Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Irregular pluvimetric precipitations and high evapotranspiration are characteristic of the semiarid region of northeastern Brazil. The set of these variables make water a limiting factor for irrigated agriculture, which makes reuse necessary, especially in places under conditions of growing scarcity. The objective of this work was to propose the use of water from air conditioning and agroindustrial effluent in the production and development of papaya seedlings. The research was developed in the seedling production sector located at the Federal Institute of Paraíba, Campus Sousa. A completely randomized block design was used, with five treatments and four replications. The treatments were the use of water from artesian well, air conditioning of the combination air conditioning and artesian well (1:1), of agroindustrial effluent; Of the combination of agroindustrial effluent and air conditioning (1:1). Papaya seedlings were produced in plastic bags, using Neossol Fluvic and manure in proportion (2:1) as substrate. The following variables were evaluated: plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, green and dry mass of shoots and roots, content of (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) of leaves and influence on soil attributes (PH, P, K, Na, Ca, Mg, MO, PST). The use of water from agroindustrial effluent infered lower results for most variables. The use of air-conditioning waters emerges as an economically viable alternative for the use in irrigation of papaya seedlings.

The study analyzed the impact of public programs: the National School Food Program (PNAE) and Food Acquisition Program (PAA) on the gross income of agribusinesses and family farmers marketing their products through cooperatives in Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. The data studied are 179 farmers and 74 agribusinesses. We model average sale returns per unit for farmers and agribusinesses as a function of the intensity of use of organic agriculture, type of sale: supermarkets or government programs, and type of food: fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs and dairy and bakery products. For both farmers and agribusinesses, we found to be more advantageous to sell processed foods to supermarkets. For farmers and agroindustries it is advantageous to sell processed foods for supermarkets. For individual farmers it is advantageous to sell fresh fruits and increase the proportion of sales of organic products. For agribusinesses, selling vegetables resulted in lower income and the sale of organic products does not significantly affect the income of the agroindustries.

Aiming to provide subsidies to the research and cultivation of intercropping of cowpea with beet and fertilization with spontaneous species. The objective of this work was to determine amount of silk flower that must be incorporated in the soil with purpose of promoting the best yield of these crops. The experiment was conducted at the Rafael Fernandes Experimental Farm, located in the Alagoinha district-Rio Grande do Norte. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with 4 treatments (10, 25, 40 and 55 t ha-1 doses of silk flower fertilizers) and 5 replicates. For the weight characteristics of 100 grains, number of grains per pod, weight of fresh grains and fresh pods of cowpea consortium with beet, obtained high rates when 53 t ha-1 of silk flower were added; 46.49 t ha-1 of silk flower; 46.89 t ha-1 of silk flower and 46.98 t ha-1 of silk flower, respectively. In beet, increasing responses were found for plant height, leaf number, commercial and total productivity, and productivity classified, in the amounts of 55 t ha-1; 44.21 t ha-1; 18.59 t ha-1; 22.23 and 55 t ha-1, respectively. For the economic indicators, gross income, net income, rate of return and profitability index, were obtained: R$ 31,784.46; R$ 10,732.57; 1.54 and 35.28 %, respectively. The consortium between beet and cowpea was efficient and the best agronomic performance was obtained in the incorporation of 55 t ha-1 and 47 t ha-1 of silk flower.

The municipality of Teresópolis, in the Rio de Janeiro mountain region, stands out in the production of vegetables, has all its agricultural activity in mountain environments, where the great intensity of crops causes disturbing environmental problems. The technologies based on agroecology propose actions that can improve the performance of agriculture in these environments. However, to support these actions, there is a need to study and better understand the productive dynamics in these environments. The objective of this work is to analyze the performance of agroecological production units (PUs), using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology, for a case study. The variables of cultivated area, external inputs, machine hours and man days as inputs were used; invoicing and different items produced, as outputs of the DEA model applied. The UP that presented the best performance, produced 34 different items, was efficient during nine months, with an efficiency index of 96%, in the year 2017. The combination or sequence between the types of crops, size of the areas destined to each one and times of planting constitute a productive dynamic capable of promoting the efficiency of each UP. The identification of efficient units and the understanding of the dynamics and the good productive practices, can help the farmers with less efficiency, in the improvement of the performance.

Manihot esculenta Crantz represents one of the most important socioeconomic cultures in Brazil, since it plays a social role in the generation of employment and income of family farmers and communities, whose main source of income is in this activity. This process generates waste which, if not collected and treated properly, can cause damage to the environment. In the northeastern region of Pará there are several agri-food enterprises that benefit cassava. Thus, a study was carried out on the processing of cassava in agri-food enterprises in the northeast of Pará and the perception about the initiatives of the process of utilization of its residues. The research was conducted through field visits, interviews with farmers, and some photographic records. A questionnaire consisting of open and closed questions was applied, and the interviewees were chosen by means of the technique called snowball sampling. After the data collection, a quantitative evaluation was carried out, making it possible to detect that cassava beneficiation enterprises studied in the northeastern region of Pará do not adequately treat their residues and the most worrisome is the disposal of the manipueira (effluent), since it is considered a toxic solution, due to the presence of linamarin, glycoside, characteristic of the cassava plant, potentially hydrolyzed to hydrocyanic acid. Even being an organic material, due to improper packaging, can cause damage to the environment and public health.

The plants of the urban homegardens are used for multiple purposes with emphasis on food and medicinal species. The aim of the present study was to survey the plant species and their respective uses in the homegardens of two neighborhoods in Alta Floresta, Mato Grosso State and to establish the profile of the informants. In the selection of the interviewees the snowball sampling was used where the techniques of direct observation and participant were used, being the main ones involved in the maintenance of the quintals inquired about the management of the plants and the parts used for each use. A total of 99 taxa belonging to 49 botanical families were observed. The most frequent families were Lamiaceae, Fabaceae and Myrtaceae. Cocos nucifera L., Myrciaria cauliflora (Mart.) O.Berg and Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E.Br. ex P. Wilson were the species present in 50% of the homegardens. The categories of use cited by the informants were: a) afforestation; b) seasoning; c) cultivation; d) fruitful; e) medicinal and f) landscaping. More than 50% of the species is destined for food use, highlighting the food security function of the backyards. The second category with the greatest number of species was the one of medicinal use with 29 taxa belonging to 17 families, and Lamiaceae was the family with the largest number of species used. The most cited medicinal use was in the form of decoction (tea) for colds and flus.

Molecular characterization and genetic diversity studies based on molecular markers require a quality DNA, free of contaminants such as phenols and polysaccharides, and also a sufficient quantity to perform polymerase chain reactions (PCR). Plant DNA extraction protocols are mostly based on the CTAB (Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide) method, however due to the particularities of each plant, adjustments are required regarding the reagents used and the amount of them. The objective of this study was to evaluate different concentrations of CTAB and β-mercaptoethanol in the DNA extraction protocol of Solenidiumlunatum (Lindl.) Kraenzl (Orchidaceae), aiming future studies of genetic diversity using molecular markers. For the CTAB, 2% and 5% concentrations were tested, while for β-mercaptoethanol, 0% and 2% weretested. To verify if the extracted material was amenable to amplification, tests were performed with three primers ISSR (Inter Simple Sequence Repeats). The results indicated that all the methods were efficient in extracting DNA with quantity and quality required to perform PCRs. However, it is recommended to use the 2% CTAB protocol without addition of β-mercaptoethanol, since no significant differences in amplification results were found. The use of this protocol produces a quality material, capable of amplification, with reduction of costs and risk of intoxication.

The ethnobotanical research group of in the Amazon in Universidade Estadual do Pará (Pará State University) has been studying the use of various plant species by traditional communities for the treatment and cure of diseases. This study aimed to identify the medicinal plants around the home most used in Bairro Mutirão, Abaetetuba, Pará, Brazil to correlate ethnopharmacological data with phytochemical studies, evaluating the contribution of these species to promote health in poor communities in the Amazon. There were non-participant observations, semi-structured interviews and guided tours in 189 yards. Phytochemical information was gathered from ScienceDirect, Scinfinder, Scopus, DataPlant, Hindawi Publishing Corporation. We identified 46 therapeutic species, particularly Aloe vera (L.) Burman. f.; Anacardium occidentale L.; Bixa orellana L.; Kalanchoe pinnata (Lam.) Pers.; Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E.Br. ex P. Wilson and, Morinda citrifolia L., noted in the scientific literature as having antitumor, soothing, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial potential, confirming their ethnopharmacological use in home yards in Abaetetuba. The medicinal flora around homes in the Amazon is a path to the conservation of plant diversity in urbanized environments and potentially to the discovery of new drugs.

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of fruits of banana 'Prata Rio' under refrigeration. The fruits were stored in styrofoam trays in the cold room at 13 ± 3 °C and 85 ± 3% relative humidity for 30 days. Every 5 days the weight loss, pulp firmness, titratable acidity, soluble solids, soluble solids / titratable acidity ratio, total soluble sugars, reducing sugars and starch content were evaluated. The experimental design was completely randomized design with treatments composed by times of storage (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 days) with three replications of 3 fruits each, totaling 63 fruits evaluated. The results were evaluated by means of comparison of averages of the treatments followed by standard deviations from 3 repetitions. In the ripening of banana 'Prata Rio' there is an increase in total soluble sugars and soluble solids. The fruits smooth along the storage with consequent degradation of starch. The banana 'Prata Rio' has post-harvest behavior with potential for commercialization.

The objective of this study was to study the agronomic performance of chili cv. Ikeda, irrigated with different water qualities, under two methods of irrigation management: frequency reflectometry and tensiometry under protected environment. The statistical design used was completely randomized, in a subdivided plots scheme, consisting of three water qualities in the plots, and two irrigation managements in the subplots. The total productivity was evaluated; commercial productivity; efficiency of water use; average fruit mass; length; diameter; length / diameter ratio; soluble solids content; titratable acidity and pH. The results obtained allow us to conclude that the productivity and physical quality of the sweet pepper fruits were not affected by the quality of the irrigation water, while the lower water demand quantified by the tensiometry influenced only the pH of the fruits.