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Knowledge of medicinal plants has accumulated over centuries and often represents the only therapeutic resource of small municipalities in the interior of Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and use of medicinal plants by the population of the municipality of Bom Principio do Piaui, Piaui state, for the treatment of diseases in humans and domestic animals. Interviews were conducted with 38 residents using standardized questionnaire forms, with the "snowball" technique. Fifty nine families, 98 genera and 112 species were recorded. Of these, 22.3% were indicated for the treatment of diseases in animals and 9.8% were said to cause adverse effects. The families with most species were Fabaceae (14), Euphorbiaceae (11) and Lamiaceae (6). The species with greatest use value (UV) were Myracrodruon urundeuva Allemao (0.65), Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin and Clemants (0.63) and Amburana cearensis (Allemao) A.C.Sm. (0.42). The leaves were the parts most frequently used (26.8%), followed by bark (21.0%). Of the 15 used categories listed in this study, those with the highest number of recorded species were related to illnesses associated with the digestive tract (102), diseases of the genitourinary system (72) and diseases of the respiratory system (60). This study revealed the importance of knowledge and use of medicinal plants in caring for the health of people and domestic animals in the municipality. In addition, the study provided information on plants of the local flora with pharmacological potential. Key words: Caatinga, medicinal plant, herbal medicine, popular knowledge.

The aim of this study was to assess the activity of aqueous (AE) and ethanolic extracts (EE) and pilocarpine hydrochloride, which were extracted and isolated from Pilocarpus microphyllus (Jaborandi), respectively, on Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was performed to quantify these compounds. Larval packet and adult immersion tests were conducted with different concentrations. Five AE and EE concentrations, ranging from 6.2 to 100.0 mg mL–1, and six concentrations of pilocarpine hydrochloride, ranging from 0.7 to 24.0 mg mL–1, were tested. The lethal concentration (LC50) of each extract for larvae and engorged females was calculated through Probit analysis. The concentration of pilocarpine hydrochloride obtained from the EE and the AE was 1.3 and 0.3% (m/m), respectively. Pilocarpine hydrochloride presented the highest acaricidal activity on larvae (LC50 2.6 mg mL–1) and engorged females (LC50 11.8 mg mL–1) of R.(B.) microplus, followed by the EE which presented LC50 of 56.4 and 15.9 mg mL–1, for larvae and engorged females, respectively. Such results indicate that pilocarpine hydrochloride has acaricidal activity, and may be the primary compound responsible for this activity by P. microphyllus EE.

A modelagem do sistema planta-solo-atmosfera serve de suporte não só para pesquisas de campo, mas, também, para o uso eficiente e sustentável da água, dos nutrientes e dos agrotóxicos no sistema produtivo. Assim, objetivou-se, com este trabalho, implementar um modelo mecanístico de simulação do crescimento e desenvolvimento para a cultura do milho (Zea mays L.) e testá-lo utilizando-se dados experimentais obtidos em lisímetros. O modelo foi testado com dados obtidos em experimento realizado na área experimental do Departamento de Engenharia Agrícola/UFV. O híbrido de milho Agromen 2012 foi semeado em lisímetros de drenagem e conduzido para atingir a produção potencial, realizando-se determinações de área e senescência foliar, além de matéria seca dos órgãos da planta. O modelo, quando considerou a senescência das folhas, estimou adequadamente os valores de índice de área foliar durante todo o ciclo da cultura e o acúmulo de matéria seca nas folhas, caule e raízes, durante o estádio vegetativo; apesar de não estimar bem a variação no acúmulo de matéria seca nos grãos, o valor estimado de matéria seca final nos grãos foi apenas 9,8% superior ao observado experimentalmente.Modeling the plant-soil-atmosphere system serves as a support for field research as well as for efficient and sustainable use of water, nutrients and pesticides in the productive system. This study aimed to implement a mechanistic model for simulating the growth and development of corn (Zea mays L.) and to test it by using data from a lysimeter experiment. The model was tested by using the data obtained from an experiment carried out in the experimental area belonging to the Agricultural Engineering Department/UFV. The Agromen 2012 hybrid maize was sown in drainage lysimeters and the crop conducted to reach its potential yield. Determinations of the leaf area, leaf senescence and the dry matter of the organs of the plant were accomplished during the development cycle. When the senescence of the leaves was considered, the model estimated the values of area index appropriately during the whole cycle of the crop, and estimated the dry matter accumulation in the leaves, stem and roots during the vegetative stage. In spite of not estimating well the variation in the dry matter accumulation in the grains, the final estimated value of grain dry matter was only 9.8% higher than the observed.

A modelagem do sistema planta-solo-atmosfera serve de suporte não só para pesquisas de campo, mas, também, para o uso eficiente e sustentável da água, dos nutrientes e dos agrotóxicos no sistema produtivo. Assim, objetivou-se, com este trabalho, implementar um modelo mecanístico de simulação do crescimento e desenvolvimento para a cultura do milho (Zea mays L.) e testá-lo utilizando-se dados experimentais obtidos em lisímetros. O modelo foi testado com dados obtidos em experimento realizado na área experimental do Departamento de Engenharia Agrícola/UFV. O híbrido de milho Agromen 2012 foi semeado em lisímetros de drenagem e conduzido para atingir a produção potencial, realizando-se determinações de área e senescência foliar, além de matéria seca dos órgãos da planta. O modelo, quando considerou a senescência das folhas, estimou adequadamente os valores de índice de área foliar durante todo o ciclo da cultura e o acúmulo de matéria seca nas folhas, caule e raízes, durante o estádio vegetativo; apesar de não estimar bem a variação no acúmulo de matéria seca nos grãos, o valor estimado de matéria seca final nos grãos foi apenas 9,8% superior ao observado experimentalmente. Modeling the plant-soil-atmosphere system serves as a support for field research as well as for efficient and sustainable use of water, nutrients and pesticides in the productive system. This study aimed to implement a mechanistic model for simulating the growth and development of corn (Zea mays L.) and to test it by using data from a lysimeter experiment. The model was tested by using the data obtained from an experiment carried out in the experimental area belonging to the Agricultural Engineering Department/UFV. The Agromen 2012 hybrid maize was sown in drainage lysimeters and the crop conducted to reach its potential yield. Determinations of the leaf area, leaf senescence and the dry matter of the organs of the plant were accomplished during the development cycle. When the senescence of the leaves was considered, the model estimated the values of area index appropriately during the whole cycle of the crop, and estimated the dry matter accumulation in the leaves, stem and roots during the vegetative stage. In spite of not estimating well the variation in the dry matter accumulation in the grains, the final estimated value of grain dry matter was only 9.8% higher than the observed.

The objective of this work was to evaluate nitrogen losses and nitrate concentration by drained water through the soil profile in the traditional and anticipated maize nitrogen (N) application in no tillage system. Maize crop was cultivated in succession of black oats using two rainfall regimes: normal rainfall -NR-, considering an average period of 30 years and “El Nino” rainfall – ENR- (1997/98). The experiment was conducted during 1997/98 growing season in an experimental area of the Federal University of Santa Maria, Brazil. A set of eight drainage lysimeters was used under a rain shelter. Treatments used were: (i) 180 kg N/ha+ENR – application of 150 kg N/ha in pre-sowing and 30 kg N/ha at sowing with ENR; (ii) 90+ENR – application of 30 kg N/ha at sowing, 30 kg N/ha at 31 and 57 days after emergency (DAE) with ENR; (iii) 0 kg N/ha+ENR – without N application and ENR and; (iv) 90+NR – application of 30 kg N/ha at sowing, 30 kg N/ha at 31 and 57 DAE with normal rainfall. The intensive rainfall combined with high soil water infiltration, probably increased the amount of drained water and nitrate percolation from the upper layers into de soil profile. The nitrate concentration of the drained water was higher than critical value (10 mg/L) right after application of N before sowing from the lysimeters submitted to 180+ENR treatment. Water samples collected from the lysimeters submitted to the anticipated N application, traditional N application and without N application with ENR, 86%, 50% and 31% resulted in nitrate concentration in the drained water above the critical limit, respectively. These results clearly indicated that the pre-sowing application of a high amount of N enhanced soil nitrogen availability before and right after plant emergency. However, these conditions associate with intensive rainfall may cause elevated N losses and water contamination.

Knowledge of medicinal plants has accumulated over centuries and often represents the only therapeutic resource of small municipalities in the interior of Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and use of medicinal plants by the population of the municipality of Bom Princípio do Piauí, Piauí state, for the treatment of diseases in humans and domestic animals.