This study aimed to investigate the local botanical knowledge of native food plants in three rural communities, located in the semiarid region of Paraíba State, Brazil, verifying possibilities of differences of knowledge among communities and between men and women. Semi-structured interviews about native plant knowledge and use were conducted with all householders in each community, totaling 117 informants. The species similarity among the communities of Pau D’Arco, Várzea Alegre, and Barroquinha was compared with Jaccard index, and the use value index (UVgeneral, UVcurrent, UVpotential) was used to determine the most important species. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare the use values among communities and genders. The consensus factor among the informants was calculated according to the uses cited, and the Wilcoxon test was used to compare the use values between men and women. We recorded 9 species belonging to 8 genera and 8 families in Várzea Alegre; 10 species, 9 genera, and 9 families in Barroquinha; and 7 species, 7 genera and 7 families in Pau D’Arco. Spondias tuberosa Arruda (Anacardiaceae) in Várzea Alegre, Spondias sp. (Anacardiaceae) in Barroquinha, and Ximenia americana L. (Olacaceae) in Pau D’Arco were the most prominent species. Preparation methods are slightly different in the three communities, and there is low similarity about species use among the communities. Regarding gender, the analysis of use value among the communities evidenced significant differences only for UVgeneral among women, specifically between Barroquinha and Pau D’Arco. For men and women within each community, there is a difference only for UVpotential in Barroquinha. This study showed that the residents of the three rural communities have limited knowledge of native food plants found in their communities, but they know where to find them, which parts they may use and how to consume them. The fact is that men know plants that are more distant from the residences and women know those that are next to them.

Tendo em vista a demanda do mercado por novas variedades e a necessidade de melhoria no manejo nutricional do abacaxizeiro, realizou-se este experimento com objetivo de avaliar o teor de clorofila e o índice SPAD no abacaxizeiro 'Vitória' em função da adubação nitrogenada com ureia e cama de frango. Para o efeito, foi instalado um experimento no delineamento em blocos casualizados, com quatro repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram em cinco doses de N, em duas fontes, orgânica (cama de frango) e mineral (ureia), totalizando nove combinações geradas através da matriz Composto Central de Box: T1, 44 e 2,91; T2, 152 e 0; T3, 0 e 10; T4, 44 e 17,1; T5, 260 e 2,91; T6, 152 e 10; T7, 152 e 20; T8, 304 e 10; e T9, 260 e 17,1 g planta-1. Foram avaliados o índice SPAD, o teor de clorofila na folha e o teor de N na folha D. Para o teor relativo de clorofila (SPAD), estimou-se o máximo valor com as doses de 16,37 g planta-1 de ureia e 200,69 g planta-1 de cama de frango. Para o teor de clorofila na folha D, obteve-se o valor máximo estimado com 19,4 g planta-1 de ureia. O índice SPAD possui correlação positiva com o teor de clorofila e com o teor de N na folha.

Yellow mombin is a fruit tree that grows spontaneously in the Semi-Arid Northeastern Brazil. Its fruits are still extractively exploited. The pulp of yellow mombin fruit stands out regarding the commercial aspect due to the characteristic flavor and aroma felt when consumed in diverse ways. This study aimed to evaluate the presence of bioactive compounds, total extractable polyphenols, and antioxidant activity of yellow mombin fruits (Spondias mombin, L.), from clone and ungrafted genotypes. The fruits were harvested at commercial maturity from twelve yellow mombin tree genotypes from an experimental orchard located at the municipality of Joao Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil, and evaluated for chlorophyll, carotenoids, yellow flavonoids, total extractable polyphenols, and antioxidant activity, which was measured by the β-carotene/linoleic acid method. The antioxidant activity showed a percentage of inhibition of oxidation higher than 75% for all genotypes evaluated at the time of 120 minutes. The fruits from clone genotypes showed a higher percentage of antioxidant activity.