The aim of this study was to analyze the physical characteristics of the fruits of cocoa and co- coa producing clonal CCN - 51 submitted to irrigation and nitrogen fertigation applied in semi - arid of Bahia in an experiment conducted in the field on the property in Vale do Sol, Jequié, BA. The statistical experimental design was randomized blocks in a 4x4 factorial with treatments consisting of the sheets of water (L1 = 1146.35 mm, L2 = 1335.66 mm 1525.58 mm = L3, L4 = 1717.58 mm) and the nitrogen (N1 = 249.3 kg ha - 1 , N2 = 307.2 kg ha - 1 , N3 = 365.0 kg ha - 1 , N4 = 422.9 kg ha - 1 ), with four replications. Nitrogen doses and the in- teraction between them with water slides positively influenced the number of seeds per fruit, number of fruits per plant and weight of almonds per fruit; water slides influenced the number of fruits per plant clonal cacao CCN - 51. The water slides, nitrogen and the interaction between these positively influenced the production of dry almonds of cocoa clonal CCN - 51. Treatment L3 N3 showed higher productivity of cocoa almonds for sale with 1025.69 kg ha - 1 .

Aiming to evaluate the sorghum intercropping on the line in two seeding dephts of brachiaria species, a trial was conducted on the field in february 2009 in Rio Verde, GO. The experimental design used was randomized blocks in factorial scheme 2x3+1+3, with four replications, being made up two brachiaria sowing depths (2 and 10 cm), three brachiaria species (Brachiaria decumbens, B. brizantha cv. Marandu and B. ruziziensis) intercropped with the sorghum DKB 599, plus four additional treatments of sorghum and brachiaria monocultures. At 52 days after to harvest the sorghum grains, it was made up the cutting on brachiaria at 30 cm from the soil to explore the regrowth of plants in off-season cultivation, and further evaluation of forage yield at 36 days after the cutting. The intercropping in the line with B. brizantha, at 2 or 10 cm sowing depth, and with B. decumbens, sown at 2cm, appeared as the most promising for sorghum grain production. The brachiaria and sorghum intercropping in the line increased the total dry matter and crude protein yields. The regrowth of brachiaria plants in the intercropping showed to be a technique viable for forage production and soil cover in dry season at Brazil cerrado.

This study aimed to evaluate the potential for milk production (MP), lactation length (LL) and calv- ing interval (CI), analyze the environmental component affecting these traits, and to estimate the heritability and repeatability for milk production in crossbreds of Murrah buffalo cows in the state of Alagoas, Brazil. Data was composed of 487 observations of MP from 136 lactations recorded between the years of 2000 and 2010. In the analysis of variance for PL, the fixed effects were season (1- October to March, 2 -April to September) and year of the beginning of lactation, calving order and the LL (covariate). For the analysis of LL only the fixed effect of year of the beginning of lactation was included, and finally for the CI analysis, year of the beginning of lactation and calving order. The estimates of covariance were obtained using unicharacteristic analysis by Bayesian inference method, applyingan animal model, through Gibbs sampling. The additive genetic, perma- nent environment and residual effects were included as random effects in the model. The averages (sd) of MP, LL and CI were 2,218.03 kg (408.18), 282.59 days (39.48) e 422.49 days (91.05), respectively. All the effects included in the models were important (P<0.01). The estimates of heritability and repeatability for PL were 0.29 and 0.69, respectively. The results suggest that there is a moderate genetic variability among individuals for PL, indicating the possibility to obtain gain using selection.

Culturas de cobertura são usadas para cobrir o solo e também podem liberar nitrogênio para o solo durante a mineralização. No entanto, é necessário identificar espécies que combinem liberação rápida de nutri- entes com maior persistência da palhada na superfície do solo. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a degrada- ção da palha e a liberação de nitrogênio por culturas de cobertura sob plantio direto. O experimento de campo foi conduzido durante dois anos no verão (2008/2009 e 2009/2010) na região do Cerrado do Brasil. O delinea- mento experimental foi em blocos ao acaso no esquema fatorial. Os tratamentos foram a combinação de cinco plantas (quatro espécies de plantas de cobertura 1- Panicum maximum, 2- Brachiaria ruziziensis, 3- Brachiaria brizantha e 4- Pennisetum glaucum [milheto] e pousio como controle) com seis épocas de avaliação (seis pri- meiras semanas após a aplicação de glifosato nessas plantas de cobertura). Entre as espécies avaliadas, Penise- tum glaucum e pousio tiveram rápida degradação da palhada e liberação de nitrogênio. As culturas de cobertura Panicum maximum, Brachiaria brizantha e Brachiaria ruziziensis se destacaram na produção de biomassa e na quantidade de nitrogênio nas suas palhadas, mas apresentaram baixos coeficientes de degradação e persistiram por mais tempo na superfície do solo em relação a Pennisetum glaucum e pousio.

The growth regulators have been used in different cultures as cultural management technique that aims to reduce the size of the plant and also provide physiological changes that promote increases in grain yield. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of paclobutrazol on growth and yield performance of soybeans grown under different plant densities. The experimental design was a randomized block in factorial scheme (2 × 4 × 4), with four replications, two populations of plants (250 and 450.000 plants ha - 1 ), four doses of the plant growth regulator paclobutrazol (0, 12.5, 25.0 and 37.5 g ai ha - 1 ) and four stages of application (V 3 , V 6 , R 1 and V 3 + R 1 ). Averages for the effects of stadiums applications and plant populations underwent Scott Knott test at 5% probability of doses and the regulator to regression analysis. The population of 450.000 pl ha - 1 resulted in greater plant height, lodging and most lower productivity of soybeans. The use of paclobutrazol at V 3 soybean crop did not reduce plant height or grain yield, but reduced the percentage of lodging, and in the stadiums full development of culture (V 6 ) or early reproductive period (R 1 ) reduced height and lodging, as well as the grain yield of the crop. Increases in doses regulator paclobutrazol resulted in reducing plant height, lodg- ing and grain yield of soybean.

The relative toxicity of the mustard (Brassica rapa L.) essential oil (MEO) on young and old larvae, pupae, and adults of Sitophilus zeamais and Callosobruchus maculatus was determined using concen- tration-response bioassays. The respiration rate of adults was measured to determine its influence on its toxic- ity. Different developmental stages of both species differed significantly in their response to MEO, with the adults being much more susceptible than the immature stages. Although adult mortality did not differ between species, the adult respiration rate of C. maculatus was significantly higher than that of S. zeamais. Thus, the toxicity oil for adults was not influenced by natural respiration rate of species investigated.

Browning discoloration after cutting is detrimental for the quality of a number of fruits and vegetables, such as banana, apple, pear, potato, and some roots such as cassava, yam, and others. Browning and softening compromise banana after cut shelf-life in a few hours under cold storage. Therefore, anti-browning compounds have been applied to slices before packing. Some commonly used substances are calcium chloride, ascorbic acid, cysteine and citric acid, in immersed inchemical mixtures. Recent studies have demonstrated the possibility of preserving fresh-cut banana immersed in sweetened fruit juice for relatively longer periods, favoring commercialization. This type of conservation, although widely used in Brazil for fruit salads, consists of a more complex system in a physiological basis, requiring adjustment of the solution parameters, such as sugar concentration, pH and acidity, considering the viability and freshness of the plant tissue. In this short review, we discuss some experimental data and present a new method for preserving fresh-cut banana. Reduction of enzymatic activity, either in temporary dipping treatment or permanent immersion of banana slices is regarded as a key factor for maintaining its quality during cold storage.

The study aimed to examine the response of cowpea Vinegar cultivarwith inoculation of rhizobia and Trichoderma spp. at cerrado environment in Gurupi – TO, in the years of 2011 and 2012. The experiment was conducted under field conditions and experimental design of randomized blocks, corresponding to the treatments: inoculation with rhizobia and Trichoderma spp. in the seed; the seed inoculation with rhizobia and Trichoderma spp. in the soil; the seed inoculation with rhizobia and Trichoderma spp. in the seed and soil; only inoculation with rhizobia; fertilized with nitrogen; and control non-inoculated and non-fertilized with nitrogen. Inoculation was performed with the rhizobia strains INPA 03-11B and UFLA 03-84. For treatments with Trichoderma spp. was used to inoculate commercial Trichoplus JCO powder formulation. The results indicated that the potential for nitrogen fixation of rhizobia strains tested, and the Trichoderma bioprotection was of fundamental importance for biomass, production, nodulation and yield, which may be related with the effective capacity to supply nitrogen and protection against pathogens. Generallythe inoculation with rhizobia and Trichoderma in the seed and soil, provided better results on the variables analyzed for both season, with higher productivity than other treatments

The process of production of Biodiesel Directly Seed (PDS) of oil using a catalyst based on NaOH in the transesterification reaction. The primary byproduct of this process is the pie PDS, this presents considerable levels of sodium in their composition, which can be limiting in the activity of microorganisms during mineralization. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mineralization rate of castor bean cake pro- duced from the direct process of the seed (PDS), added to soil samples collected at a depth of 0 - 20 cm of a Typic Eutrophic (CXbe) located in the area of the Apodi Plateau, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The castor bean used were from the Experimental Station of Biodiesel (UEB - 2), Research Center Leopoldo Americo Miguez de Mello, Guamaré, RN. For the study was used castor bean in fresh state and treated with distilled water to re- move the Na + . The material was incubated in increasing leaves of castor bean PDS 0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 mg ha - 1 for a period of 32 days. Was evaluated the decomposition of the material through the evolution of CO 2 . The mineralization rate of the pie PDS castor in a Cambisol is not influenced by sodium levels present in in natura and treated pie. The treatment with pie PDS water is effective in reducing the levels of total and ex- changeable sodium, but as a result there are losses of N and K.

This study aimed to evaluate antagonism and metabolites produced by different species of Ba- cillus in the inhibition of mycelial growth in vitro against F. oxysporum f. sp . lycopersici . For evaluating the antagonism of Bacillus spp. F. oxysporum f. sp . lycopersici was performed pairing of fungus and bacteria by the method of the circle. In the method for detection for the quality for thermostable metabolites liquids. Media BD were used for growth of the isolated Bacillus sp. And incubated for 15 days. After this period, was added 3 g of agar in each flask, and autoclaved broth and poured into Petri dishes. In the center of the plates were placed discs culture of the pathogen. The experimental design was completely randomized with 11 treatments and six repetitions in both experiments. Statistical difference was found between the isolate and the control. Special mention to strains B12 ( Bacillus sp.), B41 ( B. cereus ), B22' ( B.pentothenticus ), B45 ( B. cereus ), B47 ( B. cereus ) that exhibited the lowest average diameter of the colony. To study the inhibition of mycelial growth of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici by thermostatable metabolites five differ statistically from the control they are: B35 ( B. pumilus ), B47 ( B. cereus ), B22' ( B. pentothenticus ), B12 ( Bacillus sp.) and B41 ( B. cereus ) the latter two treatments showed the best results of the pathogen colony diameters and 3.81 to 2.89 cm, respective- ly. B12 and B41 Isolates showed that their antibiotic products were able to inhibit 67.88 % and 57,66 % of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici . These results highlight the possibility of using isolates of the genus Bacillus in the fight against fusarium wilt in tomato.