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.

In the Maranhão cerrado, Pratylenchus brachyurus phytonematoid is present in soybean plantation areas, occurring significant losses. At this aspect, the aim was to evaluate the effect of crop succession in the reduction of population and damage of P. brachyurus on soybean. Treatments consisted of soybean cultivation on soybean (T1, control) and soybean cultivated in succession on the “straw” of Crotalaria ochroleuca (T2), C. spectabilis + millet ‘ADR 300’ (T3), millet ‘ADR 300’ T4), Brachiaria ruziziensis (T5), maize ‘GNZ 2005’ + B. ruziziensis (T6) and maize ‘GNZ 2005’ (T7). The following characteristics were evaluated: P. brachyurus infestation in soil and plant height, plant height, productivity, number of plants per plot, number of pods per m², number of pods per plant, number of grains per plant, number of grains per pod, mass of a thousand grains, total mass and dry matter The highest populations of P. brachyurus have been found in conventional soybean cultivation on soybean, or when grown on maize straw ‘GNZ 2005’, B. ruziziensis and maize ‘GNZ 2005’ + B. ruziziensis. In turn, small populations of phytonematoid occurred in the succession of the soybean with C. ochroleuca, millet ‘ADR 300’ and systems consortium of these two cultures. In order to improve soybean yield in the Maranhão cerrado, it is recommended to use C. spectabilis during the off-season, as an option to reduce the population of P. brachyurus, as well as in the intercropped intercrop with ‘ADR 300’ millet and on its single crop.

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.

O segmento de hortifrútis ocupa lugar de destaque no agronegócio brasileiro, entretanto enfrenta entraves quanto a perdas pós-colheita. Os estudos sobre esse tema são escassos no Maranhão, especialmente em municípios de pequeno porte. Diante disso, objetivou-se realizar um levantamento socioeconômico e de perdas pós-colheita de hortifrútis no mercado varejista de Afonso Cunha, Codó, Coroatá, Santa Filomena e São Mateus do Maranhão. O estudo foi conduzido através de entrevistas diretas em 76 estabelecimentos, através de um questionário composto por perguntas objetivas, relacionadas a aspectos socioeconômicos, manuseio, transporte, armazenamento, comercialização e perdas pós-colheitas de hortifrútis. Conclui-se que a maioria dos comerciantes apresenta baixo conhecimento técnico de produção (89%), gestão (71%) e comercialização (62%) de hortifrútis. O grau de escolaridade é predominantemente incipiente e apenas 16% apresentam curso superior. A renda mensal abrange um a dois salários mínimos (66%). As frutas e hortaliças apresentam procedência externa, majoritariamente da Bahia, Ceará e Piauí (85%). Banana e tomate exibem o maior volume ofertado e estão presentes em mais de 90% dos estabelecimentos visitados. Entre as frutas, 69,23% apresentam perdas relativas de magnitude média a alta, ao passo que 100% das hortaliças analisadas estão nesse patamar de perdas. As desordens fisiológicas são os principais agentes causais e englobam amadurecimento precoce, murchamento, enrugamento da epiderme, brotamento e coloração desuniforme. Torna-se evidente a necessidade de capacitação dos comerciantes quanto a aspectos de gerenciamento e boas práticas pós-colheita, de modo que haja melhorias na qualidade dos hortifrútis ofertados, segurança alimentar e desenvolvimento socioeconômico.