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Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) can be produced through an easy and safe process called green synthesis and have been considered an efficient antimicrobial agent. The antimicrobial effect of silver nanoparticles green synthesized with E. tirucalli (aveloz) can be a promising technique for preserving stored strawberries. The objective of this work was to perform a green synthesis of AgNPs with aveloz extract (Av) and evaluate its effect on the physiology and preservation of stored strawberries. Silver nitrate was reduced with Av to produce Av-AgNPs. The Av-AgNPs were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscope, Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry, and laser diffraction. The in vitro antifungal activity of Av-AgNPs was evaluated against Botrytis cinerea and Rhizopus stolonifer. Strawberries were treated with Av-AgNPs and stored (5 °C) for 12 days. Respiratory rate, decay, fresh mass loss, firmness, total phenolics and antioxidant activity of the strawberries were evaluated. According to the results, Av-AgNPs synthesis was performed, and it presented sizes between 40 and 90 nm. Av-AgNPs inhibited B. cinerea but was less effective for R. stolonifer. Total phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity, fresh mass loss and firmness of strawberries were not influenced by Av-AgNPs. Treated strawberries had a lower respiratory rate than the control and showed no symptoms of microbiological deterioration until 9 days of storage, while in the control the deterioration symptoms started after 3 days. This study showed that the green synthesis of AgNPs with Av produced nanoparticles smaller than 100 nm, and that they were effective against strawberries decay during storage, indicating to be a promising protection technique against decay.

The objective of this study is to identify and quantify the floristic composition of the weed community in the rice crop waterlogged in the municipality of Arari-MA. The botanical material was obtained in three areas by randomly a hollow rectangle of 0.50 m × 0.30 m by forty five times in each plot. The aerial parts of weeds were harvested, identified, counted and oven dried with forced air ventilation at 333.15 K to 343.15 K. These data were used to determine the phytosociological parameters and the Shannon-Wiener diversity index was also calculated. A total of 6607 plants were collected, being 4115 (62.28%) in the vegetative phase and 2492 (37.72%) in the reproductive phase. The monocotyledonous group obtained the largest number of plants, 2882 in the vegetative phase and 1535 in the reproductive phase. The Cyperaceae family recorded nine species and four genera and the Poaceae, seven and four species in the vegetative and reproductive phases, respectively. The species of higher IVI in the vegetative phase was E. sellowiana in the area A1 with 82.86%, and in the reproductive F. dichotoma with IVI of 90.49% in the area A3. The individuals density and species richness were higher in the vegetative phase of the culture and the monocotyledonous group predominated with the Cyperaceae and Poaceae families, and the weed diversity among the areas was low.

Knowledge on the ideal conditions for the formation of high quality seedlings is fundamental to guarantee establishment success of crops in a safe and efficient manner. Here, we evaluate the effect of different substrates and irrigation frequencies on the initial growth of parica (Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum) seedlings. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at the Federal Rural University of Amazônia, Capitão Poço, PA. Several variables were analyzed including seedling height, stem diameter, number of leaflets, shoot dry matter, root dry matter, total dry matter, height and stem diameter ratio, shoot dry matter ratio and root dry matter. We found significant differences in seedling development between the applied treatments, including a significant interaction between substrate type and irrigation regime on seedling height, stem diameter, the number of leaflets and plant growth indices, with the best response for proportions 75% soil + 25% bovine manure and 50% soil + 50% bovine manure. Therefore, the substrates containing organic compounds resulted in a higher quality of the seedlings, while the sand consistently presented the lowest increases in seedling production under the three experimental irrigation frequencies, and thus is not recommended as a substrate for the development of Schizolobium parahyba var. amazonicum.