ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the impacts of climate change on irrigation water demand of melon plants grown in Jaguaribe-Apodi Irrigation District (DIJA), which is located between the states of Ceará and Rio Grande do Norte, in Northeastern Brazil. Future scenarios were developed using the Eta-CPTEC/HadCM3 climate change projections, after being submitted to downscaling method. We used a set of climate data from the same model for the period of 1961 through 1990, and further projections after bias correction. Local geographic coordinates were interpolated using GIS techniques. Reference evapotranspiration (ETo) was estimated from the monthly minimum and maximum mean temperatures, using a limited data method. The rainfall, temperature, ETo, and water demand future projections were mapped for the area of investigation to analyze spatial variability. ETA model simulations for climatic change showed growth in irrigation water demands due to evapotranspiration increase (from 28.4% to 33.4%), even though rainfall increases (between 61.9% and 89.9%). The increase in the average gross water demand is varied from 37.5% to 78.2% within the period of 2031 to 2060, respective to the common planting season.

A presença da sarcotesta pode prejudicar a germinação e desenvolvimento das plântulas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar métodos favoráveis à remoção da sarcotesta para a promoção da germinação de sementes de Jaracatia spinosa, cujas sementes foram submetidas aos seguintes tratamentos: 1- sem remoção da sarcotesta; 2- remoção com fricção sobre peneira, com adição de areia; 3- remoção com fricção sobre peneira com adição de cal; 4- remoção com o uso de liquidificador, 5- remoção com despolpador de sementes; e 6- remoção com solução química (imersão, por 30 min, numa solução composta por 1.0 L de água, 3.5 mL de hipoclorito de sódio, 3.0 mL de ácido muriático e 22.5g de soda cáustica), em que as sementes foram avaliadas quanto à percentagem de germinação, Índice de Velocidade de Emergência (IVE) e comprimento da parte aérea de plântulas. O método mais favorável à remoção da sarcotesta e promoção da germinação das sementes de jaracatiá foi a fricção sobre peneira com a adição de areia.

The objective of this work was to verify the effect of different removal methods of the sarcotesta of Jaracatia spinosa (Aubl.) A. DC. seeds on the germination percentage, (SGI) Speed of Germination Index and length of the aerial part. The seeds were submitted to the following treatments: 1 - without sarcotesta removal; 2 - removal with friction on sieve, with sand; 3 - removal with friction on sieve with whitewash; 4 - removal with blender, 5 - removal with seeds pulpremoval and 6 - removal with chemical solution (immersion, for 30 minutes, in solution for 1.0 L of water, 3.5 mL of sodium hypochlorite, 3.0 mL of muriatic acid and 22.5g of caustic soda). The presence of the sarcotesta harms the seed germination and development. The best methods for the removal of the jaracatiá seeds sarcotesta are the friction on sieve with sand or whitewash.

The leishmanicidal activity of four batches of meglumine antimoniate, produced in Farmanguinhos-Fiocruz, Brazil (TAMs), was assessed and compared to Glucantime®-Aventis Pharma Ltda. Using the amastigote-like in vitro model, the active concentrations of Sb v varied from 10µg/ml to 300 µg/ml for L. (L.) chagasi and from 50µg/ml to 300µg/ml for L. (L.) amazonensis, with no statistically significant differences among the four batches of TAMs and Glucantime®. The inhibitory concentrations (IC50) determined by the amastigote-infected macrophage model for TAM01/03 and Glucantime® were, respectively: 26.3µg/ml and 127.6µg/ml for L. chagasi, 15.4µg /ml and 22.9µg/ml for L. amazonensis, and 12.1µg/ml and 24.2µg/ml for L. (V.) braziliensis. The activities of the four batches of TAMs were confirmed in an in vivo model by assessing, during eight weeks skin lesions caused by L. braziliensis in hamster that were treated with 20mg Sb v/Kg/day for 30 consecutive days. The meglumine antimoniate produced by Farmanguinhos was as effective as the reference drug, Glucantime®-Aventis, against three species of Leishmania that are of medical importance in Brazil.