Abstract
Most of the population in developing countries still uses medicinal plants as the main source to meet their medical needs. Field experiments were carried out at tropical environment in Brazil in order to determine the main characteristics of ‘batata-de-purga’ (Operculina macrocarpa L. Urban), cultivated under 5 different levels of irrigation. The crop was cultivated with and without shading, using a plastic cover. The irrigation treatments were based on reference evapotranspiration (ETo): T1 = 25% ETo; T2 = 50% ETo; T3 = 75% ETo; T4 = 100% ETo; and T5= 125% ETo. Irrigation was performed in interval of three days and the applied water volume was based on treatment T4. The daily values of ETo were determined according to the method of Penman-Monteith. The results indicated that the growth variables of ‘batata-de-purga’ production components were strongly influenced by both the applied water levels and the cultivation conditions. Key words: Evapotranspiration, irrigation water use efficiency, yield.
Highlights
The products of the Brazilian flora have aroused the curiosity and economic and scientific interest since the period of the New World colonization
The results indicated that the growth variables of ‘batatade-purga’ production components were strongly influenced by both the applied water levels and the cultivation conditions
After 1.46 1.21 0.20 1.14 0.00 1.48 1.83 0.10 3.52 6.80 0.16 modified after the experiment; some contents increased and others decreased (Table 1). Some aspects of these properties are relevant; for example, according to the soil conditions before and after planting ‘batata-de-purga’, the increases in the contents of Ca, Na and P were above 100%, while the Al content decreased after the experiment
Summary
The products of the Brazilian flora have aroused the curiosity and economic and scientific interest since the period of the New World colonization. Such national richness is revealed especially in the Amazon flora and in the Caatinga biome of the Brazilian semiarid region, which is the most biodiverse of the world, where there are plants with dyeing, odoriferous, stimulant, condimental, hallucinogenic and resinous, and balsamic properties. The phytotherapy can be used to contribute to the cure of infectious diseases, especially in small ruminants, because the isolated or associated use of natural substances generate products with less residues and more valued in the market, besides not causing environmental pollution and reducing the problem of waste (Krecek and Waller, 2006; Cenci et al, 2007). Urban) is widely used by the population of the Brazilian semiarid region, due to its laxative, purgative and purifying action against skin diseases and in the treatment of leukorrhea in goat/sheep farming
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