Brazil is a country with a vast biological diversity, especially in relation to its flora, and is considered one of the main centers of genetic diversity in fruit species in the world, among which the Myrtaceae family occupies a prominent place, with the largest number of species with food potential. Among the various species belonging to the Myrtaceae family is Myrciaria floribunda (H. West ex Willd.) O. Berg, popularly known as Rumberry or Cambuí. This is a fruit plant distributed throughout Brazil and, in the state of Alagoas, it occurs naturally in the coastal regions of restingas. As well as having interesting organoleptic characteristics, the species has great nutritional, ornamental and pharmacological potential, due to its high concentration of ascorbic acid, as well as being rich in essential oils. Despite its importance, cultivation on a commercial scale has not yet been achieved, as there is still little information on the vegetative propagation of this fruit tree, which, being an allogamous species, has genetic variability when propagated by seed. The aim of this study was therefore to evaluate methods for the vegetative propagation of Cambuí (Myrciaria floribunda O. Berg), in order to gather technical and scientific information that will generate knowledge about its propagation and contribute to its cultivation. To this end, the work was divided into two chapters. Chapter I aimed to carry out a review to systematize the different vegetative propagation techniques of some important genera within the Myrtaceae family, in order to understand the most recommended techniques for species that still have scarce information regarding cloning, such as Myrciaria floribunda, based on searches in the main academic research databases. The search took place on the Scielo, Scopus and Web of Science databases, using sets of keywords in English: "Air layering", "Cuttings", "Grafting" and "Micropropagation" associated with the Myrciaria, Myrcia, Plinia and Eugenia genera. After refining and selecting the articles, 58 articles were selected for use in the study. The review showed that, in general, all the cloning methods can be used efficiently for the genera studied, but that they depend on a series of factors, such as the choice of technique used, the characteristics of the biological material, the substrate, the ease of rooting, the growth regulator, the concentration of the regulator and the time of year. Chapter II aimed to establish reliable methods for clonal propagation of elite genotypes from the Active Cambuí Germplasm Bank at the Campus of Engineering and Agrarian Sciences of the Federal University of Alagoas. The cuttings study was carried out using a completely randomized experimental design in a factorial scheme, evaluating different concentrations of indolbutyric acid (0, 2000, 4000 and 6000 mg L-1) and different substrates (Sphagnum, Vermiculite, Sand and Bioplant). For the cuttings experiment, three branch diameters (0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 cm) and four concentrations of indolbutyric acid (0, 2000, 4000 and 6000 mg L-1) were tested in a completely randomized design in a factorial scheme. The grafting method was used (full slit top) and three rootstock diameters were evaluated (3-5 mm; 5-7 mm; 7-9 mm) in a completely randomized experimental design. The results obtained indicate that the grafting method was the most efficient of the methods tested, providing graft set and sprouting. Although they didn't show roots, the methods of cuttings and air layering showed positive responses to rooting, mainly due to the formation of callous and morphogenic tissues.

The different species of Dioscorea spp. (Dioscoreaceae) grown in Brazil are known by several common names, among which yam and cará. Yam is sometimes associated with species from other botanical families that also have an edible starchy underground structure. The São Tomé yam (Dioscorea alata L.) is a plant of African origin that produces edible tubers of high nutritional and economic value, widely cultivated in Brazil for domestic consumption and export. Its tubers are rich in carbohydrates, fiber, protein, B vitamins and have a low glycemic index. Propagation of yams and yams is usually done using seed tubers or pieces of tubers. Although the use of seed tubers is the most suitable way of propagation, it is still little used due to its high cost and low availability. Among the main factors that limit the productivity of yams and carás, there is the occurrence of diseases, with emphasis on the black bark, which represents the main phytosanitary problem of these crops in Brazil, having as etiological agents the migratory endoparasitic nematodes Pratylenchus spp. and Scutellonema bradys. The increase in this disease is mainly due to the constant dissemination of nematodes through successive plantings using contaminated seed tubers. With the reduced production of pathogen-free seed tubers, the valuesof this material are high, which leads producers to seek other alternatives to make the planting of the crop feasible. Therefore, studies are needed to make it possible to obtain low-cost propagules that have phytosanitary quality to carry out safe and disease-free plantings. In this perspective, this work aimed to establish an alternative to produce seedlings of São Tomé yam (Dioscorea alata L.) from different positions and weights of tuber segments capable of, in the future, supplying tuber-seeds or high-quality commercial tuber with phytosanitary and physiological quality that meets the commercial needs of producers. The study had two experiments carried out separately and a randomized block design was adopted. The first experiment consisted of 3 treatments and 12 repetitions. The treatments consisted of different positions of tuber segments (T1 - apical segment; T2 - medial segment and T3 - basal segment) and a single weight of 200g was adopted for all treatments. In the second experiment, a 3x3 factorial scheme was adopted, with 9 treatments and 4 repetitions. The treatments consisted of 2 factors: position of the tuber segments (T1 - apical segment; T2 - medial segment and T3 - basal segment), weights (A1 - 200, A2 - 100 and A3 - 50 g). The experiments lasted 45 days. The evaluated variables were presence or absence of roots, number of shoots, length of branches, dry mass and green mass of branches and green and dry mass of roots. The results showed that the apical and medial segments presented good results in the weights of 200 and 100g regarding the production of shoots and development of the branches, as well as to produce green and dry mass of the aerial part. In the weight of 50g, only the apical segment presented significant numbers regarding the production of shoots and development of the branches, with that it is concluded that it is not indicated to use this weight in the segments coming from the medial and basal positions.

The present work aimed to characterize the seeds of Euphorbia hyssopifolia from the physical and morphological point of view, to study the physiological potential of seeds as a function of temperature, light and water, as well as to monitor and record the post-seminal development. find out its water requirement and its longevity in soil conditions, flooding and high temperatures. For the physical characterization, eight repetitions of one hundred seeds and fruits were weighed and the weight of one thousand seeds determined, number of seeds per kilogram, and measures of central tendency were calculated for each variable. In the morphological characterization, the type, size and location of the embryonic axis were verified, as well as the location of the micropyle, funiculus and reserve material. In addition to these, the germination behavior of seeds (mature and mature) was studied as a function of constant temperatures of 20°C, 25°C, 30°C, 35°C and alternating 20-30°C in the absence and presence of light, adopting the factorial scheme 2 x 5 x 2 (seed maturation condition x temperature x light regime); of water volume (1.5; 2.0; 2.5; 3.0), seed burial time in the soil and high temperatures (80ºC, 100ºC, 120ºC and 140ºC) on their physiological potential, in the intervals of time of one minute and five minutes, the variables being analyzed: Percentage, speed, relative frequency of seed germination and seedling length. In the post-seminal development, the germination process was recorded during twenty days. After the period of the germination process, the seedlings were cut in the transition region called the collar, in order to carry out the study of the regrowth capacity. The experimental design was completely randomized, with four replications of 25 seeds for each treatment. The seed is testal and the embryo is of spatulate leaf-like subdivision. The germination is epigeal and its seedling is of the phanerocotyledonary type. Seedlings did not show regrowth capacity after being cut in the collar region. The highest percentage and speed of germination was obtained at the alternating temperature of 20-30ºC, in the presence of light. Its viability is rapidly lost after burial in soil, submersion in water and when exposed to high temperatures. These environmental conditions drastically affect its germination capacity and are relevant for the management of the species in agricultural areas.

The selectivity of herbicides has been widely studied in sugarcane cultivation, being fundamental for the success of chemical control. However, visual symptoms of phytointoxication can be observed after the application of some molecules, if they are applied outside the recommendation or if the environment provides great availability for the culture. In this context, products known as safeners or phytoprotectors prevent damage and increase crop selectivity, preserving the herbicidal action of the product on weeds; and the exogenous supply of amino acids may be able to reverse symptoms of phytointoxication. Thus, the present work aimed to attenuate intoxication by ALS-inhibiting herbicides, with the application of amino acids in sugarcane. The experiment was conducted at the Center for Engineering and Agricultural Sciences at the Federal University of Alagoas (CECA/UFAL), located in Rio Largo – AL. The sugarcane variety chosen was RB92579, planted in pots with a capacity of 20 L of soil. To evaluate the effect of herbicides, the trial was initially conducted in a completely randomized design, where the following herbicides were used: imazapic (147 g ha^-1), diclosulam (194, 04 g ha^-1), metsulfuron-methyl (18 g ha^-1), imazapic + s-metolachlor (147 g ha^-1 + 2880 g ha^-1), diclosulam + s-metolachlor (194,04 g ha^-1 + 2880 g ha^-1), metsulfuron-methylyl + s-metolachlor (18 g ha^-1 + 2880 g ha^-1) and the controls without herbicide, with 8 replications, totaling 56 experimental plots, with herbicide application modality in total pre-emergence. The application of the amino acid mix was carried out at 65, 95 and 125 days after the application of the herbicide treatments, applying 2 L/ha^-1 of the commercial product Kymon plus^®. After application of the amino acid, the study was conducted in 2x7 factorial assays, consisting of 2 conditions (with amino acids and without amino acids) x 7 herbicides, with 4 replications. The evaluated variables were: height to leaf +1, number of green leaves, stem diameter and phytotoxicity scale at 45, 75, 105, 135, 165, 195 and 225 DAA. At the end of the experiment, the dry mass of leaves and stems were evaluated. After regrowth at 30 days, the number of tillers and height up to leaf +1 were evaluated. The data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance and means compared by Tukey's test at 5% probability, using the SISVAR software. The obtained results demonstrated that the exogenous application of amino acids at 65, 95 and 125 days after the treatments application, does not attenuate phytointoxication by ALS-inhibiting herbicides in sugarcane.

The responses of the bean crop to different levels of irrigation is essential to estimate the productivity of this crop in the Coastal Tablelands of Alagoas. Therefore, this research aimed to evaluate the growth, productivity and financial returns of irrigated bean cultivation. The experiment was carried out from 11/17/2015 to 02/01/2016 at the Campus of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences (CEAS) of the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL). The treatments were six levels of irrigation, depending on the evapotranspiration of the crop - ETC (25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, 125% and 150% of ET_c). And, the growth and production variables analyzed were: plant height, dry mass, number of leaves, number of pods per plant, weight of one thousand (1000) grains, leaf area index (LAI), grain yield and harvest index. In this research, the total depth was defined as the total irrigation plus the effective rainfall, the total accumulated rainfall (rain) during the cropping cycle was 291 mm and the highest concentration of rain occurred in January 2016, between 45 to 76 days after planting – DBH (170.43 mm). The maximum LAI value estimated by the 3-parameter normal Pic Log mathematical model, among the irrigation levels, was 7.07, obtained at 41 days, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.91, observed in the irrigation depth of 150% of the ET_C, which is the largest blade used (654 mm). The  normal Pic Log model of 3 parameter demonstrated that the highest plant height was 61.90 cm, in the irrigation area with ETC 125% (614.48 mm), and the highest plant dry mass estimated by the model was 218, 10 g, on slide at 150% ETC. The highest weight of 1000 grains observed was 215.05 g, at the 100% depth (578 mm). The productivity of maximum financial efficiency (PMFE) of the bean crop, with an average price of R$ 333.19, per 60 kg bag, and the applied millimeter value of R$ 4.74, by the quadratic polynomial model, the the best depth is 582 mm (effective rainfall plus irrigation), which obtains a productivity of 2,100 kg ha^-1, respectively with a harvest index of 0.68, in the region of Rio Largo, AL.

The increasing expansion of commercial eucalyptus forests raises questions about their possible impact on the regional hydrological cycle, especially in regions with periods of water scarcity during the dry season. In this study, the dynamics of rainfall interception in stands of eucalyptus clones was investigated, considering different population densities (planting spacing) in the state of Alagoas. The objective was to understand how these plantations affect regional water availability. During the rainy season (April to August), data were collected on total accumulated precipitation near the stands and the hydrological components: internal precipitation (Pi), water runoff through the trunk (Et), effective precipitation (Pe) and interception losses ( I). Clones VE41 and I144 were evaluated in spacings of 3x2, 3x3 and 3x4 meters. Results indicate that planting spacing had a significant impact on hydrological variables. As spacing increased, mean indoor precipitation also increased, while trunk runoff decreased during the wet season. No marked differences were observed between clones VE41 and I144 in relation to internal precipitation in each planting spacing. In the dry season (September to March), both clones showed similar behavior in relation to the amount of water collected and drained, regardless of the spacing adopted. The spacing of 3x4 meters stood out by presenting the lowest average of water flow through the trunk for both clones during this period. In addition, the planting spacing influenced the litter stock and the litter water retention capacity. Wider planting densities resulted in lower litter stocks and lower water retention capacity. These results have important implications for the sustainable management of eucalyptus plantations in regions with scarce water in the dry season, emphasizing the importance of choosing the appropriate planting spacing for the conservation of water resources and the environmental sustainability of the region.

Tephrosia noctiflora (Bojer ex Baker), is an endemic species of Brazil, being found in areas of grains, sugarcane and pastures in the state of Alagoas, causing negative impacts on production. The literature presents little information regarding the species, in this sense the objective of this work is to biomorphologically characterize the seeds of Tephrosia noctiflora, record the post-seminal development and study the physiological potential as a function of germination, temperature and pH. The seeds were collected in the municipality of Atalaia – AL, and the tests were conducted in the plant propagation laboratory of the Federal University of Alagoas, located in the municipality of Rio Largo. For physical characterization, the weight of one thousand seeds, number of seeds per kilogram, length and width were evaluated, and the means for each variable were calculated. In the morphological characterization, it was verified the shape of the seed, its coloration, location of the embryonic axis, type of germination. The evaluation of the physiological potential was performed using eight treatments to overcome dormancy (T1 - control, T2 - water bath 45°c for 20 minutes, T3- thermal shock, T4- 5 minutes sulfuric acid, T5- 10 min. sulfuric acid, T6- 15 min. sulfuric acid, (T7)- 20 min. sulfuric acid, T8- 25 min. sulfuric acid) and two temperatures being one constant and the other alternating (30 and 20-30°C),  using a completely randomized design mounted in an 8X2 factorial scheme (treatments x temperature) with four replicates of 25 seeds each. The variable studied was germination percentage. After the best treatment was defined, post-seminal development was monitored and recorded. After this phase, the physiological potential of the seeds was evaluated as a function of pH (2.5, 4.0, 5.5, 7.0, 8.5 and 10). The experiments were carried out in a completely randomized design (DIC), and the data were submitted to analysis of variance, whose means were evaluated by Tukey's test at 5% and regression analysis for quantitative variables. According to the results obtained, it was found that the weight of one thousand seeds was on average 0.81g, corresponding to 1,234,568 seeds/Kg. The seed dimensions ranged from 3.18 to 1.27 mm in length, by 2.20 to 1.04 mm in width, with humidity of 7.58%. The shape of the seed is reniform, the integument has a rough surface in brown coloration. The embryo is of the axial type and the germination is of the epigeal type. In the evaluation of the physiological potential, the best germination percentage (85%) was obtained with the use of sulfuric acid for 25 minutes at a constant temperature of 30°C.  The species did not suffer great influence of the pH maintaining germination higher than 50% in all the tested ranges, the ideal pH of the species is 7.67 with 93% of germination.

Irrigation management is an essential practice when it is desired to increase the productivity of a crop.  Therefore, two field experiments were conducted to determine the water requirement (WUE), as well as to evaluate sesame physiology and productivity as a function of soil water availability. The research was conducted from February 12 to June 14, 2021 (rainy season) and October 08, 2021 to January 24, 2022 (dry season). The ET_C was obtained through a battery of drainage lysimeters and application of the soil water balance. Reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) was calculated by the Penman-Monteith-FAO method. Through the ratio ET_C/ET₀ the crop coefficient (K_C) values were obtained for each phenological phase of sesame. An experiment was set up adopting randomized block design (BCT), with five treatments and four blocks. The treatments were 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150% of the ETC with daily applications via drip irrigation. When the crop reached full flowering, the following parameters were evaluated: relative leaf water content (TRA), leaf water potential before morning (Ѱw before morning) and at noon (Ѱw noon), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (E), internal CO₂ concentration (Ci), net photosynthetic rate (A), leaf temperature (Tf), instantaneous water use efficiency (EUAi), quantum efficiency of PSII (ΦPSII), maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (FvFm) and SPAD index. Fortnightly evaluations were made to determine the following growth parameters: plant height (PA), stem diameter (CD), leaf area index (LAI) and total dry phytomass (TDFa). At the end of each cycle the production components were analyzed: yield, water use efficiency, weight of 1000 grains, number of pods per plant, number of grains per pod and dry mass of grains. The accumulated rainfall, ET_C and ET₀ were equal to 870.1 and 212.9 mm, 450.4 and 440.1 mm and 476.50 and 513.40 mm for the rainy and dry periods, respectively. The average K_C values for each phenological phase were equal to 0.26; 0.90; 1.26 and 0.75 for the rainy period and 0.29; 0.94; 1.17 and 0.59 for the dry period. The total evapotranspiration (rainfall + irrigation) obtained for each blade of irrigation were: 904.6; 927.1; 957.7; 979.6 and 1003.6 mm for the rainy period and 419.9; 511.5; 616.1; 721.8 and 815.9 mm for the dry period, in L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5, respectively. The water deficiency ranged from 105 to 73 mm and 177 to 34 mm for the 50 and 150% of ET_C for the wet and dry periods, respectively. The excess water varied from 491 to 558 mm and 53 to 306 mm for the blades of 50 and 150% of the ET_C, in the rainy and dry periods, respectively. In the rainy period, the leaf Ѱw ranged from -3.7 to -1.1 MPa at noon for 50 and 150% of ET_C, respectively. In the dry period, for these same levels, the leaf Ѱw ranged from -1.74 to -0.98 and -3.9 to 1.0 for the early morning and midday, respectively. The level of 50% of ET_C reduced gs (180 and 303%), E (56 and 97%), Ci (239 and 400%), ΦPSII (36%), FvFm (18%) and increased Tf (8%) respectively for the wet and dry periods, relative to 150% of ET_C. The highest values of A (35.8 and 33.7 μmol CO₂ -m^-2-s^-1) were obtained with the application of the levels of 109 and 108% of ETC, respectively. For the dry period, the highest values obtained were: 249.0 cm; 18.7 mm; 6507 cm²; 10.8 m² m^-2 and 16629.8 kg ha^-1, for the variables AP, AD, AF, LAI and MSTa, respectively. For the dry period, the maximum yield was 3114.5 kg ha^-1, with the application of 622 mm (101% of ET_C) of water was 20% higher than the rainy period average.  The maximum WUE (5.78 kg ha^-1 mm^-1) was obtained with 557 mm (90% of the ET_C). Both in the rainy and dry periods, the sesame culture reached productivity values higher than the national average, however, with the correct management of irrigation it tends to present better results.

Myrciaria floribunda O. Berg is a fruit species of the Myrtaceae family, with
great potential for economic exploitation due to the nutritional characteristics of its fruits, which
can be consumed both in natura and processed. This species is neither domesticated nor
cultivated and occurs naturally in restinga areas in the south of Alagoas, Sergipe and other
Brazilian states, where it is removed through extractivism by local populations. In Alagoas, the
areas of occurrence of this species are, in more than 70%, areas of environmental preservation,
moving collectors and the economy during its annual harvest, which usually occurs in the rainy
months in the region (autumn-winter). It is a species with a wide geographic distribution,
occurring from Pará to Rio Grande do Sul, and can be found in the Amazon, Caatinga, Cerrado
and Atlantic Forest biomes, with plant populations that have adapted to the climate and soil
conditions of the places where they occur, becoming exclusive to that environment, giving rise
to several ecotypes. In Alagoas it can be found naturally in areas of Restinga, with records in
the municipalities of Coruripe, Feliz Deserto, Piaçabuçu and Penedo. The state of Alagoas has
as a climatic characteristic the occurrence of dry periods followed by rainy periods, so it is
important to understand how this plant responds to seasonal variation in rainfall and which
physiological processes are involved in adapting water availability in different environments.
Experiment I aimed to evaluate how Myrciaria floribunda tolerates periods of seasonal drought
in its natural habitat and to identify the physiological mechanisms involved in this process. It
was carried out in three different locations in the State of Alagoas in the dry and rainy seasons
in 2020 and 2021, respectively. The selected locations were in Feliz Deserto and Piaçabuçu (in
situ) and Rio Largo (ex situ). In this study, several physiological parameters were compared in
24 adult progenies of M. floribunda, selected in each studied area. Considering gas exchange,
the behavior of gs and E was similar among the plants in the three locations, being higher in the
rainy season. The concentration of chlorophyll a, b, total and carotenoids were higher in the
rainy season than in the dry season in the municipalities of Feliz Deserto and Piaçabuçu,
indicating that the plants in these locations had the biosynthesis of photosynthetic pigments
limited by water restriction. In experiment II, the same physiological parameters of experiment
I were studied, being conducted under field conditions in the municipality of Rio Largo, with
two treatments: always irrigated plants versus non-irrigated plants (until the net photosynthetic
rate of the plants reached values close to zero) and subsequently rehydrated. In this study, it
was verified that the photosynthesis of Myrciaria floribunda plants is sensitive to the reduction
of water availability in periods of low precipitation in field conditions with reflections in the
use of light energy. Knowledge of the physiological mechanisms that act on Myrciaria
floribunda plants under different water conditions is essential to establish management
strategies that aim at the best use and exploitation of the crop, as well as understanding the
relationship between carbon assimilation rates and crop productivity, thus suggesting that new
broader studies should investigate such relationship with a focus on production.

The solutions to mitigate the effects of water deficiency on sugarcane crop is the use of irrigation. But this technology is expensive and when severe droughts occur there is no water to irrigate most of the sugarcane fields. Then, another alternative is the selection of cultivars adapted to restrictive environments, with occurrences of water deficits (droughts) and with other agronomic profiles, such as energy-cane, to meet the demands for biomass for generating electricity and second-generation ethanol. Therefore, in order to evaluate the agro-industrial yields of RB sugarcane genotypes, with different profiles (traditional sugarcane, energy-cane and drought tolerant sugarcane), and correlating them with water characteristics of the Zona da Mata region of Alagoas, was carried an experiment  with six sugarcane genotypes, grouped into three profiles: I - traditional sugarcane (RB92579 and RB951541); II - drought tolerant sugarcane (RB0442 and RB0459) and; III – energy-cane (RB11999 and RB13403), from November 2016 to February 2021, in the Rio Largo region, Alagoas. In the four harvest cycles evaluated, the average yields of the genotypes were: RB13403 (103.6 t ha-1), RB0459 (95.2 t ha-1), RB11999 (90.8 t ha-1), RB0442 (88.3 t ha- 1), RB92579 (73.5 t ha-1) and RB951541 (72.4 t ha-1). The agricultural and fiber productivity of energy-cane genotypes, in general, are higher than that of drought-tolerant sugarcane genotypes, which, in turn, are higher than conventional sugarcane genotypes. Therefore, the RB0449 and RB0442 genotypes are more recommended for rainfed cultivation, aimed for the  sugar production, the energy-cane genotypes, RB13403 and RB11999, for the production of ethanol of second generation and electrical energy, from the cane bagasse. And, the cultivars RB92579 and RB951541 are more suitable for irrigated crops and production environments with less water restrictions.

The objective of this work was to analyze the economic viability and efficiency of using water from cactus pear, subjected to different periods of interference from weeds. To conduct the experiment, DBC was adopted, with the small forage cactus variety being cultivated, subjected to 10 periods of control, without weeds (SPD) and 10 periods of coexistence with weeds (CPD). The weed plant community was evaluated using phytosociological indices, while the economic analysis consisted of relationships between production costs and revenues generated from the sale of palm as forage and as seeds. For the economic analysis, according to net revenues, the cultivation of forage cactus in the first cycle proved to be economically viable when 1/3 of the production was destined for the sale of cladode seeds, providing a profit of up to R$114836.78 (0 CPD) , while in the second cycle, the two forms of commercialization of forage cactus proved to be profitable activities as long as weed control is carried out, with revenues of up to 37730.00 from the sale of forage, and 121141.80 from the sale of forage (2/3) and seed cladode (1/3). The interference exerted by weeds caused major reductions in water use efficiency, with an 88.70% reduction in green mass production being observed in the first cycle, and in the second cycle this reduction was 95.61%. Regarding phytosociology, in the first cycle Mata pasto (Sida rhombifolia) obtained the highest indexes for Abu, Abr and IVI, with values of 3, 12 142.7, respectively, followed by Brachiaria decumbens (Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk) , which under the same conditions presented Abu (19.0), Apr (76.0%) and IVI (169.1). In the second cycle, crabgrass (Panicum maximum) surpassed the other species with 36.4% of total Abu, and IVI in the order of 158.5, while Brachiaria decumbens (Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk) reached second highest IVI with a value of 97.1. Based on the results presented, it can be concluded that the highest revenues were obtained when the crop lived all the time in a clean environment, regardless of the final destination of cactus production, and colonial grass (Panicum maximum) and Brachiaria decumbens (Brachiaria decumbens cv. Basilisk), as they have the highest phytosociological indices, are target species for future weed control programs.

Common bean productivity in the Northeast region of Brazil (NEB) is considered low compared to other regions. One of the limiting factors for agricultural production, especially in the agroecological regions included in the NEB, is the irregular seasonal distribution of rainfall. To reduce the effects of water deficit, irrigation is an essential practice for a good agronomic performance of the crop, in addition to maintaining competitive bean productivity in the agricultural sector, as irrigated agriculture reduces risks and provides an increase in productivity. Thus, it is necessary to know the storage of water in the soil, responsible for supplying the demand of the crop. Models for estimating soil water storage, based on meteorological data and soil and crop parameters, stand out in relation to direct measurements, due to the possibility of extrapolation and greater spatial representation. Thus, the objective of this research was to optimize and evaluate the water balance determined by the Thornthwaite and Mather (1955) method adapted for agricultural crops and the FAO-56 method with the KcDual approach, in which it is possible to estimate soil moisture. Agrometeorological and crop data were obtained in a field experiment conducted in the municipality of Rio Largo, Alagoas (09°28'02" S; 35°49'43" W; 127 m) from 17th November 2015 to 1st February 2016, with the bean crop, rosinha variety. The experiment had a sprinkler irrigation system in which 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, 125% and 150% of crop evapotranspiration (CET) were applied. The models were implemented in a software modeling environment, OpenModel©, where the statistical analysis of the performance of the models and the optimization of parameters of the culture (Kc and Kcb) and of the soil were also carried out (f and PMP) by the Levenberg-Marquardt method (LM). Statistical analysis was based on the coefficient of determination (r²) between estimated and observed water storage, the Willmott concordance index (d) modified by the NashSutcliffe index (NI) and the root mean square error (RMSE). It was concluded that the methods can be used to estimate the ARM, as they presented good precision for the estimates made in bean cultivation in Rio Largo, AL. However, adjustments are necessary considering the characteristics of the culture, soil and climate of the region. LM inverse modeling optimization returned average Kc, initial Kcb, average Kcb values, f and PMP within the literature found, however initial Kc showed an increase in its value. Therefore, it is recommended to test other inverse modeling methods. After a period of water stress and with the return of water infiltration into the soil, both methods present underestimated ARM estimates and when the system presented a new dry period, the methods returned overestimated values. The effects of water hysteresis on the soil are suspected to be suspected, which are not considered in the method formulas. The methods presented greater errors in the estimation of ARM in the treatments in water deficit and excess of water by irrigation. The BH by the method of Thornthwaite and Mather (1955) presented smaller errors in its results and therefore it can be indicated for analyzes of the flow of water for agricultural cultures.

Cyperaceae is currently represented by 95 genera and 5796 species, occurring in several regions of the world. Representatives of the genus Cyperus L. stand out for being widely used for medicinal purposes. Research that investigates the different forms of uses of plants in folk medicine is important to assist in the bioprospecting of bioactives in species that have been little studied scientifically. Thus, the present study was carried out with the objective of verifying trends in the therapeutic use of Cyperaceae on a global scale, including the existence of overused and underused taxa by world populations for medicinal purposes and whether different body systems are treated with distinct taxonomic groups. For this, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of scientific documents from which information was collected in different databases (PubMed, SciElo, Science Direct and Web of Science). Only articles in the English language, published between 1984 and 2021, were included in the sample. Regarding the exclusion criteria, articles with high risk of bias, review articles, studies that did not specify treatments with Cyperaceae and studies where the species were identified only at the gender level. A total of 548 articles were analyzed, of which only 144 from 50 countries were included in this systematic review. The relative importance (RI) for each species was calculated.To identify overused and underused genres, two different approaches were used: the Bayesian model and the IDM (Dirichlet's Imprecise Model). To observe if there is a phylogenetic signal regarding the relative importance of medicinal Cyperaceae species, a phylogenetic tree was constructed with only the medicinal species present in the database. The phylogenetic signal was calculated using the K index for quantitative data. After tabulating the data, the occurrence of 16 genera and 68 species of medicinal Cyperaceae was verified in the 144 works analyzed. It is noteworthy that this work constitutes the first systematic review of the Cyperaceae family. The species with the greatest relative importance (RI >0.4) were Cyperus rotundus (most versatile species), Cyperus articulatus, Carex baccans, Cyperus mindorensis, Rhynchospora colorata, Cyperus brevifolius and Cyperus conglomeratus. The phylogenetic signal test resulted in non-significant (K=0.019; p>0.05) making it difficult to understand the existence of a phylogenetic pattern associated with a greater versatility of the species. The Bayesian analysis showed the genera Cyperus, Lepironia and Scleria as overused and Carex as underused. With the use of IDM, the results for Lepironia were not significant. Regarding the therapeutic indications mentioned in this work (309), the genera Cyperus (236, including Juncellus, Kyllinga and Mariscus), Scleria (22), Carex (16) and Rhynchospora (12) had the highest number of therapeutic indications. The 10 most cited therapeutic indications were: analgesic (4.85%), cough (3.88%), abdominal pain/diarrhea (3.24%), fever (2.27%), malaria and menstruation regulation (both with 1.94%), asthma and dysentery (both with 1.29%) and bactericidal and diuretic (both with 0.97%) demonstrating that these are the trends in the use/therapeutic indication of Cyperaceae on a global scale. Regarding the infrafamily classification and the taxonomic proximity between the medicinal Cyperaceae taxa, the Cyperoideae subfamily had more medicinal representatives than the Mapanioideae subfamily. In addition, the genera of medicinal Cyperaceae included in the tribe Cypereae had the highest number of therapeutic indications (258), followed by Sclerieae (22), Cariceae (16), Rhynchosporeae (12), Scirpeae (9), Eleocharideae (7), Abildgadieae (3), Cladieae (1) and Oreobolinae (1). Among the most cited body systems in the scientific documents included in this systematic review, the SSND (Symptoms and signs that are not classified anywhere) was the most represented with 21.04%, followed by DSD (Digestive system disorders) with 14.89 %, DIP (Infectious and Parasitic Diseases) 11.65%, and GSD (Disorders of the Genitourinary System) with 10.36%. The most used plant parts were root (28.35%), whole plant (17.19%), rhizome (15.18%), leaf (11.16%), tuber (8.48%) and stem ( 7.81%). Regarding the continents and countries that medicinal Cyperaceae species were cited, Africa (in 22 countries especially Congo (2.08%), Kenya (2.78%) and South Africa (4.86%) stands out, Asia (in 15 countries especially China (9.03%), Pakistan (11.81%) and India (17.36)), America (in 8 countries, especially Mexico (2.08%), Peru (2 .08 %) and Brazil (3.47 %)), Europe (in 3 countries Italy (1.39 %), Spain (2.08 %) and Turkey (2.08 %) ) and Oceania (2 countries Marquesas Islands (0.69%) and New Guinea (0.69%) ) as the continents that, respectively, have more scientific documents that report the use of species of this family as medicinal.

The seach of new technical knowledge on the producttion of pitaya species has been a constant to meet the great demand of the market.

In 2009, information about the disease of the sugarcane, orange rust (Puccinia
alaranjada), was released in Brazil. In 2010, the Sugarcane Genetic Improvement
Program, from the Campus of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences, of the
Federal University of Alagoas – PMGCA/RIDESA/CECA/UFAL, released the
cultivar of sugarcane RB951541, with characteristics of high agricultural
productivity, high sugar content and precocity. And, in 2011, the presence of this
disease was confirmed in Alagoas. The RB951541, from 2010 to 2015, had a
great expansion of cultivation in Alagoas and, in this period, it was among the
most planted. However, it began to present problems of susceptibility to orange
rust, with productivity drops and for this reason it was gradually eliminated from
the plantations. Then, in 2021, the PMGCA/RIDESA/CECA/UFAL programmed
the release of five sugarcane sugar cultivars (RB01494, RB011549, RB0442,
RB07818 and RB08791). So, in order to evaluating the behavior of this cultivar in
relation to the orange rust, tests were carried out in the three Research Bases of
the program, and compare them with the susceptible cultivar RB951541.The
plantiig was done between July and August 2018 and the harvests in 2019 (cut
1) and 2020 (cut 2). The variable designed for evaluation were orange rust
severity grades and the agro-industrial characteristics TCH (ton of cane per
hectare), TRS (total recoverable sugar per ton of cane) and TATRH (total TRS
per hectare). In the cultivar RB951541, the average grade to severity of the
orange rust was 6.76 and it was classified as susceptible to the disease; The
cultivars RB01494, RB011549, RB0442, RB07818 and RB08791, had an
average score of 1.00 and were classified as resistant.The cultivars resistant to
orange rust produce 24.51 t ha-1 more than the susceptible cultivar RB951541,
or equivalent to an yield gain of 22.59%. For each unit increment in the orange
rust note, there is a loss of 4.25 t ha-1 and there is no effect of the orange rust on
the TRS variable. The cultivars resistant to orange rust produce, on average, 3.03
t ha-1 of TRS more than RB95154, equivalent to a gain in sugar yield of 20.53%;
The reduction in sugar yield from the first to the second cut of susceptible cultivar,
RB951541, is 22.58%, while the average in resistant cultivars, released by
PMGCA/RIDESA/CECA/UFAL in 2021, is only 7.67%.

Myrciaria floribunda (H. West ex Willd.) O. Berg, popularly known as cambuí, camboim or jabuticabinha, is a fruit species distributed throughout Brazil and, in the state of Alagoas, it occurs naturally in coastal regions and restingas. Despite its extractive exploitation, its fruits have been gaining commercial interest thanks to the variety of flavors and the richness in antioxidant compounds, such as anthocyanins, carotenoids, flavonoids, and vitamin C. Despite the increase in interest for native fruits like cambuí, commercial scale production with high quality is only possible through study, selection and improvement aiming the domestication of these plant species. The objective of this work was to study the morphoanatomy and floral biology, reproductive phenology, morphological characterization and productive analysis in cambuí accessions in order to provide information that can guide the improvement of the species. The research was conducted at the Active Bank of Cambuí Germplasm (BAG-Cambuí) of the Campus of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas (CECA/UFAL) in Rio Largo, Alagoas. For the study of floral biology 145 accessions were selected and evaluated for stigma receptivity, pollen grain viability, anthesis determination and floral visitors; for floral morphoanatomy observations were made under light microscope and scanning microscopy (SEM) of flower morphoanatomical structures from bud emergence to anthesis. In the reproductive phenology study, flowering and fruiting events were observed every 7 days and correlated to meteorological records. For the morphological characterization of the plants (accessions), 9 quantitative descriptors and 14 qualitative descriptors were used, whose data were used in a grouping test to obtain a dendrogram. For the productive and economic analysis the accessions were evaluated in three harvests, when post-harvest evaluations of the fruits were made, such as fruit weight (FP), seed weight (PS), number of seeds per fruit (NS), pulp firmness (F), pulp yield longitudinal diameter (LD) and transverse diameter (TD), total soluble solids (TSS) and total titratable acidity (TTA), ratio (TSS/TA ratio), thousand seed weight, thousand fruit weight and total fruit weight per access and estimated number of fruits per access. The results showed that Apis mellifera and Trigona spinipes are the main floral visitors of cambuí. Regarding the receptivity of the stigma, it was possible to note that it remains viable for a period of up to 5 h after opening the flower; the flower begins to senesce after 48 h; the pollen grain has a triangular shape, measuring on average 11 μm and viability above 90%. Regarding the reproductive phenology it was possible to observe that the accessions evaluated bloom irregularly almost the entire year with the 

exception of the hottest and driest months of the year. In general, the plants concentrate the flowering in two periods of the year with major peaks in March and August, while the highest peaks of fruiting were observed in April and September. The quantitative morphological analysis showed great variability among the accessions, especially for plant height, which varied from 0.78 m and 2.58 m for plants that were 9 years old, indicating different growth potentials and vegetative vigor. The cluster analysis indicated the formation of homogeneous groups, especially group 2 of quantitative characterization, which was formed by 12 accessions with higher means of plant height (2.23 m), crown insertion height (0.42 m), crown length (1.80 m), crown diameter (2.06 m), height of the first fork (0.43 m), stem diameter at 10 cm from the ground (0.50 m) and crown proportion (81.11%). The qualitative characterization indicated that 74.48% of the accessions have rounded crown, with medium to high crown density, with percentage of 39.31% and 57.24% of the accessions respectively. The Tocher optimization analysis indicated that the protrusion index and crown proportion were the variables that contributed most to the formation of the quantitative groups and that the crown architecture (16.60%) was the variable that contributed most to the formation of the qualitative groups. The postharvest characterization of the fruit showed that the accessions AC52 and AC140 stood out with respect to PF, with 1.009 g and 1.059 g, respectively. Accession AC52 also stood out in PF, NS, F, DL and DT, while AC140 obtained the lowest value for fruit firmness (3.353 N). The access AC08 presented the lowest PF (0.359 g) and the lowest PS (0.072 g). The access AC02 showed lower NS (1.0), and with respect to fruit firmness the highest value was observed in access AC107 (5.207 N), the access AC33 (26.40 ºBrix) and AC11 (25.63 ºBrix) showed higher content of TSS, access AC11 also showed higher value of ratio (6.53). with respect to postharvest attributes observed in the different harvests, it was possible to highlight the harvest 1 that showed higher FP (0.647 g), higher PS (0.171 g), higher NS (1.32), higher DL (9.557 mm) and higher DT (8.647 mm). Regarding the productive analysis, the accessions AC107 and AC52 presented the highest total weight of the fruits with 5.2 kg and 5.01 kg, respectively. Regarding the estimation of the number of fruits per plant, AC63 stood out with 12,464 fruits. Regarding the evaluation of harvests, harvest 3 presented the highest yield of pulp and differed statistically from the others, and regarding the number of fruits per plant, harvest 1 presented the worst result. There was no statistical difference regarding the total. 

The objective of this work is to evaluate seven genotypes of Sweet Potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.] and to identify materials intended for human consumption, ethanol production and animal feed, within the soil and climate conditions of the municipality of Rio Largo - AL. The experiment was carried out in the experimental area of the Plant Genetic Improvement Sector (SMGP) at the Campus of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences (CECA) of the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL). The planting was done in randomized blocks, with seven genotypes and three replications. The variables were analyzed at 120 days after planting (DAP) of the aerial part of the plant and at 150 DAP, the variables of the roots: Productivity (PROD); Total Productivity (PRODT); Dry Root Productivity (PRODRS); Average Productivity of Commercial Roots (PRODM); Number of Business Roots (NRC); Length of Commercial Roots (CRC); Diameter of Commercial Roots (DRC); Percentage of Commercial Roots (PRC); Percentage of Dry Mass of Commercial Roots (PMSRC); Number of Non-Commercial Roots (NRNC); Productivity of Non-Commercial Roots (PRNC); Number of Plants in the Useful Area (NPAU); Aerial Productivity (PPA); Dry Aerial Productivity (PPAS); Aerial Dry Mass Percentage (PMSPA); Branch Length (CR); Stem Diameter (DC); Rama productivity (PR); Dry Grain Productivity (PRS); Number of Sheets (NF); Folha's Productivity (PF); Dry Leaf Productivity (PFS). Dry matter samples from shoots and roots of the seven sweet potato genotypes were sent to the Laboratory of Bromatological Analysis (CECA-UFAL) for analysis of the following variables: Fiber in Neutral Detergent (NDF); Fiber in Acid Detergent (FDA); Crude Protein (CP); Etheric Extract (EE); Dry Matter (MS); Mineral Matter (MM); Organic Matter (OM); Lignin (L); Total Carbohydrates (CHT); Non-Fibrous Carbohydrates (NFC). Data were submitted to analysis of variance using Tukey's test at 5% probability with the aid of the statistical program System for Analysis of Variance - SISVAR. The sensory test was carried out through a semi-structured questionnaire using the Hedonic Scale, assigning scores from 1 to 9 for each variable: global acceptance; texture; coloring; flavor; sweetness; aroma. Data were descriptively evaluated by mean and standard error. The dried sweet potato roots were crushed and taken to the Laboratory of Food and Beverage Technology (LTBA) of the Technology Center (CTEC), located on the AC Simões campus, where the evaluations of the alcoholic fermentation for the production of fuel ethanol were carried out. from Trevelyan and Hanrrison's (1952) methodology for the Antrona method and Miller's (1959) methodology for the DNS method. Ethanol determination was performed using the Dichromate method of AOAC (2002). And the determination of the Starch Content by the Lane-Eynon method (1953). Concluding that the BRS Gaita genotype is the one that produces the most sweet potato root. And the most suitable for human consumption are the Rainha da Praia and Campinas genotypes. For the production of ethanol, the most suitable is the one with the highest productivity.

The Annonaceae family comprises approximately 50 genera where,
Annona, Duguetia and Asimina, produce edible fruits with some
commercial importance. Most of the Annona species are found in
South America and Central America. In the southeast region of Mexico
and in Guatemala we find the papausa (Annona macroprophyllata
Donn.). The highest demand for this fruit is in natura, and that factors
such as maturity status by harvest time, incidence of rot and high
metabolism significantly limit its shelf life under environmental
conditions. The propagation of papausa is usually done in a sexual way
through seeds, but it is not recommended because it presents low seed
germination by impermeability and dormancy that protect them and
provide survival conditions for their establishment and development in
inappropriate times. Knowing the substrate is very important and
indispensable for seed germination since physical properties such as
water retention, porosity, aeration and temperature can help uniform
germination. In addition, papausa has morphological and physiological
characteristics similar to those species adapted to regions of the dry
tropics under limiting conditions of environmental and soil moisture.
The habit of deciduous growth is one of the most outstanding
phenological aspects of this annoaceous, which allows it to avoid
prolonged periods of water stress, grow and fructify on dry conditions
without any type of management. Plant phenology is directly governed
by temperature fluctuation and water availability, and the highest 

growth rate occurs during the rainy season (May-September), while the
season of lower vegetative activity coincides with the decrease in soil
temperatures and humidity (December-March). For seed germination,
the objective was to obtain the best substrate for a uniform germination
of papausa seeds of the white and pink variety and, for induction of
papausa flowering, was to evaluate the effect of hydrogenated
cyanamide at different concentrations associated with defoliation. For
seed germination, the best substrate was medium granules vermiculite,
presenting 80% germination in the white variety and 48% in the pink
variety. The commercial substrate Bioplant showed a low germination
of 8% and 6% in the varieties, thus indicating that the vermiculate of
medium granules presents the best physical properties for a good
germination of this Annona without the use of any chemical. In the
floral induction with the use of hydrogenated cyanamide associated
with defoliation, the best result presented with the concentration of
0.50% for the induction of vegetable buds and 1% for the induction of
floral buds.

Soybean is a crop of great economic importance worldwide, used in human and animal food, and also for the production of biofuel. The water deficit is the main limiting factor for the productivity of this crop in the world. Alternatives to minimize the impacts of the water deficit on plants involve the application of plant bio-regulators, among which are the Brassinosteroids.  Because of this, this work aimed to evaluate the efficiency of the 24-epibrassinolide bioregulator in soybean plants (Glycine max (L.) Merrill), submitted to stress by water deficit. The experiment was conducted in a 2x2 factorial scheme, with 8 repetitions. The treatments consisted in the application or not of the hormone at a concentration of 0.1 mg/L, as well as the presence or absence of hydric stress. The soybean seeds of IMA 84114 RR were sown and the application of the bioregulator was performed at 12 days after sowing, with subsequent applications every 5 days. The experiment was carried out in the vegetative phase, and the hydric suppression was imposed on the 27th day after planting (DAP). The maximum period of water deficiency was determined by the withering of the soybean plants, followed by rehydration. The data of the parameters evaluated in the experiment were submitted to the analysis of variances at 0.1, 1 and 5% probability by the F test, and when a statistically significant difference was observed, the Tukey Test was used to compare the means. Gas exchange, water status, chlorophyll fluorescence, morphological attributes and soy production components were affected by the water deficit. However, the 24-EPiBL attenuated the negative interferences caused by water deficiency in these parameters. Thus, the foliar application of 24-epibrassinolide in the vegetative phase alleviates the harmful effects of water deficit on gas exchange, improves the water status of the plant, as well as helps in the maintenance of photosynthetic pigments, reducing the damage caused by water deficit to the photosynthetic apparatus. Furthermore, after the rehydration of the plants, the 24-Epibrassinolide improves the growth, development and consequently the productivity of the soybean crop.

Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) is a climbing plant in the Fabaceae family, considered a second most important species of its genus. It has been considered a source of income and alternative food for part of the population of the Northeast Brazil, where it is widely consumed. However, there are few studies on the genetics and improvement of lima beans, and in vitro cultivation studies are extremely important for the genetic understanding of the culture, with a view to obtaining new varieties. The objective of this work was to establish initial protocols for the introduction, establishment and in vitro multiplication of white lima beans (P. lunatus L.) and to induce calluses in embryonic tissues with a view to future studies of cell suspensions for organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis of the species. The work was conducted at the Plant Biotechnology Laboratory (BIOVEG) of CECA / UFAL. Seeds of lima beans (P. lunantus L.)  cv. Branca were obtained from rural producers in a open market in the municipality of São Miguel dos Campos - Alagoas. After sorting, cleaning and disinfesting seeds, the embryos were extracted in a laminar flow chamber with the aid of tweezers and scalpels. The excised embryos were transferred to MS culture medium with different concentrations of benzylaminopurine (BAP) and indole butyric acid (AIB). Growth and multiplication of the explants were evaluated during 60 days in cultivation. In a second experiment, callus induction in zygotic embryos was evaluated for different 2.4 D concentrations in light and dark conditions. The results showed that the highest concentrations of BAP (1.0 and 2.0 mgL^-1) were able to multiply up to more than 10 times the number of shoots of the control (without BAP). The use of 0.5 mgL^-1 of IBA was able to induce adventitious roots only in explants with little (0.5 mgL^-1) or no BAP, indicating for a micropropagation system in two distinct stages - multiplication and rooting. All of the 2.4 D concentrations used (10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mgL^-1) readily induced a good mass of callus only in explants that were kept in the dark, but not in explants kept in a lighted environment. This work showed that micropropagation and callogenesis lima bean cv. Branca will serve as important tools in the genetic improvement and transformation of the species.

The biological fixation FBN is a process of great relevance for the
development of plants, and symbiotic it becomes one of the natural,
biological, sustainable and safe phenomena for the plant, however it is
important to emphasize that this activity has great results when the
symbiosis happens with the Fabaceae family, considering that they are
plants with a very high symbiotic potential when we refer to their
relationship with rhizobia. Research carried out with legumes and
bacteria from caatinga soils becomes a reference factor for better
knowledge and understanding of this content, which is still something
unknown, in that it disrespects the ecology of the caatinga. This study
aimed to evaluate the nodulation potential of bacteria from caatinga
soils associated with vigna unguiculata nodules. The research was
developed in two stages which were named experiment 1
(authentication experiment) and experiment 2 (field efficiency 

experiment). The bacteria used were obtained prior to this research,
and are deposited in the microorganism culture collection of the
Reference Center for Recovery of Degraded Areas CRAD-AL, located
at the Federal University of Alagoas (UFAL-Campus Maceió). The
isolates were evaluated for their ability to form symbiosis with Vigna
unguiculata, where 12 samples were used from the 28 samples of the
collection. Bacteria were selected according to their phenotypic
characteristics. The 12 bacterial samples were from Pão de Açúcar,
Traipu, Delmiro Gouveia, and Olho D'Água do Casado. The seeds
were subjected to disinfestation with alcohol (70%) for one minute,
sodium hypochlorite (2%) for three minutes and five successive
washings in sterile distilled water. After this process, planting was
carried out, with 100g of soil added. It was stored in disinfested vases
with a capacity of 300 ml, where four seeds containing autoclaved
sand and vermiculite in a 2:1 ratio were added. 45 days after
emergence, plants were collected, at which time the presence and
absence of nodules and number of nodules per plant was determined.
The experimental design was in randomized blocks with four
replications. There was a significant variation in the nodulation of
Vigna Unguiculata, at the level of 5% probability by Tukey's test. The
soils of Pão de Açúcar and Olho D'Água do Casado provided greater
nodulation compared to bacteria from Delmiro Gouveia and Traipu. In
experiment two, seven bacterial samples were used. The choice of
these bacteria took place after the result of experiment one, which
allowed us to detect which bacteria had the best performance. Thus,
after the results of experiment one, it was possible to use the bacteria:
one from Pão de Açúcar, two from Traipu, one from Delmiro Gouveia,
two from Olho D’Água do Casado and a commercial inoculant
BR3267 and a non-inoculated control. The experiment was conducted
in a delimited area at the Federal University of Alagoas, UFAL-
Campus Maceió. The design adopted was a randomized block with
thirteen plots and thirteen repetitions for each inoculant. After the
evaluations mentioned above, the plant biomass, root and nodules were
placed to dry in an oven at 65ºC for 72 hours to obtain the dry mass of
the aerial part (MSPA), of the root (MSR) and dry mass of the nodules
(MSN) . After collecting the data, it was possible to notice that all the
bacteria nodulated, being the ones from Sugar Loaf, Delmiro Gouveia
and Olho D Casa da Casa having better performance, even with the
nodulation of the control.

Among the many native botanic families existing in Brazil, the Mirtaceae stand out for having a high economic potential, however, few are the explored species, as is the case of rumberry (Myrciaria floribunda). It is a native tree to the State of Alagoas, distributed in restingas areas, close to the South coastal region of the state. The fruits of this species have few studies that assess their chemical and biological potential. In general, acceptance for the fruits we consume is mainly related to sensory characteristics (taste, odor, texture, consistency and appearance). Thus, the fruits present a very complex composition of volatile constituents, directly involved in the quality of the aroma and flavor, presenting distinct odorous impacts for the consumer. In this context, this work was divided into three chapters. Chapter I aimed to optimize the extraction conditions (time, temperature and agitation) by means of solid phase microextraction in headspace mode (HS-SPME) for the identification of volatile compounds (VOCs) from rumberry fruits (AC132). To this end, SPME fibers of polyacrylate (PA) and divinylbenzene / carboxen / polydimethylsiloxane (DVB / CAR / PDMS) were individually evaluated and compared. It was observed that the PA fiber had better performance, since it extracted a greater number of VOCs belonging to the class of hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes at temperatures above 85 ° C, for a time of 26 min and under agitation of 79 rpm. Chapter II aimed to characterize the fruits of different rumberry accessions differentiated by their orange (AC-67, AC-92, AC112, AC136, AC137, AC156), red (AC132, AC153) and purple (AC160) coloring and determine the volatile profile through the PA fiber through SPME-HS / GC-MS. For this, the fruit weight (PS), seed weight (PS), pulp weight (PP), number of seeds (NS), longitudinal (DL) and transversal (DT) diameter, shape, firmness, content was determined soluble solids, titratable acidity, ratio and pH. In general, rumberry fruits were characterized by being acidic. The orange-colored fruits (AC156) showed higher pulp yield, firmness (AC136), soluble solids (AC92) and ratio (AC137), while the red fruits were the ones with greater weight and dimensions (AC132), while the purple fruits presented low levels of titratable acidity (AC160). As for the volatile profile, the fruits present a greater number of VOCs belonging to the sesquiterpenes group, with an emphasis on the orange-colored fruits because they presented the compounds patchoulene (32.9%), α-longipinene (24.9%), karyophylene (21.6% to 49.3 %) and γ-selinene (11.3% to 16.3%) as major constituents. Finally, chapter III aimed to characterize the fruits of the nine accessions of rumberry in terms of their physico-chemical properties, phenolic compounds, antioxidant activity and analysis of fixed compounds through mass spectrometry (MS) with ionization by paper spray (PS). For the physicochemical analysis of the fruits, samples of 128 fruits per access were used. All accessions presented from one to two seeds per fruit. The AC132 and AC156 accessions showed larger fruits, while the AC137 accessions showed greater firmness and antioxidant activity (534.83 ± 137.68). The AC160 access fruits had a higher ratio and a higher total phenol content (279.01 ± 11.11). As for the chemical profile of the fruits, 32 compounds and 42 compounds in the negative ionization mode were identified in the positive ionization mode, thus highlighting the compounds belonging to the group of flavonoids. Therefore, the fruits of rumberry showed potential for their use as a functional food, since there were reports on the health benefits of bioactive compounds.

Due to its food and energy importance, sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) has been gaining prominence on the world stage. However, the occurrence of population outbreaks of pest insects such as Euscepes postfasciatus (Fairmaire, 1849) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) has limited the production of this vegetable. Thus, this work aimed to evaluate chemical and biological control measures for the management of E. postfasciatus. To this end, chemical insecticides (Spinetoram, Spiromesifen, Lambda-Cyhalothrin, Thiamethoxam, Thiamethoxam + Lambda-Cyhalothrin and Azadirachtin) and biological insecticides (formulations based on Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae) were tested in laboratory conditions. For all products, lethal effects were evaluated based on adult mortality; in addition to sublethal effects, through repellency and population growth estimates. Statistical analyzes were performed in the programs SAS and Assistat. With the data obtained, it was possible to determine lethal concentrations (LCs), mean lethal time (LT₅₀), percentage of repellency (PR) and instantaneous population growth rate (ri). The results showed that the insecticides lambda-cyhalothrin, thiamethoxam, spinetoram and thiamethoxam + lambda-cyhalothrin were effective in terms of adult mortality of E. postfasciatus and provided significant reductions in the population growth rate, however, they did not present a repellent effect. The fungi B. bassiana and M. anisopliae were pathogenic to the sweet potato borer, but the co-application using these agents was shown to be antagonistic. Thus, the results obtained add relevant information for the control of E. postfasciatus that could serve as a basis for the development of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs in sweetpotato.

Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. (Fabaceae), popularly known as sabia, is of great socioeconomic importance in several regions of Brazil, mainly in the Caatinga biome, as it has potential in feeding animals, providing nectar to bees, and its wood in obtaining posts, stakes and firewood, as well as its use as forest seed in the recovery of degraded areas. Due to the presence of tannic substances in the various parts of the plant, studies indicate medicinal potential for the species, in addition to improvement for application as a phytoremediation species. Thus, the use of rapid tests in quality control programs becomes an essential tool for the evaluation of the physiological potential of seeds of this species, and among these, the tetrazolium test (Tz) has been considered as a promising alternative. For its use it is necessary to develop specific application methodologies, determining the concentration, the exposure time, as well as the preparation of the seeds to the Tz solution, as well as proposing additional methods for this test. The present work aimed to standardize and optimize the tetrazolium test in the evaluation of thrush seeds and to establish standards and techniques that can assist in the interpretation of the results. The seeds were harvested from 30 trees of a forest fragment present in the forest area of CECA/UFAL between September and October 2018. To obtain lots with different physiological potentials, a sample of the initial lot was subjected to accelerated aging (AA) for periods of 24 hours to complete 96 hours and evaluated for the variables moisture, percentage, first count and germination speed index, electrical conductivity, dry mass and seedling length and percentage and emergency speed index. The direct immersion of seeds from the initial batch in distilled water to soften the parts was not effective, the best treatment being hydration between sheets of paper for 24 hours followed by removal of the seed coat and immersion in the concentrations of the Tz solution (0.05, 0.075 and 0.1 %) in different periods (1, 2 and 3 hours) at temperatures of 30 and 35 °C in the dark with four repetitions of 25 seeds in CRD factorial design 3 x 3 + 1 (concentrations x periods + witness) and submitted to ANOVA and the means compared by the Tukey and Dunnet test, at 5% probability. At the end, the seeds were evaluated for viability and later digitalized on a flatbed scanner for color density analysis. Due to the variables analyzed, the aged lots presented a decline in their germination rate and vigor in relation to the control, allowing, together with the tetrazolium test, adopting the hydration technique between paper for 24 hours at 25 °C and subsequent seed coat removal and immersion of the seeds in 0.075 % Tz salt at 35 °C for 1 hour of immersion, due stratification of the physiological potential of the high, medium and low lots. The optimization protocol proposed for the test was effective to optimize and facilitate the interpretation of the viability parameters of the seeds, reducing the dependence on individual perceptions and contributing to the comparison of the seeds due to the predefined analysis criteria.

The objective of the work was to biomorphologically characterize the seeds of Cleome affinis DC. and study the physiological potential as a function of temperature and light. Physically, the seeds were evaluated by the weight of a thousand seeds, number of seeds per kilogram, length and width. In the morphological characterization, the type, size and location of the embryonic axis, location of the micropyle, funicular and reserve material were verified. In physiological potential, using five temperatures (20, 25, 30, 35 and 20-30ºC) in the presence and absence of light. In possession of the results, the seeds were stored at 30ºC for a period of 12 days in humid conditions, both in the dark and in the light and taken to the germination test, at temperatures of 20, 25 and 20-30ºC. It was found that the weight of a thousand seeds was an average of 2.83g, corresponding to 353,357 seeds / kg. The dimensions of the seeds varied between 2.0 to 2.7 mm in length, by 2.0 to 2.9 mm in width, with a humidity of 10%. The outer integument is rough, with protuberances and the presence of trichomes, being composed of a single layer with the presence of an elaissoma. The embryo is the axial type. The best germination was promoted after incubation of the seeds in the dark for 12 days at a temperature of 30ºC and then exposed to an alternating temperature of 20-30ºC, in the dark.

Understanding the soil-water-plant-atmosphere relationships and the productive responses of cassava to irrigation depth is essential to increase the productivity of this crop in the Coastal Plateaus of Alagoas. For this reason, this research aimed analyze the growth, productivity and physiological aspects of cassava according to irrigation levels. The experiment was carried out at the Campus of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences (CEAS) of the Federal University of Alagoas (FUAL), from June 2019 to June 2020. The statistical design used was randomized blocks, with four repetitions. The treatments were six levels of irrigation, depending on the evapotranspiration of the crop – ETC (L0 = 0% (rainfed), L1 = 40%, L2 = 80%, L3 = 120%, L4 = 160% and L5 = 200% of ETC). And the growth and production variables analyzed were: plant height, number of leaves, length and diameter of the stem, number , length and diameter of commercial roots, leaf area index (LAI) and fresh and dry matter productivity of: root , stem and leaf, fresh and dry total biomass (root, stem and leaf), per hectare, and harvest index. The physiological variables analyzed were: liquid photosynthetic rate, internal CO2 concentration, transpiration, leaf temperature, stomatal conductance, instant water use efficiency, potential quantum yield and effective quantum efficiency of photosystem II and SPAD index. In this research, the total depth was defined as total irrigation plus the effective rain. The average air temperature during the search period was 25.1°C, the average relative humidity was 74.2%, and the total accumulated rainfall (rain) was 1,847 mm. Of this total, 212 mm occurred in the period when the crop was irrigated, from October 2019 to March 2020. This it resulted in an effective rain of 522 mm and, in rainfed crops, was estimated a water deficit of 508 mm and an excess of 1,323 mm. The accumulated reference evapotranspiration (ET0) was 1,454 mm and the ETC was 1,030 mm in the 355 day cassava cycle. The maximum LAI was 7.6, the maximum length of commercial roots, 49 cm, the highest root yields and total biomass were 94 and 149 t ha-1, respectively. The total depth of maximum mean economic efficiency, with prices from R $ 180.00 to 400.00 reais per tonnes of cassava, was 911 mm that produced 94 t ha-1 of cassava roots. Meanwhile, the maximum root and total dry matter productivity were 47 and 69 t ha-1, respectively, the highest harvest index was 0.66. And, the maximum physiological variables were: photosynthetic rate, 22.5 μmol of CO2 m-2 s-1; transpiratory rate and stomatal conductance 4.0 and 0.35 μmol of H2O m-2 s-1, respectively; internal concentration of CO2 of 245 μmol m-2 s-1; maximum effective quantum efficiency was 0.68 and the maximum SPAD index was 57. In general, irrigation can generating a higher index of leaf area, root length and increase of productivit roots and total biomass of 194 and 99% in the cassava crop, in the region of Rio Largo, AL.