RESUMO: Lippia gracilis é uma planta nativa da Caatinga, rica em óleo essencial com atividade antimicrobiana. O trabalho objetivou avaliar o efeito de diferentes tipos de estacas e substratos na propagação vegetativa de L. gracilis . O experimento foi montado em delineamento inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 3 x 3, sendo 3 tipos de estacas (apical, mediana e basal) e 3 tipos de substratos (areia + húmus, argila + húmus e areia + argila + húmus), com 5 repetições cada. Aos 40 dias foram avaliadas: porcentagem de estacas brotadas e enraizadas, número médio de brotos, comprimento da maior raiz e biomassa seca dos brotos e raízes. Em todas as variáveis as estacas medianas e basais apresentaram melhores resultados do que as apicais. O substrato influenciou apenas na biomassa seca dos brotos, sendo o composto de argila + húmus superior ao areia + argila + húmus e igual, em significância, ao areia+ húmus.

This study evaluated the effect of salt stress on the growth of Lippia gracilis Schauer, a species native to the caatinga (shrublands) of Brazil and rich in essential oils, as well as on the quality of its oil. We exposed individuals of L. gracilis to NaCl, in the following concentrations, for a period of 40 days: 25 mM; 50 mM; 75 mM; and 100 mM. An additional group of plants was not exposed to NaCl (controls). Data were collected on days 20 and 40. We evaluated relative growth rate; shoot and root dry weight; relative water content; proline concentration in leaves; and chemical composition of the essential oil. At all concentrations, NaCl reduced the relative growth rate in comparison with that observed for the controls. No significant difference in relative water content was observed among treatments. In all treatments, the proline concentration in leaves was highest on day 40. Salt stress did not affect the yield or the concentrations of the constituents of the essential oil of L. gracilis, carvacrol and thymol showing the highest concentrations in all treatments.

No Nordeste do Brasil a apicultura tem um enorme potencial de crescimento, no entanto, na maior parte desta região, o clima é considerado semiárido com altos índices de radiação solar, temperaturas elevadas e pouca intensidade pluviométrica. Este tipo de ambiente tem causado muitas perdas na produção apícola e gerado enormes dificuldades de crescimento no setor. Anualmente os apicultores perdem grande parte de suas colônias de abelhas por causa do abandono das colmeias (enxameação migratória), provocando o desestímulo dos criadores e a desistência da atividade apícola. Este trabalho aborda através de informações da literatura que, apesar da influência negativa das condições ambientais adversas no Semiárido Brasileiro, o sombreamento das colmeias é potencialmente eficiente para amenizar as condições ambientais hostis dessa região. Enxames instalados em colmeias protegidas da radiação direta do sol realizam a termorregulação interna do ninho mais facilmente, o que refletiria num menor gasto energético das abelhas e, portanto, maior rendimento da colônia. Como consequência, torna mais produtivo e rentável o processo de criação racional de abelhas africanizadas (Apis mellifera L.) em regiões áridas e semiáridas. O sombreamento das colmeias pode ser considerado uma técnica simples, eficiente e de baixo custo para os apicultores, representando assim uma alternativa economicamente viável e com ótima relação custo-benefício.

This work was done at the experimental station of the Federal Rural University of the Semi-arid Region (UFERSA) in Mossoró, Brazil. This work aimed to evaluate the surface temperature of the bees and heat transfer between body regions of Africanized honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) in hives under sun and shade conditions in the northeastern semi-arid region of Brazil. Twelve colonies of Africanized honeybees housed in Langstroth hives were used. The body surface temperature of the bees was measured using a mini infrared thermometer (Fluke model 62). The climatological data were obtained through a meteorological station. The comparison of means was performed by the Tukey-Kramer test (p < 0.01), and data analysis using the Statistical Analysis System software. The body temperatures of the bees are not homogeneous and fluctuate throughout the day, in accordance with the environmental variations. The temperature of the thorax is generally higher, followed by the head and abdomen. The head and the abdomen are parts of the body for which the excess temperature of the thorax is transferred, with the head being the main one. The bees that were in the shade, managed to keep their body temperatures at relatively normal levels, while the bees that were in the sun, had a considered increase of its surface body temperatures higher than 2 °C, being necessary the activation of mechanisms of heat loss, and consequently there is a deviation of energy that could be used for other activities within the colony.

RESUMOLicania rigida é uma espécie arbórea, nativa da Caatinga, que contém uma semente rica em óleo, considerado fonte de matéria prima para diversos fins. Esse trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito de diferentes tratamentos pré--germinativos e o tempo de armazenamento em câmara fria sobre a emergência e viabilidade de sementes de L. rigida. Frutos recém--colhidos e armazenadas por 1 e 3 anos em câmara fria foram submetidas aos tratamentos: fruto íntegro -controle, remoção do epicarpo, imersão em H 2 SO 4 (98%) por 10 minutos e embebição em água por 80 e 160 horas. Foram avaliados o percentual de emergência, o tempo médio de emergência e o índice de velocidade de emergência. O delineamento experimental adotado foi o inteiramente casualizado em esquema fatorial (5 x 2) com quatro repetições de 20 sementes cada. As médias foram comparadas pelo Teste de Tukey. Os resultados mostraram que a remoção do epicarpo proporcionou o maior percentual e índice de velocidade de emergência para L. rigida, tanto nas sementes recém--colhidas quanto após um ano de armazenamento. As sementes perderam a viabilidade com o tempo de armazenamento em câmara fria, sendo que após três anos não houve emergência em nenhum tratamento. PALAVRAS--CHAVE:Oiticica, propagação sexuada, sementes, vigor. EMERGENCY OF Licania rigida BENTH (CHRYSOBALANACEAE) UNDER EFFECT OF PRE--GERMINATION TREATMENT AND STORAGE TIME ABSTRACTLicania rigida is a tree native of Caatinga that contains a seed rich in oil, considered a source of raw material for various purposes. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different pre--germination treatments and the duration of cold storage on emergence and viability of seeds of L. rigida. Freshly harvested fruits and stored for 1 and 3 years in cold chamber were treated as following: intact fruit - control, removal of the epicarp, immersion in H2SO4 (98%) for 10 minutes and soaking in water for 80 and 160 hours. We evaluated the percentage of emergence, mean emergence time and emergence rate index. The experimental design was completely randomized in factorial scheme (5 x 2) with four replications of 20 seeds each. Data were compared by Tukey test. The results showed that removal of the epicarp provides greater percentage and emergence rate index for L. rigida in freshly harvested seeds, as well as in the seeds after one year of storage. The seeds lost viability with time of cold storage, and after three years there was no emergency between treatments.

The objectives of this review article were to examine the dynamics of Varroa destructor infestation levels in Africanized honey bees (AHB) in Brazil, since this parasitic mite was first detected in 1977. Data from published research articles, conference proceedings, congress abstracts, and unpublished data obtained from academic researchers was included. Although mite infestations varied significantly along the years, there were no indications that varroa negatively impacted Brazilian apiculture. The mean infestation levels have remained around 4.5 mites per 100 adult bees, with a median of 3.8, during the last 45 years. Adult bee and worker brood infestation rates were found to be similar, though with some geographical variation, including a tendency for higher infestations in the southern regions of the country. Various researchers have suggested that the low infestation levels could be a consequence of the tropical and subtropical climate, honey bee hybridization, grooming and hygienic behaviors, honey bee and mite genetic factors, low nutritional stress, management practices, low migratory stress, and environmental conditions. The lack of a need for chemical treatment of varroa infestations facilitates apiary management and favors organic beekeeping throughout the country. However, though AHB colonies and beekeeping in Brazil thrive without the need for treatment measures, more research should be conducted to better assess the impact that the low varroa mite infestations have on AHB colony health and productivity.

IntroduçãoA apicultura brasileira se adaptou com sucesso à abelha africanizada, um poli-híbrido resultante do intercruzamento da abelha africana Apis mellifera scutellata (introduzida em 1956) com várias raças de A. mellifera europeias anteriormente introduzidas no país (Francoy et al., 2009). Devido ao tamanho menor das abelhas africanizadas em relação às europeias, alguns materiais apícolas tiveram que ser adaptados a nossa realidade (Gonçalves, 2006). Encontra-se no mercado uma despadronização do tamanho de telas excluidoras de abelhas rainhas, gerando problemas no manejo. Este trabalho teve como objetivo, avaliar a eficiência prática de uma tela excluidora rainha que é comercializada no mercado brasileiro (diâmetro da malha: 5 mm) e usualmente utilizada pelos apicultores. Relato de ExperiênciaA tela excluidora é um equipamento utilizado na apicultura para restringir a abelha rainha à área de ninho da colmeia, permitindo a passagem apenas das abelhas operárias, que possuem menor tamanho. Mediante a realização de trabalhos rotineiros de manejo de colmeias na Fazenda Experimental da Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), observou-se que as rainhas das colônias estavam subindo para a parte de cima do ninho -melgueira (compartimento da colmeia reservado para estoque de mel) ou parte superior da recria (utilizada para induzir a produção de abelhas rainhas em larga escala). Dessa forma, as rainhas estavam saindo do ninho, passando pela tela excluidora.

Africanized honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) are abundant and widely adaptable insects that spread rapidly in tropical environments. However, their strong defensive instinct can lead to attacks on humans and animals, causing disturbances in cities. This study aimed to evaluate the nesting characteristics of Africanized honeybees in Mossoró, RN, to generate relevant information for the control of the population of these insects and prevent accidents in urban areas in the Brazilian Semiarid. This survey was conducted from April 2015 to March 2018. The following information on swarms was collected from 487 recorded occurrences: date of survey, structure of the bee site, occurrence of nesting, population size, defensiveness of the bees, and presence of queen and drones. Although the swarms reproduced throughout the year, the breeding of queens and drones increased in the rainy season (January-June). Peak swarming occurred in April-September, when there is greater availability of flowers in the region and the average ambient temperature is mild. The swarms adopted a generalist approach when choosing their nesting site, occupying structures such as tires, tree trunks, buckets, sewage, and cardboard boxes. Most swarms were found in open sites (exposed swarms). The Africanized honeybees were more selective when looking for a nest construction site than when looking for a temporary site for landing and resting. The swarms were generally small (up to 20,000 bees) and not very defensive, which facilitated their rescue in populous urban areas.