The objective of the present work was to evaluate the entomophauna associated to pigeonpea in the Reconcave Region of Bahia, Brazil. Fifteen day period collections were carried out between September 2004 and October 2005. A total of 4,799 samples represented by 58 species and distributed in six orders and 25 families were collected in experimental plantations. The richest order in species was Hemiptera with 30 species represented by 57.43% of the total of the individuals collected. The Membracidae family was the most abundant with 36.72% of the total of the samples whereas the Enchenopa gracilis species was the most featured with 9.38% of the total. Hymenoptera was the second order regarding richness with 14 species being represented by 37.03% of the individuals. Among the species identified, the Atta and Acromyrmex species were the most damaging to the pigeonpea crop leading to significant losses in the early stages of the crop.

This work was done in order to characterize the water holding capacity and availability to plants in three soils of coastal tablelands in the state of Paraíba using tensiometry in areas cultivated with sugarcane. The water retention curves were determined for the Neossolo Quartzarenico, Latossolo Amarelo, Latossolo Coeso soils in the depths of 0 - 30cm and from 30 - 60 cm, by the Richards extractor method and by tensiometens in PVC columns in a greenhouse in the first phase and in a battery of field tensiometers in the second phase, in the tensions of 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 cm Hg. The water retention in the soils was significantly affected (p<0,01) as a function of the tensions (TS) applied. The same effect (p<0,01) was seen for the factor soil (S) and for the interaction (TS x S) both for the extractor and the greenhouse methods as well as for the field method. According to the study of the regression analysis, the mathematical model that showed the best adjustment was the decreasing quadratic. The values of moisture content found showed the most abrupt variations at the lowest tensions. The moisture content for the Neossolo Quartzarenico demonstrated under field conditions the importance of the structure for soils retaining more moisture in the tensions studied in relation to the laboratory and greenhouse methods. Even though the clay content were similar for the Latossolo Amarelo and the Latossolo. Coeso the greatest moisture retentions were observed in the Latossolo Coeso.

The objective of this trial was to economically compare a sugarcane plus soybean meal diet with diets containing sugarcane supplemented with increasing levels of a 9:1 premix of urea and ammonium sulphate (0.4, 0.8% and 1.2%). Cows were maintained in tie stalls and were fed ad libitum twice a day. The forage to concentrate ratio in the beginning of the experiment was 55:45 supplemented with 1 kg/day of concentrate for each 2 kg of milk produced. Animals were blocked by days in milk and randomly assigned to treatments in three replicated 4 x 4 Latin squares. The average prices of feedstuffs in the state of Minas Gerais during the year of 2004 were used in the economical analyses. Supplementation of sugarcane with 1.2% of urea plus ammonium sulphate appears to be best the best economical compromise for lactating dairy cows producing up to 20 kg of milk per day.

The objective of that research is to observe the reproductive capacity of earthworms of the species Eisenia foétida in different substrate, as well as your importance in the agriculture. The work was accomplished in the Center of Agrarian Sciences of the Federal University of the Paraíba-Areia/PB. In that research the following treatments were used: T1 - Compost of homelike Garbage (50kg); T2 - Compost of homelike garbage and culture remains (25 + 25 Kg); T3 - Compost of homelike garbage, culture rest and manure (35+10+5 Kg); T4-compost of homelike garbage with manure biodigested (35+10+5Kg); T5-compost of garbage, rest of cultures and manure biodigested (35+10+5Kg); T6 - Humus coming from bovine manure (50kg); T7-soil (witness). During the first forty six days of composting the temperature was verified twice a day (9 A.M and 15:00 P.M). In this same period, it was controlled the humidity and the aeration twice a week, being turned over the whole material. All the treatments show that the earthworms are capable of reproduce in the most several substrate, although the T5-composed of garbage, rest of cultures and manure biodigested (35+10+5Kg) it has overcome the others.

The quality of irrigation water is one of the environmental factors that can affect the initial growth of the culture of gherkin. Therefore, the aim of this work to evaluate germination in different levels of salinity of irrigation water. The study was carried out at the Seed Analysis Laboratory of the Department of Crop Science of the UFERSA, Mossoró, RN, between September and October 2007. The treatments were organized in a completely randomized design whit six levels of water salinity (0.00; -0.04 MPa; -0.08 MPa; -0.12 MPa; -0.16 MPa and -0.20 MPa) and four replications. Percentage of germination, speed of germination index and dry weight were evaluated. Results showed that the gradual reduction of the osmotic potential of substrate is harmful to seed germination of gherkin seeds. Osmotic potentials lower than -0.04 MPa were considered as critical.

The effect of residual organic fertilization is an essencial tool for maintaining the sustainability of soil fertility in the semi-arid region. This study objectives assess the effect of residual organic fertilization on the income of mass drought and absorption of nutrient by sorghum grown in Entisol which for six years has received application of caprine manure or green fertilization with crotalaria and cultivated with potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). In the cultivation of potato annually the treatments consisted of planting and incorporation of the Crotalaria juncea L. at the time of flowering (C); addition of 15 t ha-1 of caprine manure (E); Planting and incorporation of crotalaria + 7,5 t ha-1 manure (CE); and witness without crotalaria or manure (T) with four repetitions. The treatments receiving application of manure provided the largest accumulations of N, P and K by sorghum. The effect of residual organic fertilization favored larger increase in the production of dry sorghum in the crops first and second. The annual organic fertilization of potato increased the levels of P and K in the soil swappable which influenced the growth of sorghum in subsequent cultivation. The manure shows high potential to be used as organic fertilizer in the region. However the planting and the incorporation of biomass of crotalaria without the addition of manure in addition to nitrogen not contributed the nutrient content of soil.

This paper reports the first occurrence of Hoplolaimus galeatus associated to banana (Musa sp.) var. "Gran Naine" rhizosphere in Ceará State, Brazil.

With the objective to analyze the genetc variability in natural populations, 14 accesses of Manihot had been studied pseudglaziovii, collected in the state of the Paraíba, in the microregion Curimataú Paraibano, beyond an access of M. esculenta Cranz (cassava) and a natural hybrid between these two species. Five plants of each access had been multiplied through statue and after that cultivated in an experimental area in standardized conditions, to have a homogeneous exteriorizacion of each genotype. The otimizaçãocion of the protocol of extraction of the DNA of some accesses of maniçoba and of two similar species of forager interest and to verify the genetic variability through the amplification with molecular markers RAPD saw PCR. Two methods of extraction of the DNA had been tested. The extraction protocol using detergent CTAB made possible to get clean products, less viscous and oxidized. In the analysis of genetic variability they had been used in a total of 10 starters (primers), and only 3 had produced bands, starter OPD2, OPD3 and OPD8 presented greater percentage of polymorphism followed of the OPD2, with values of 30,7% and 42,8%, respectively. These primers can discriminate molecular differences between the accesses of maniçoba and two similar species.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different doses of nitrogen and potassium applied through the irrigation water by micro-sprinkler in the space distribution of the root system of the soursop (Annona muricata L.), through digital images. The study was conducted at the experimental field of Embrapa - North, in Teresina - PI (05th 05 ' S and 42 and 48 ' W). The treatments consisted of the combination of five doses of nitrogen (20, 120, 200, 280 and 380 kg ha-1 year-1) with five potassium doses (30, 180, 300, 420 and 570 kg ha-1 year-1), besides the witness, applied every fifteen days. The evaluation of the length of roots was accomplished being used the software SIARCS and the results were analyzed through graphs of contour and columns. The largest concentrations of roots in relation to horizontal distance happened inside of the projection of the cup. The treatment whose doses of N and K2O were 380 kg ha-1 year-1 of N and 420 kg ha-1 year-1 of K2O it presented the best vertical profile of root distribution and it was also verified that dose high of potassium they inhibit the root development.

The burning of the sugar cane for occasion of the harvest causes an expressive volatilization of thesulfur contained in the vegetable material, worsening possible deficiencies of this nutritious the short and average term. The goal of this research was to evaluate and to determine the critical levels of sulfur in soils using the mineral gypsium as sulfur source. They were installed four field rehearsals in different class texturais soils. In all rehearsals the experimental delineation employee was blocks at random. The treatments in each rehearsal they constituted of the combination of five doses of mineral gypsium and three chemical extractors, with three repetitions. They evaluated the treatments at thirty days after the application of the sulfur doses in the depths 0-0,2m of sampling. The sulfur doses were defined from need to calagem, for the layer 0,4-0,6 m of depth. With the results of recovered sulfur and production of the sugar cane, they were certain the critical levels of sulfur in the soil. The ammonium acetate extractor in acetic acid extracted more sulfur in loamy soils, of low values of P-rem and with larger contents of organic matter, while the calcium chloride extractor introduced sulfur extraction smaller power, at the same terms. Already the calcium phosphate, contend match and in the presence of acetic acid, extracted efficiently, independent sulfur of physical and chemical characteristics of the soils. The critical levels of sulfur in the soil were increasing in loamy soils, of low values of P-rem and with larger contents of organic matter.