The value losses of cling peaches processed for halves are generated by lower industrial efficiency, by the presence of undesirable attributes, including inadequate maturity level, presence of pit-splitting, and low caliber of units. In order to analyze the effect of fruit size and maturity level on the losses during the pitting and lye peeling, two trials were carried out with Riegels variety peaches. OMIP knife pitters were used, previously separating fruits into three size categories: “small”, “medium” and “large”. The incidence of maturity level in both processes was determined, according to a maturity level grouping: “consistent”, with flesh firmness measured in the fruit cheeks between 7 and 10 Lbf, and “overripe” fruits, with less than 6 Lbf. The percentage losses in the pitting and peeling processes with lye were inversely proportional to the fruit size. During pitting, the overripe fruits suffered greater losses than the consistent ones and in the peeling process with lye, the overripe halves had a greater loss, which was constant, for the three size categories. The results require an exhaustive analysis of the farm-factory interfase and the objective determination of harvest maturity, which mainly defines the quality of raw material and industry efficiency.

In the horticultural agri-food chains, it is a challenge to implement strategies aimed at intensifying the use of raw material and its added value (VA), giving a useful destination to the non-commercial fresh proportion in fresh, which, in the case of some vegetables, like asparagus, it exceeds 50%. In this way it is possible to reinsert the waste into the system, VA, extend the period of use, minimize losses, inserting it within the framework of the circular economy. The agribusiness of the dehydrated II Gama range, such as the manufacture of flour, is a challenge for the fruit and vegetable chains; being necessary to work in research and development generating new products through strategies based on science that supports the recovery and conversion of lost and / or wasted food. In this sense, the objective was to prepare an updated scenario of the agro-industrial potential of the dehydration of asparagus (and other vegetables), as a strategy to intensify the use of raw material (by-products) and the addition of value, to promote a better life quality of life, in the framework of the current global and national socioeconomic health context; taking as reference national and international sources of information. These product categories would represent alternatives to optimize the population's diet and contribute to improving health, impacting food and nutritional security and environmental sustainability. They would allow the recovery / conversion of lost / wasted food, from production to consumption, into nutritious and safe food with added value; through the use of processing technologies.

Several international initiative goals include the commitment of countries to protect biodiversity, to promote the diversification of production and increase the diversity of crops for sustainable agriculture and to carry out research on the domestication of wild species. The center of the province of Buenos Aires presents different rural and urban environments with a high floristic richness. The objective of this work is to identify wild and potentially edible native plants of Argentina that live in this region and to make their preliminary inventory. We found 69potentially edible species, which must later be studied to ensure their nutritional value.

The osmotic dehydration (DO) of European plum (Prunus domestica L.) cv. President combined with a final stage of hot-air drying (SAC) at 70°C to a final humidity of 20% wet basis was studied. The fresh fruits were pitted and cut into 8 wedges, and then immersed in sucrose solutions of different concentrations (C: 40, 50 and 60 º Brix) during different times (t: 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min). The kinetics of the process was evaluated through monitoring the content of soluble solids (SS) and moisture (M), weight variation (WR), soluble solids gain (SG) and water loss (WL). The analysis of the variance (a = 0.05) showed the effect of t on WL and SG, as well as the influence of the interaction t´C on WR. Using the response surface methodology (RSM), the predictive polynomials of the main variables WL and SG were obtained. The optimization performed by means of desirability analysis applied to maximize WL determined the stationary points t=113 min, C=59.9 °Brix, exactly matching the optimum for SG maximization, thus defining the optimum conditions for maximum dehydration and incorporation of sugars that contribute to product conservation.

In order to improve the quality of stone fruit propagation material, the San Pedro Experiment Station began a program of diagnosis and monitoring of its collections, in order to know its status regarding  three Ilarvirus and one Potyvirus, and to identify healthy varieties. The diagnosis was made using the DAS-ELISA technique, with the recommended protocol for the corresponding kits. Samples were analyzed in duplicate and the results were read on a Multiskan MS Labysistem reader. Absorbance readings (A 405) greater than three times the mean of the healthy controls were considered positive. Consistent composite samples of 8 leaves / 2 plants / variety selected from the four main branches were analyzed. PNRSV had an approximate average incidence of 30%, in the different collections monitored. PDV and ApCLSV were detected in less than 5%. No varieties or hybrids were affected by PPV or ApMV. 38 varieties of peach, 25 of nectarine and 37 of plum were negative to the analyzed viruses.

The genotypic sweet pepper offer is wide and allows adaption of the commercial crop to different environmental and cultural facilities. However, the choice of a specific pepper genotype with the objective to optimize crop yield requires the knowledge of the endogenous and technological factors involved. Sweet pepper seed price is high while seed germination is slow and heterogeneous which force commercial growers to change the direct sowing for a transplant routine. However, plug trays give different abiotic stresses related to both the cell volume and the growing media quality in vegetables. Vegetative growth rate in sweet pepper is low and limited by the rate of leaf area expansion, which is limited by both the development processes temperature-dependent and the biomass accumulation processes limited by the light photosynthetic flux, water and minerals. Sweet pepper plants flower early and blooming is temperature-dependent. If the grower´s objective is to reach the highest sweet pepper yield per unit area and time, it is critical to know the physiological mechanisms involved which affect the rates of growth and development at different plant stages. In the present paper, the available bibliography related to the physiological processes that control pepper growth and development are compiled. The related available crop technology has been included as well.

Studies were carried in Red delicious apple grove in Mendoza during two seasons: 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 with objective of analyze morphologically stages of development of Parlatoria oleae (Colvée) and explain the population development (number of generations) related to accumulated degree days. Were sampled five plant from which were obtained five outbreaks and five fruits, were counted in the laboratory individuals under stereo microscope, separating the different stages of development: eggs (h), first nymphal stage (N1), second nymphal stage (N2), female (H), prepupa and pupa (P). With the data obtained were elaborated population curves that represented the annual generations of the specie. Through direct observation and stereo microscope with micrometric lens was made analysis descriptive and morphological, the simple sine formula belonging at the program of calculus of degree days of the California University used to obtain the integral termic of the species. The scale presented two annuals generations with maximum first instar nymphs (N1) in spring (October, 240-270 °D) and summer (February, 1490-1505 °D). In winter only were found females fertilized. The constant termic generational obtained of data, considering a lower threshold temperature of 10 °C and maximum of 32 °C, was estimated at 825-870 °D in 115-103 days accumulated in the first generation and 1,300 °D in 260 days for the second generation considering the winter passage.