Aiming to evaluate the nodulation and grain yield by cowpea inoculated with rhizobia isolates obtained of soil samples from Brazilian Northeast region, an experiment was carried out in Leonard jars under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was performed on a randomized block design with five replicates and five sampling times, performed at 15, 30, 45, 60 and 75 days after emergence (DAE). Nine rhizobia isolates and the recommended strain (BR 2001) were inoculated on cowpea. Besides, it were used two control treatment: mineral nitrogen (TN, applying 150 mg N plant-1) and an absolute control (T0). Evaluating the number of nodules per plant (NN), nodule dry mass (NDM), plant dry matter (PDM), Accumulated N (Nac), grain dry mass (GDM) and straw dry mass of pods (DMP). Results showed that the NN, NDM, PDM and Nac content increased until 45 DAE. Although variations had been occurred after 60 DAE for these parameters, significant difference was only found for Nac content at 75 DAE. Evaluated parameters (NN, NDM, PDM and Nac) showed a high correlation with GDM. Although no statistical difference had been observed to the strain BR 2001, five of the nine Bradyrhizobia isolates provided GDM production from 1.6 to 2.4 times more than the recommended strain, indicating high potential of use of these isolates as inoculant. However, further experiments are needed, mostly under field conditions to confirm these results.

The Caatinga is one of the richest Brazilian biomes, however its biodiversity is constantly threatened by human activities, especially the use of fire for cleaning and/or increase areas for agricultural activities. In this study, it's determined the months and the days with highest risk of forest fires in the Seridó Ecological Station in Serra Negra do Norte-RN and was developed with daily data of precipitation and relative humidity of the years 1999-2004, collected in the Climatological Station, through Monte Alegre Formula. The results show that in January, February, March, April and May, the rainy season in the region, are the months with the lowest fire danger, are classified as null to very high risk, while August, September, October, November and December, dry season in the region, reached the highest degree of danger, being classified as high to very high risk. During the study period almost 75% of days had high to very high fire hazard while the levels null and small together reached more than 13%, more occurring in the months January to April.

The red rice in Brazil is cultivated mainly in the Northwester region and practically unknown for major of the Brazilian population. This culture have a great importance for small farmers, but needs more studies. The objective of this research was evaluate agronomics traits, the seed physiological quality and the crude protein content of selected cultivars of red rice, Vermelho Pequeno and Vermelho Virgínia, from cultivation and selection in the UFRRJ, contrasting with the commercial cultivars, Caiapó and BRS Primavera, of white rice. The experiment was installed in November of 2004, in Seropédica, RJ, in the experimental design of randomized blocks with four repetitions. It was evaluated: plant height; harvest index; number of viable tillers/ m²; number of spikiest/panicle; percentage of fertile spikelets/panicle; weight of a thousand spikelets; seed water content; weight of 1000 spikelets; productivity; germination; first counting of the germination test and crude protein content. The Vermelho Pequeno cultivar presented higher productivity of grain, higher tillering capacity, higher spikelets production, medium size, index of harvest, crude protein content and quality seed to similar to that of commercial cultivars.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the precision of the Original Geometric Method and Modified Geometric Method, to estimate the individual volume of 100 trees of Eucalyptus urophylla S. T. Blake, coming from a plantation with high variability of shape, with five years of age, located in Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, Brazil. For this, the trees were rigorously cubed and separated into five diameter classes with an amplitude of 3 cm, and their actual volumes were compared with volumes estimated by the respective methods, in an analysis of variance in factorial with two factors (diameter classes and methods). The results showed that, in general, the methods produced good estimates of volume, however, there was loss of precision in estimates related to a greater taper of the trees belonging to the largest diameter classes (DBH > 12 cm), with shape factors smaller than 0.46, as well as the presence of deformations on the stem.

This paper aimed to evaluate the initial growth of castor bean (Ricinus cummunis L.) in response to fertilization with sewage sludge and calcium and magnesium silicate. The experiment was conducted from July to August 2010 at the Institute of Agricultural Sciences (ICA) in Montes Claros, UFMG - MG. The cultivation was carried out on a Cambisol, using as indicator plant castor bean (Ricinus communis) variety BRS Energy. The treatments, in factorial 2 x 4, in randomized block design with three replicates, were: two doses of calcium and magnesium silicate (0 and 1 t ha-1) and four doses of sewage sludge compost (0; 23,81; 47,62 and 71,43 t ha-1, in dry basis). In the experiment, plant height, crown diameter, stem diameter and leaf number were measurement. Calcium and magnesium silicate did not influence the growth characteristics of plant. On the other hand, the castor bean showed response to sewage sludge compost, expressing the maximum value of the growth characteristics at a dosage of 71.43 t ha-1, except for the number of leaves, which did not respond to any treatment.

In the Brazilian northeastern, goat and sheep are a complementary income for family farmers, mainly through the production of leather skin and/or meat. The aim of this work was to characterize sheep and goat's production systems practiced by local farmers in Jussara and Valente - Bahia (Brazil) through the analyses of nutrition, sanitary and reproductive practices. Data on 46 producers were collected through a structuralized script and later analyzed through descriptive statistical techniques. There was greater frequencies and medium from sheep than goat. The sheep breed Saint Ines and goat breed Anglo-Nubiano predominate in the crossbreeding with local breeds. The nutritional management was based on caatinga vegetation with supplements. The sanitary management was deficient, mainly in relation to worms. The reproductive management, although the general situation of traditional systems, showed better indices. Thus, the systems studied are family- based, diversified among stages of production. Although presentations for own consumption or subsistence systems, particularly the sheep production have a tendency of expansion and specialization.

It was evaluated the influence of doses of KCl applied to soil and to the leaf axil of the the quality of the fruit and on the concentration of K in the water and peel of the fruit. The experiment was carried out at a commercial orchard of green dwarf coconut tree (Cocos nucifera L.) in Campos dos Goytacazes, Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, in a typical Ortic Quartzarenic Neossol, during one year, using a randomized complete block design with five treatments and sixteen replicates. The treatments consisted in two application ways (in the soil and in the axil of the leaf number nine) and two manuring levels (1666 and 3333 g of KCl plant-1 year-1 in the soil and 833 and 1666 g plant-1 year-1 in the leaf axil, with three month intervals), besides a control, without KCl. The application of KCl resulted in the increase of the concentration and of the content of K in the water and in the peel of the fruit. There was no influence of potassium fertilization on the mass, the volume, the pH, C.E. and SST of the coconut water. The application of high doses of K should be reviewed in view of the low recovery rate of the potassium fertilizer.

The aim of this paper was to conduct a temporal evaluation of the deposition of litter in a human- disturbed area of caatinga in a process of natural regeneration for 16 years. The study was conducted at the Institute for Agronomical Research - IPA station in Caruaru, state of Pernambuco. Litter was collected monthly throughout the year on a total area of 5.48 m2. The total litter was kg ha yaer-1 9158.93, consisting of 28.90%, 16.82%, 16.95% and 37.33% of leaves, twigs, seeds and miscellaneous, respectively. There were seasonal differences in the deposition of litter, with higher deposition in the dry season. However, there was no monthly variation in the deposition of litter between the months of the season and, and with the exception of the miscellaneous fraction precipitation, it did not maintain connection with the deposition of litter. The paper concluded that after 16 years of regeneration, the area has anthropogenic litter deposition pattern similar to that recorded in other areas of scrub and other factors related to seasonal work, modeling the deposition of litter and influencing the cycling of matter in dry environments.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth, development and macronutrients concentrations in physic nut fertilized with sewage sludge and calcium and magnesium silicate. The treatments, in a factorial scheme 5 x 2, distributed in design in randomized block with three replications, corresponded to five doses of dehydrated sewage sludge (0; 4.8; 9.6; 14.4 and 19.2 t ha-1, dry basis) and two doses of calcium and magnesium silicate (0 and 1 t ha-1). Were collected soil samples at 0-20 and 20-40 cm deep, and of the older leaf not senescent and of the youngest leaf fully expanded for analysis of macronutrients. Were determined in the 18º month of planting the stem diameter (DC), the crown diameter (DCO) and the stem height (ALT). The application of silicate of calcium and magnesium in soil increased the pH, the concentrations of phosphorus, calcium and magnesium available in the soil and magnesium concentration in the plant, however, did not influenced the growth and development of physic nut. Sewage sludge, on the other hand, promoted increased of the concentrations of organic matter and phosphorus in the soil, and of phosphorus, calcium and magnesium in the plant. There were no relevant interactions between the sewage sludge and silicate, and nor the affect of this last about the growth and development of the plant, recommending only the application of sewage sludge in the cultivation of physic nut.

The objective of this paper was to study the effects of molybdenum doses, applied on bean crop under the conventional and no-tillage systems. Two experiments were carried out in the field: one during winter- spring (winter season), sowed in July 2006, and the other one during summer-fall (dry season), sowed in March 2007. They were conducted in Experimental Station of Coimbra, MG, Universidade Federal de Viçosa. The experiments were carried out in randomized block design with four repetitions and subdivided plots. The plots were represented by the soil management system (conventional or no-tillage), and the subplots were represented by the molybdenum doses (0, 40, 80, 160 and 320 g ha-1). The number of grain per pods, the number of pods per square meter, the weight of 100 grains, grain productivity, number of plants per plot, and nutrient rates in the leaves and grains were evaluated. The number of pods per square meter and grain productivity were increased by Mo doses. The grain productivity in no-tillage system was higher than in the conventional. Productivity and production components in the winter season were higher than in the dry season. Mo rates in the bean leaves increased in response to its application. Mo leaf fertilization increased N (total and organic) rates in bean crops under both plantation systems.