Abiotic stress is characteristic of the semi-arid region, so fertilization with silicon (Si) can mitigate the damage caused by this stress, increasing yield and improving food quality. In this scenario, this study evaluated the agronomic performance and quality of onion bulbs as a function of Si doses in a semi-arid region of Brazil. A field experiment was conducted, designed in complete randomized blocks, testing Si doses (0, 42.6, 83.2, 124.8, and 166.4 kg ha-1), with four replicates. Dry mass, chlorophyll, nutrition, yield, and physicochemical quality of the bulbs were evaluated. Fertilization with Si increased the concentrations of P, N, K, Zn, and Cu in the leaves, indicating an improvement in the nutritional status. There was a decrease in the physicochemical characteristics of the bulbs, such as titratable acidity, soluble solids, total soluble sugars, ascorbic acid, and pyruvic acid, compared to the control. Fertilization with 68 and 72 kg ha-1 of Si, respectively, increased by 10% the commercial yield (81.49 t ha-1) and by 8% the total yield (87.96 t ha-1) of bulbs. The total and commercial yield of onion bulbs is increased with Si doses of 68 and 72 kg ha-1, respectively; however, Si reduces the concentration of physicochemical quality attributes of the bulbs.

The growing preference for 'Hass' avocado on a worldwide scale has encouraged the release of new cultivars as well as their evaluation under different soil and climatic conditions. The cultivar 'Carmen Hass', resulting from a spontaneous mutation, achieved excellent performance in Mexico and South Africa, producing fruits earlier than 'Hass' trees and allowing commercialization during periods of high market prices. The objective of this research was to compare the performance of 'Hass' and 'Carmen Hass' avocado trees under the soil and climate conditions of southeast region Brazil. The climate of region is subtropical humid with dry winter. Between the fourth and fifth year after planting, plants were evaluated for flowering (panicles branch-1, percentage of determinate and indeterminate inflorescences), fruit maturation (dry matter content), yield (kg plant-1, fruits plant-1), yield efficiency (kg m-3), morphological characteristics of fruit (weight, length, diameter, length/diameter ratio), and postharvest quality (pulp firmness, occurrence of pulp discoloration, chilling injury, vascular browning, lenticel damage, and skin color change). Fruit size, shape, and postharvest quality were also evaluated in the sixth year after planting. 'Carmen Hass' is a promising alternative for producing 'Hass'-type avocados, reaching physiological maturity sooner and allowing harvesting 15 days earlier than 'Hass'. Its higher proportion of indeterminate inflorescences contributed to greater yields, although resulting in smaller fruits, and no off-blooming was observed under the conditions of this study. Postharvest performance was comparable between cultivars, with 'Carmen Hass' maintaining firmer flesh after 21 days and showing reduced vascular browning after 28 days of storage.

Losses in agricultural produce have significant social, economic, and environmental implications. Despite efforts to increase yields, inadequate pre-and post-harvest practices often lead to losses and threaten food security. These losses also waste crucial resources like water, soil, and energy utilized in crop production. Minimizing agricultural produce losses is more crucial and cost-effective than simply increasing production. Understanding the factors that influence losses, the locations where they occur, and the types of losses that take place is key to developing effective control strategies. Specialized research and analysis are necessary for this purpose. Raising public awareness about the causes and prevention of agricultural produce losses is crucial. The review aimed to understand losses in agricultural produce emphasize the importance of efficient management strategies and seek improved solutions to reduce losses across the supply chain. The review is anticipated to provide valuable insights into the complex nature of agricultural produce losses and their impact on food security. The review focused on the losses in agricultural produce by looking at the different types of losses, their causes, and when they occur in the production process. It also evaluated the necessary services and infrastructure to reduce these losses at various stages. Additionally, the review highlighted the social and economic benefits of minimizing agricultural losses, including enhanced food security, decreased financial losses, and the promotion of a more sustainable agricultural system.