The study was care out to evaluate the consumption and digestibility of rations with increasing levels of coconut meal by sheep. Eight sheep between six and ten months old installed in metabolism cages were use. The statistical design was a randomized blocks made by SISVAR 3.0 program. To calculate the nutrients consumption, the quantities supplied and the leftovers were weighed to form at the end of the period, a composite sample for laboratory analysis. There was significant difference (P<0.05) between treatment to consumption of DM (dry matter), OM (organic matter), CP (crude protein), EE (ether extract), NFC (non-fibrous carbohydrate), TCHO (Total Carbohydrates), ADF (acid detergent fiber), HEM (hemicelluloses), CEL (Cellulose), observing negative effect on consumption when included the by-product. There was no significant effect (P> 0.05%) between treatments to digestibility coefficients of DM, OM, energy, HEM, Cellular Content (CC), NFC and total digestible nutrients (TDN). Regarding the coefficient of digestibility of the ether extract (EE), as the by-product was included in the diet, increased the digestibility of this parameter. The digestibility of ADF and NDF decreased as it did the inclusion of the by-product of coconut. Thus, the use of byproduct over 6% of complete feed based on corn and soybeans meal is not recommended.

The objective this work was to evaluate the effect of microbial and chemical insecticides on the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda in the development initial phase of crop corn. The work was lead in the experimental area of the State University of Mato Grosso do sul, in Cassilândia (MS) city. The treatments had been: 1) control; 2) fipronil; 3) thiametoxan; 4) Beauveria bassiana (0,5 kg of p.c/ha), 5) Beauveria bassiana (1 kg of p.c/ha), 6) teflubenzuron and 7) spinosad, in the doses and recommended way of application. After the tenth second after the emergency of the plants (DAE), had been day applied the treatments in foliar spraying (PF), being evaluated to the 2, 9, 15 and 21 days after the application (DAA), the number of small caterpillars (lesser that 1,5 cm) for parcel in 20 showed plants. The applied results show that teflubenzuron and spinosad in PF to the 12 DAE had been most efficient (71 and 83% respectively). The microbial¢s insecticides had not differed significantly from the chemical insecticides in the percentage of plants attacked for the pest and the 15 and 21 DAA.

The experiment was carried out at a greenhouse of Plant Science Department of the Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), Mossoró-RN, with the objective of determing the effect green manuring with scarlet starglory incorporated to with soil on radish production. A completely randomized desing with six treatments and four replications. The treatments consist of: T1 (scarlet starglory incorporated 0 days ; T2 (scarlet starglory incorporated 7 days); T3 (scarlet starglory incorporated 14 days); T4 (scarlet starglory incorporated 21 days); T5 (scarlet starglory incorporated 28 days); T6 - Control (no fertilized soil). The evaluated traits were: plant height, Horizontal and vertical diameter of the root (mm), shoot fresh and dry mass (g); roots fresh and dry mass (g). The decomposition times of seven days was what provided the best height, and the other characteristics oscillated among 21 to 28 days.

Jatropha curcas crop is raising attention as an alternative crop for oil and biodiesel production. Despite the knowledge about their nutritional demand is essential for fertilizer recommendation, few research has been made on this issue, mainly on the use de zinc and copper. In order to measures these elements concentration in leaves and stems of Jatropha curcas plant two experiments were carried out in a greenhouse, in Campina Grande, Paraiba State, Brazil, from July to December 2007. The substrate for the pot plants was a 5 mm-sieved surface soil(Neossolo Quartzarênico). The experimental design was a completely randomized with three replications. The treatments of first and second experiment were composed of five levels of Zn (0; 2; 4; 6 and 8 mg dm-3) and five levels of Cu (0; 1; 2; 3; and 4 mg dm-3) which were applied at the time of planting. One plant of Jatropha curcas was grown per pot after thinning and was irrigated whenever necessary. At 80, 100 and 120 days after planting were collected the 4 th. leaves of each plant; at the end of the experimental period, all the leaves and stems were collected separately and in any plant material were determined the levels of zinc and copper. Under conditions that the experiments were carried out the treatments Zn influenced the content of the element found in the fourth leaf of the plant, collected at 100 days after sowing, and they deemed appropriate. The treatments with copper influenced in a positive manner the content of the element found in the fourth leaf collected 80, 100 and 120 DAS, however, the levels of the element at all times and in all parts of the plants were very low.

This study aimed to evaluate the insecticidal activity of eight medicinal plants on Callosobruchus maculatus (F.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). Plant powder from Rosmarinus officinalis (L.) leaves, Peumus boldus (Mol) leaves, Matricaria chamomilla (L.) flowers, Baccharis trimera (Less.) leaves, Camellia sinensis (L.) leaves, Thea sinensis (L.) leaves, Ilex paraguariensis (St. Hil.) leaves, and fruits of Pimpinella anisum (L.) were used in the experiment. Bioassays were carried out under constant conditions of temperature (28±2 °C), relative humidity (70±5%) and scotophase of 24 hours. Experimental units consisted of 20 grams of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) grains with 13% wet basis moisture content, 2 g plant powder and ten adult insects, both placed in plastic containers (60 mm in diameter x 60 mm high). The analyzed variables included: insect mortality, oviposition (egg number) and instantaneous rate of population growth (ri). The number of dead insects was recorded 5 days after bioassays were started, the egg number was recorded after 12 days, and ri was estimated on the 60th day. All the tested plants had toxicity to C. maculatus. The highest mortality was found in insects treated with P. boldus and I. paraguariensis. Number of eggs and ri also varied significantly among the powders. The lowest mean values for these parameters were recorded in the plots treated with P. boldus, P. anisum and R. officinalis.

We evaluated five levels of fertilizer with ammonium sulfate in the formation of seedlings of Sunrise papaya variety of soil conditions of Mossoró-RN. The levels were evaluated: 0, 0.3, 0.6, 0.9, 1.2 grams of ammonium sulfate / litre of substrate. The experimental design was a randomized complete block, with five treatments and five repetitions, each plot consists of 15 plants useful in black disposable plastic bags, with 1.8 l of substrate by containers. Determined to two percentage germ, one to twenty days and the other trintas daysafter sowing. At 45 days after sowing, it was evaluated: height of seedlings, stem diameter, number of leaves, dry weight of the shoot, dry weight of the root system. It appeared that the ammonium sulfate caused delay in germination of seeds and seedlings affected the training of up to 45 days after sowing.

The aim of this work was the study of proline and aminoacids accumulation in two cowpea ultivars, previously identified as tolerant (Pitiúba) and sensitive to salinity (TVu 2331), along the stress exposition time. Plants of both cultivars were exposed to NaCl 75 mM (salt stress), added at rate of 25 mM day-1 in nutritious solution and its behavior was compared with control ones, kept at the same environmental conditions. In general, salt stress inhibited more the growth in TVu 2331 cultivar. The stressed plants of this cultivar also presented larger proline accumulation in their leaves, suggesting the existence of a protection mechanism. TVu 2331 cultivar also presented tendency of more accumulation of aminoacids in the leaves and roots, which could have occurred due its higher growth inhibition.

The study was to evaluate the effect of the combination of different irrigation levels and rates of potassium applied drip on parameters indicative of the banana production Pacovan Apodi (var. SH3640). The experimental design was a randomized complete block with split plot and 3 replications. The treatments consisted of a combination of five layers of irrigation and drainage lysimeter by means for four doses of potassium applied by fertirrigation. The variables were the weight of the bunch without stalk, the number of hands in the bunch, the weight of the hand of the central cluster and the number of fruits of the central cluster of the bunch. The data were obtained from the harvest of the first two cycles of the experiment, from March 2006 to September 2007. The treatments with irrigation levels influenced in all tested parameters of production, while the doses of potassium only influenced the weight of the bunch without stalk.

An unidentified Lepidoptera species was found defoliating Eucalyptus cloeziana (Myrtaceae) in a cerrado area of Minas Gerais State, Brazil. Pupae of this insect, collected in the area, were brought to the laboratory and maintained in Petri dishes (9.0 cm x 1.5 cm) under 25 ± 2oC, relative humidity of 60 ± 10% and 12 hours photophase to obtain adults and eggs. This insect was identified as Hylesia paulex Dognin (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), and, in that way, the objective of the present study was to register for the first time its herbivory in E. cloeziana plants. Newly-emerged caterpillars were reared in 10 plastic pots (500ml), with 30 caterpillars per pot and fed, daily, with fresh leaves of Eucalyptus cloeziana (Myrtaceae). The egg incubation period of H. paulex was 32.00 ± 1.19 days. The total duration of the seven instars of this insect was 67.83 ± 0.84 days. Hylesia paulex completed its life cycle with E. cloeziana plants, what proves its adaptability to this kind of exotic Myrtaceae in Brazil.

The present work had as main objective to identify and to characterize rural producers as well as it productive systems. The characterization of the small producing native of northeastern Brazil, supported in a scientific knowledge about the local agricultural reality, is fundamental to elaborate politics of diffusion of technologies, programs and projects of agricultural development for the northeast. The disorganization of the productive chain and the little articulation among the different segments of this chain, allied the lack of zootecnic control, to the genetic standard bass of the flocks and the technical, managerial less information and of market of the producers it has been resulting in low productive indexes dedicated to the exploration of the cattle raising in Brazil. For initiative of the Clerkship of Agriculture of Quixeramobim a questionnaire was elaborated in partnership with IBAMA, SEBRAE and EMATERCE. The same was applied in the 11 districts of the municipal district in an eclectic and including way, in order to obtain a sampling the most representative possible. The great totality of the producers maintains a typical profile of the family agriculture, with emphasis in the subsistence, little technological progress and little specialization. Turning them less competitive and more susceptible to the adversities, be of physical, climatological, managerial nature or the commerce.