEL*a*b* scale were analyzed in 4 species (P. alata, P. cincinnata, P. amethystina and P. caerulea) and 6 hybrids of crosses with P. alata. All the plants presented intracellular structures with irregular spindle-shaped to granular morphology, identified as anthocyanic vacuolar inclusions (AVIs). AVIs were also found as colored solid bodies in spherical, rod and irregularly folded shapes in the epidermal cells of the petals of P. alata and with spherical to elongated morphologies in P. cincinnata and in the P. alata x P. cincinnata hybrid. These structures were found in cells with accumulation of pigment in the vacuole. No correlation was found between the presence of solid AVIs and the colorimetric parameters. The presence of solid AVIs only in the hybrid among the species with this character, suggests that inheritance would be quantitative, expressed as a threshold characteristic.

Onion seed represents a high percentage of the total economic value of vegetable seeds marketed worldwide. In Argentina, onion seed production is carried out in San Juan and Mendoza, where open-pollination (OP) cultivars and first generation hybrids are used. An OP variety has good seed yield, but the yield of hybrid seeds is erratic and considerably lower. Seed yield and quality depends, among other factors, on fertilization. Nutrients such as boron, zinc and calcium are essential for the growth and development of plants. Foliar fertilization allows the supply of nutrients to specific organs when the growth stage, internal demand and environmental conditions limit their delivery. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the foliar application of boron, zinc and calcium, on the yield and quality of onion seed. The study was conducted on cv. Angaco INTA in a commercial farm located in the department of Pocito, San Juan. A completely randomized design with four replications was used. Three doses of boron, calcium and zinc, plus a combination of the three nutrients and the control were evaluated. The foliar application of boron, both simple and combined with zinc and calcium, produces a greater fruit set, while calcium improves germination. No significant effects on seed yield were observed.

Asparagus is a non-traditional perennial vegetable crop for which evaluation of the performance of different genotypes is required. With the aim of determining the productivity of a set of all-male genotypes from Italy, a trial was planted on 22/11/06 using large (PG) and small (PCH) seedlings. The following characters were evaluated: total (PFT) and commercial (PFC) fresh production, total (NTT) and commercial (NTC) spear number, calibre distribution (J: Jumbo; XL: Extra-Large; L: Large; M: Medium; S: Small and A: Asparagina), defects (DE: opened bracts; P: plague damage; and OD: other defects). Thirty-two harvests were carried out between 1/9/14 and 14/11/14. Data were analysed by ANOVA-LSD (P≥0.05). No significant differences were found between the two seedling sizes. From the thirty-two harvests, a mean productivity of 14.5t.ha-1 was obtained, with a commercial prime quality productivity of 5.4 t.ha-1. A total of 553,241 spears were obtained, of which 252,420 were of commercial prime quality, with an average weight of 21 g per spear. Regarding seedling size, no significant differences were found. The Italian genotypes performed better than the control genotype from the USA, with Eros outstanding for PFT, and Ercole, Eros, Italo and H-668 for PFC. For spears produced, significant differences were observed between hybrids: for NTT, Zeno, Eros, Ercole and H-668 stood out, while for NTC, Ercole. Regarding calibre distribution, Italo, UC-157, H-668, Zeno and Eros stood out for J; Eros, Italo, Zeno and H-668 for XL; Eros, Italo, Ercole and H-668, UC-157 and Zeno for L; Ercole, Eros and H-668, and UC-157 for M; UC157 and Ercole for S; and UC-157 and Ercole for A. In conclusion, all male hybrids represent a valuable production alternative.

The volume of onion production in Paraguay does not supply the domestic demand causingthe import of the product mainly from Argentina. The local research on onion cultivation is scarce and hinders the improvement of the national production.The effects of transplanting dates on onion cultivars performance are not well known in the Paraguayan environments. Therefore, seedlings of 17 onion cultivars weretransplanted on three different dates, May 24, June 26 and August 6, 2012, respectivelyin order to evaluate the effects on yield and quality of the bulbs. The trial was carried out in the experimental field of the "Hernando Bertoni" Research Center, Paraguayan Institute of Agrarian Technology, Caacupé, Paraguay. The experimental design used was the split-plot with three replications. The mass, total and commercial yield of onion bulbs were evaluated. The data were subjected to the analysis of variance and the comparison of means performed by the Tukey test at 5% of probability. The obtained results indicate that delaying the transplant date reduces the yield and mass of bulbs. The cultivars that recorded the highest yields and mass of bulbs on the first date of transplant were Aurora, Primavera, Bella Dura, Victoria, BaiaPeriforme, Rainha and Red Creole. On the second transplant date, the Aurora, Cascata and Yellow Grano cultivars, and on the last transplant date, the Cascata cultivar obtained higher yields, respectively.

It was observed in the walnut nursery of Valle Viejo department - Catamarca, symptoms coinciding with those caused by Agrobacterium tumefaciens circumscribed to the area of ​​the graft. The transmission of the pathogen causing these gills can be by means of tools during the grafting work. The nurserymen disinfect the tools with sodium hypochlorite between 2 and 5%, with the difficulty of deteriorating the blades, leaving them blunt. The objective of the present work was to corroborate the presence of the pathogenic organism that causes the gills observed, and to test, in the laboratory, the effectiveness of different tool disinfectant products. The bacterium was isolated by planting small pieces of gills in two different culture media: Nutritive Agar (AN) and Agar extract of yeast dextrose calcium carbonate (YDC). The ability of four antiseptics to disinfect the graft blade was also evaluated: Sodium Hypochlorite, Glutaraldehyde, 70 ° Alcohol and Quaternary Ammonium, at different concentrations, for 10 and 30 s. Colonies corresponding to A. tumefaciens were isolated and the pathogenicity tests on tomato seedlings reproduced the symptoms. The re-isolations confirm A. tumefaciens as causal agent of the gills in the walnut seedlings examined. The glutaraldehyde at 2% has an efficiency of 100% when submerging 10 s the tool. The glutaraldehyde does not oxidize the tools and does not remove the edge, an advantage over the hypochlorite rejected by the operators because it deteriorates the tools and they must be replaced more frequently.

In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.), pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) and eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) crops, there is a continuous introduction of hybrids, and it is of interest to study their adaptation to local growing conditions. The aim of this work was to characterize tomato, pepper and eggplant hybrids, according to thermal time and days from transplant required to reach flowering and fruiting between the first and fourth bunch. Crops were grown under a greenhouse located in La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina (34° 58´S, 57° 54´W). Tomato hybrids: Elpida and Griffy (Enza Zaden®), bell pepper hybrids: Almuden and Platero (Syngenta®) and eggplant hybrids: Barcelona (Fito®) and Monarca (Rijk Zwaan®) were planted on 08/14/2011. Air temperature and date of first flowering and fruiting from first to fourth bunches were registered. Days between transplant and start of phases and thermal time with a base temperature of 10 ºC for tomato and bell pepper and 11 ºC for eggplant were calculated. Statistical design was a randomized complete block with 4 replications. Number of days data were subjected to the non-parametric Friedman test and thermal time to analysis of variance (p<0.05). No statistical differences between hybrids were observed to reach first flowering or fruiting from first to fourth bunch, considering that under these trial conditions, the selection of these genetic materials for production can be done by different criteria than bioclimatic response.