Herison Athan da Silva Leitao

Volunteer Management

• Leading small groups of volunteers in farm tasks, providing guidance and instruction to ensure productivity.

• Supervising volunteers during planting, weeding, and harvesting activities, while fostering a collaborative and educational environment.

Disease Control, Pest and Weeding

• Identifying and removing weeds manually or using appropriate organic methods.

• Monitoring crops for pests and diseases, implementing preventative measures, and applying organic treatments when necessary.

Greenhouse Work

• Managing seedling propagation, including seeding, watering, and maintaining optimal conditions for plant growth.

• Organizing and monitoring the greenhouse layout to ensure efficient use of space and resources.

Irrigation Management

• Installing and maintaining irrigation systems to provide consistent water supply.

• Monitoring soil moisture levels and adjusting irrigation schedules to optimize plant health.

Bed Preparation and Soil Fertility Management

• Preparing planting beds by tilling, amending soil, and shaping beds for efficient planting.

• Applying organic fertilizers and compost to enhance soil fertility and promote sustainable growth.

Harvest and Post-Harvest Handling

• Harvesting crops efficiently to maintain product quality.

• Washing, sorting, and packaging produce for distribution while adhering to food safety standards.

Fruit Tree Care

• Pruning and maintaining fruit trees to promote healthy growth and high yields.

• Monitoring trees for pests and diseases, applying organic treatments as needed.

Additional Projects

• Supporting farm infrastructure improvements, such as building or repairing fences, trellises, or other structures.

• Assisting in planning and implementing farm events or workshops to engage the community and promote sustainable practices.

• Adjustment and Regulation of Agricultural Machinery: Ensuring that machinery operated at optimal efficiency to support planting and harvesting operations.
• Supervision of Planting and Harvesting Activities: Monitoring processes to maintain high-quality standards and efficiency.
• Seed Counting and Crop Monitoring: Maintaining precise records of seed distribution and ensuring the health and quality of the crops.
• Pest and Disease Control: Implementing effective strategies to identify and mitigate risks to crops.

• Soil Sampling and Preparation• Collected and prepared soil samples for the study, ensuring proper handling and storage.
• Prepared substrate mixtures by adding varying doses of the polymer Hydroterragel (0; 2; 4; 6; and 8 g L⁻¹) without fertilization.
• Physical Characterization of Soil and Substrate Mixtures• Conducted laboratory procedures to evaluate physical attributes related to soil moisture, including:• Moisture by weight (kg m⁻³). Moisture by volume (%). Total porosity (%).
• Calculated variables such as:
• Total Porosity (PT): Determined by the volumetric moisture content in saturated samples (0 hPa).
• Aeration Space (EA): Calculated as the difference between total porosity and volumetric moisture at -10 hPa tension.
• Laser-Based Water Behavior Analysis• Prepared soil samples containing hydrogel for laser analysis in the Laboratory of Plasma and Atomic Spectroscopy (LaPEA)
• Operated a continuous-mode diode laser with adjustable wavelength and power.
• Configured the laser beam dispersion lens to increase the spot diameter for optimal sample coverage.
• Captured laser scattering patterns on the sample surface using a CCD camera connected to a computer.
• Image Processing and Analysis• Extracted sequential images from the captured video using the FFMPEG software.• Processed and analyzed images with the STMD software to assess water behavior in soil samples with increasing hydrogel doses.

• Reduced occurrence of lab test errors for improved reliability and to avoid need for retesting.
• Contributed to the writing and editing of research papers, reports, and presentations.
• Seed Dormancy Break Process.
• Substrate Preparation
• Hydrogel Application
• Biometric Measurements
• Fresh and Dry Biomass Analysis
• Dickson Quality Index (DQI) Calculation
• Data Analysis