Fruit growing contributes to Brazilian socioeconomic growth, both as a source of food for the population and in the generation of employment and income. However, the production chain incurs significant negative impacts, mainly due to post-harvest losses. The objective of the current study was to estimate the post-harvest losses of fruits, occurring in the retail markets of Anapurus, Belágua, Mata Roma, São Benedito do Rio Preto and Urbano Santos (Maranhão State). The study was carried out with visits to 45 commercial establishments, and the deployment of a questionnaire regarding post-harvest losses of 12 fruits. It is concluded that, in decreasing order, losses were: avocado (11.76 ± 0.09%) > papaya (11.65% ± 0.02) > banana (10.82 ± 1.75%) > grape (10.08 ± 0.06%) > passion fruit (9.28 ± 0.04%) > pineapple (8.62 ± 0.04%) > watermelon (8.48 ± 0.05%) > mango (8.00 ± 0.18%) > orange (7.12 ± 0.10%) > apple (6.68 ± 0.07%) > pear (6.52 ± 0.03%) > melon (4.32 ± 0.01%). Physiological disorders were the main cause of losses, with estimated losses being up to 10.62%. It is suggested that losses could be reduced with: better hygiene in commercial environments, effective planning of the quantities offered, and the adoption of low cost technologies for the conservation and refrigeration of temperate fruits. Some public initiatives, such as the increase in availability of training courses, improvement of roads in the rural areas of the Chapadinha Microregion, and encouragement of the expansion of fruit growing in Maranhão, may lead to improvements, with direct benefits to society in general.

Research involving estimation of post-harvest losses of vegetables is limited in the state of Maranhão (MA), however, they are essential to identify of causes of losses, as well as for reducing them. The objective of the current study was to describe the cultivation and post-harvest losses of vegetables in the municipalities of Anapuru, Belágua, Chapadinha, Mata Roma, São Benedito and Urbano Santos, state of Maranhão, northern Brazil. The information was obtained by questionnaires given to the traders from the main vegetable trading centres for each municipality. The questions covered the socioeconomic aspects of handling, transportation, storage and commercialization of vegetables. While many traders had a full secondary education (37%), they have little technical knowledge of production, management (83%) and marketing (82%) of vegetables. Cultivation is carried out mainly in greenhouses (77%), with many vegetables coming from other states (89%), such as Ceará, via asphalted roads (100%). Physiological disorders, such as rapid maturation, wilting and budding, were the main causes of loss. Rank losses, in order of decreasing losses were: tomato (18.38 ± 0.39%) > potato (13.82 ± 0.11%) > bell pepper (10.13 ± 0.07%) > carrot (9.35 ± 0), 09%) > onion (7.31 ± 0.15%) > lettuce (6.16 ± 0.15%). The losses were significant and there is a clear need for training on good post-harvest practices, effective management of the quantity offered, and government incentives to expand the olericulture in the Chapadinha microregion.

The production of fruits and vegetables is listed as one of the most relevant activities in brazilian agricultural conjuncture. However, the amount of losses occurring along the production chain is alarming, especially in the postharvest stage. Thus, it was aimed to conduct a survey of postharvest losses and characterize the scenario of commercialization of fresh produce in the retail market of seven cities in the east of Maranhã o state. This work was carried out through direct interviews with 145 traders. The questionnaire with objective questions that covered socioeconomic aspects, handling, flow, conditioning, storage, marketing, and postharvest losses was applied to them. It was found that the traders had little schooling (92% of traders do not have a high school level) and lack adequate technical knowledge of produce, management, and marketing of fruit and vegetable produce. The traded vegetables are sourced from Piauí , Bahia and Ceará , and drained through canvas-covered trucks (86%). The three vegetables with the highest loss estimates are bell pepper (16.42 ± 2.21%), lettuce (11.79 ± 0.42) and tomato (11.38 ± 0.19%). Though, for fruits, it highlights plum (35.65 ± 1.34%), papaya (17.93 ± 3.79%) and guava (15.63±2.79%). 337 Among the causes, those of physiological order was the most impacting. The largest losses of vegetables occurred in Coelho Neto (17.78%), Timon (13.46%) and Brejo (10.73%) cities. Regarding fruits, the order was Coelho Neto (11.48%), Brejo (11.27%) and Timon (10.84%). There is a need for better training and awareness of traders regarding the adoption of good post-harvest practices and proper management of the commercial activity, as a way to increase the profitability of this activity, which on average is equivalent to two minimum wages per month.

Soybean is the most important oilseed over the world. Different factors interfere in its development, among them, the interference of weeds. Thus, the objective was to analyze the performance of pre-emergence herbicides on the weed competition and agronomic components of soybean. For this, an experiment was carried out in commercial farming. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with three treatments and nine repetitions. The following treatments were tested: S-metolachlor (1,152 g a.i. ha-1); diclosulam (35 g a.i. ha-1; 42 g a.i. ha-1) + imazethapyr (164.8 g a.i. ha-1). Two phytosociological surveys were carried out at 21 and 32 days after sowing (DAS) for controlling the weed competition. At 14, 21, 32, and 37 DAS, stem height and diameter were analyzed, while at 115 DAS, the production components were estimated. The application of S-metolachlor (1,152 g a.i. ha-1) was efficient for pre-emergence weed control of weed competition in commercial soybean crops. Through this treatment, the conventional cultivar Ansc 89109 produced between 130,5 and 255,8 kg per hectare, this result is superior those obtained in plots treated with diclosulam (35 g a.i ha-1) + imazethapyr (164.8 g a.i. ha-1) and diclosulam (42 g a.i. ha-1) + imazethapyr (164.8 g a.i. ha-1). Thus, the application of higher-doses of diclosulam (42 g a.i. ha-1) in a mixture with imazethapyr (164.8 g a.i. ha-1) is not recommended since it presents eminent agronomic, environmental, and economic risks

The protection conferred via chemical treatment of seeds is indispensable to the normal development of crops, with a view to the best use of its productive potential. The objective of this study was to evaluate the soybean crop response, cultivate ‘FTS Paragominas RR’, to seed treatment. The study was conducted in an experimental area of the Center of Agrarian and Environmental Sciences of the Federal University of Maranhão, in Chapadinha (MA), from February to June 2018. A randomized complete block design was used, with split-plot in time. The plots consisted of five seed treatments: thiophanate-methyl + fluazinam fungicides, fludioxonil, carbendazim + thiram, the insecticide fipronil and the absence of the application. Throughout the crop cycle the agronomic characteristics were verified: plant height, stem diameter, and leaf area. And, at the time of harvesting, grain yield, the height of insertion of the first pod, the total number of pods and weight of 1000 grains. Seed treatments induced very variable responses on the growth and development of soybean ‘FTS Paragominas RR’. The best performances were obtained with the use of thiophanate-methyl + fluazinam fungicides (dose 198 mL) and fludioxonil (dose 200 mL). The application of carbendazim + thiram and fipronil, both at a dose of 200 mL, presented adverse effects throughout the vegetative and reproductive phases of soybean ‘FTS Paragominas RR’. None of the products provided significant increases in grain yield.