The viruses from the genus Begomovirus, family Geminiviridae are considered emergent pathogens, mainly because of the population explosion of their insect vectors. For this reason, more attention needs to be directed to the correct virus species identification inside the genus. The present paper had the objectives of serologically detecting a begomovirus in Macroptilium lathyroides plants in the State of Ceará, and developing biological, serological and molecular studies with a virus isolate obtained from M. lathyroides. Indirect ELISA with antiserum for Macroptilium golden mosaic virus (MaGMV) demonstrated that the samples collected from M. lathyroides showing golden mosaic in the field were infected with a begomovirus. The virus isolate obtained was transmitted by grafting to eight species of the family Leguminosae, four species of Solonaceae, and one species in the family Amaranthaceae. The virus also was transmitted from M. lathyroides to M. lathyroides by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci biotype B. A DNA fragment of 1.2 kb was obtained by PCR with the primers PAL1v 1978 and PAR1c 496 for component A, and a DNA fragment of 0.5 kb was obtained with the primers PBL1v 2040 and PCR cl for component B, confirming the presence of a begomovirus infecting M. lathyroides. Molecular studies indicated that the begomovirus isolate showed 77% genomic similarity with Bean golden mosaic virus and 75% with Cowpea golden mosaic virus for their cp and rep genes, indicating the possibility that the isolate is a distinct virus species of the Begomovirus genus.

The aim of the present paper was to evaluate the Jathropa curcas L response to different doses of nitrogen, water regimes and soil surface nature. The experiment was conducted from May 2009 to February 2010 under greenhouse conditions at the Sustainable Development Center of the Federal University of Paraiba in Sumé-PB. A factorial experiment in blocks was used with four organic fertilizer (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg of N/ ha), four irrigation levels (50, 75, 100 and 125% the Class A pan evaporation) and four additional treatments with soil mulching. Sixty plastic vases 100 l capacity were used to cultivate the plants during 257 days and a Class A Evaporation Pan was installed in the greenhouse to monitor daily water evaporation. The plant variables evaluated were plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, total aerial and root dry mass. The increase of the soil water content and soil mulching had significant effect on the evaluated plant variables.

The timbó (Magonia pubescens St. Hil.), tree typical of the cerrado, has medicinal, timber, craft, ornamental and larvicidal. The aim of this paper to evaluate seedling emergence of M. pubescens under different light conditions. The experiment was conducted in chambers B.O.D. temperature 30 °C, substrate sand, in a completely randomized design with five treatments and four replications of 50 seeds. The treatments were: 1) a photoperiod of 24 hours, 2) absence of light, 3) a photoperiod of 12 hours, 4) a photoperiod of 8 hours and 5) a photoperiod of 16 hours. The smallest percentage and emergence rate (45% and 14 days) were provided 12 h light and 12 h dark, and the emergence in all treatments was high (90 to 97.5%) and emergency speed too (7.4 to 10.5 days). The seeds of M. pubescens photoblastic are neutral in laboratory conditions at a temperature of 30 ºC and the emergence occurs between four and nine days.

In the reclamation of a degraded area, it is important the use of nitrogen fixing legumes, associated with climax species, to make possible a faster recovery of the environment. In urban centers various wastes are produced, among them the marble rock waste, which, despite having agricultural value, ends up being thrown in the environment.. The objective of this work was to evaluate the Cedrela fissilis growth and of pioneering legume in quincunx system, in degraded area, fertilized with doses of marble rock waste. The treatments, distributed in factorial scheme 2 x 4, in the randomized block design, with three replicates, were: two species of pioneering legume (Acacia mangium and Acacia auriculiformis in quincunx system with the Cedrela fissilis) and four doses of marble rock waste (0; 300; 600 and 900 g.cova-1). Were determined annually, along three years, the height of the plants, the stem diameter, the cup diameter and, in the end, the mortality percentage. The Acacia auriculiformis presented characteristic of better growth than the Acacia mangium and greater resistance to adverse conditions of degraded soil. There was tendency of reduction of the characteristics of growth of the Cedrela fissilis and of the Acacias with the increment of the doses of rock powder applied to the soil. The Cedrela fissilis presented, in general, larger growth, when combined with Acacia mangium than with Acacia auriculiformis, however, showed a high mortality after two years of planting.

The growth retardants Paclobutrazol (PBZ) and Cycocel (CCC) had been used, in spraying, associates or not with two cytokinins: Benziladenina (BAP) and Thidiazuron (TDZ), and a nitrogenous base, the Uracil, with the purpose of studying its effect in the bud fertility of the 'Superior Seedless', grafted on the 'Harmony' and IAC-766 'Campinas', and of the 'Crimson Seedless' and 'Thompson Seedless', grafted on the 'Harmony', in the conditions of the São Francisco Valley, Brazil. It was observed that the separately use of the products had not promoted significant differences in the studied of the bud fertility, but, the association of the growth retardants with the TDZ it induce the 'Thompson Seedless' to a bigger productivity, and that the expression of the bud fertility of the 'Seedless Superior' benefits on to being grafted on the 'Harmony' rootstock.

To study plant growth and yield of cauliflower, two field trials were carried out: the first springsummer (Oct. 07, 2006 to Jan. 28, 2007) and the second autumn-winter (Apr. 04, 2007 to Jul. 09, 2007). The experimental design was randomized complete blocks in 4 x 4 factorial design with three replications. The following factors: line spacing (0.6, 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 m) and plant spacing (0.4, 0.5, 0.6 and 0.7 m). The used cultivar was cv. Verona 284. The characteristics, number of leaves by plant, diameter of stem, diameter of inflorescence, inflorescence mass and yield were evaluated. With the reduction in spacing, were observed lower numbers of leaves, stem diameter, diameter and mass of the inflorescence, but there was an increase in yield. The maximum yield (23 t ha-1) was obtained with 0.6 x 0.4 m, ie, in higher plant population (41,667, plants ha-1).

The aim of this paper was to evaluate economical viability and steers performance in grazing receiving supplements with increasing levels of crude protein in the rainy season and its correlation with the pasture's composition. The test animals were 21 not castrated steers supplemented with mineral supplement and multiple supplements with 20% and 40% of crude protein and heavy at the beginning and the end of the experiment, after being submitted to fasting from liquids and solids for 14 hours. For analysis of the economic viability was used the difference between the Total Revenue and Total Cost. The protein supplementation didn't influence of the animals performance in grazing. The average daily gain of animals was 0.849 kg. The content of crude protein in the cell wall was negatively correlated with animal performance, and the structural characteristics of the pasture just the mass of forage showed a strong and positive correlation. This activity in the studied period presented economic viability when considered return on capital of 8% a year.

Faced with the need for conservation of water resources it is necessary to better irrigation management. The objective of this research was to analyse the water requirement in Pernambuco State, Brazil, represented by the evapotranspiration reference (ET0), in diferents regimes annuals of precipitation: rainfall, regular and dry. The ET0 values were estimated through the Thornthwaite e Mather (1955) method starting from data originated by the registration of 45 climatological stations of the SUDENE (Superintendence of Northeast Development). In general, the results showed that the ET0 were variable on the three Mesoregion, reaching medium values from 915 to 1.549 mm year-¹. The Pernambuco State presents an annual water deficit in approximately 70% of its total area. The months that presented the greatest and smallest water requirements in the State were January and July, respectively. The knowledge of spacial and temporal distribuition of ETo on Mesoregions of Pernambuco bring benefits to producers who can make water management more suited to local crops.

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the vegetative growth, the chemical composition, the rain use efficiency and to determine the green and dry matter production of cactus forage cv. Italian (Opuntia ficus-indica Mill.), depending on planting spacing. The research was carried out at (EMEPA), in Soledade- Pb, from April 2007 to June 2008. The experimental design was in randomized blocks, with four repetitions. In order to evaluate crop under the four planting spacing (1 x 1; 1 x 0.5; 2 x 1; 2 x 0.5 m ) we measured plant height, number of cladodes per plant, and the order, length, width, perimeter, thickness and area of cladodes. There were no treatment effects (P > 0.05 ) on any of the growth variables evaluated, except for plant height and cladode width. The cactus pear showed low levels of fibrous carbohydrates, and planting spacing influenced levels of neutral detergent fiber. The phytomass production per area and rain use efficiency by cactus pear increased with increases in planting densities, with higher values observed for the spacing of 1 x 0.5 m; resulting in a greater quantity of forage produced per area and per unit of rain.

In response to defense against herbivores, plants produce one versatile bioactive molecules synthesized in plant secondary metabolism. This paper aimed to evaluate the efficiency of plant extracts on the population level of whitefly nymphs on tomato cv. IPA 6, assess the number of fruits per treatment, fruit weight, ripeness and irregular pith. The experiment was installed in the field with the tomato crop IPA 6, block design, making use of substances extracted from plants, etanolic extract straw (Ipomoea carnea subsp. Fistulosa), etanolic extract castor (Ricinus communis L.), aqueous extract tingui (Mascagnia rigida Griseb ), aqueous extract Mexican poppy (Argemone mexicana L.) and neem oil (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) for the control of whitefly (Bemisia tabaci biotype B). The spraying was carried out by spraying, between 16 and 18 h, with an interval of seven days. Statistical analysis performed by WinStat and percentage of treatment efficiency calculated by Abbott (1925). The straw (72.41%) and neem oil (67.26%) were the most effective on nymphs. The number and weight of tomato fruits did not differ significantly between treatments. In relation to irregular maturation, extracts of I. carnea and M. rigida were significant. The extracts of I. carnea, M. rigida and A. Mexicana shown to be effective in controlling the pith. All plant extracts used in this experiment show efficiency on nymphs of B. tabaci.