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.

The “araçá” (Psidium spp) is a wild plant with potential for direct and indirect use, and it is found spontaneously in the Semiarid region of the State of Bahia. Thus, the aim of this work was to character- ize and evaluate the genetic diversity for rescuing of 37 accessions of “araça” from the counties of Campo For- moso, Senhor do Bonfim, Jacobina, Morro do Chapéu and Uauá using botanical, morphological and physic- chemical descriptors in plants of different phenological phases. Size of plant, trunk shape, leaf color, floral morphology, fruit transversal diameter, rind color of fruit, fruit mass, fruit longitudinal diameter, fruit shape, soluble solids, titratable acidity, maturation index and C vitamin were the descriptors used. The diversity among the accessions of “araçá” was estimated using the method of Tocher as well as the inverted Tocher start- ing of the integration of data. Three species were determined (P. schenckianum, P. guineense e P. grandi- folium) and it was found great variation for all descriptors used and it was also found plants of the same size of guava plants. Using Tocher and inverted Tocher it was found variation within the same species, among differ- ent species as well as among accessions of different counties and within counties. The descriptors that gave the major contribution were C vitamin (70,88%) and fruit mass (25,66%). The variation found for the descriptors used show that there is genetic diversity among the “araçá” accessions from the five counties of the Semiarid of the State of Bahia and they present potential to be conserved and for future uses.

The fall armyworm is a pest that feeds on various botanies species. The objective of this experi- ment was to study the biology of this pest in corn and cassava leaves. Caterpillars were collected in area under cultivation with cassava and maintained on artificial diet for two generations. Under controlled conditions in a climatic chamber (B.O.D) in the laboratory (25 ºC, 60 ± 10% RH and photophase 14 hours) were evaluated daily 50 caterpillars in corn treatments and 50 in cassava, where duration and viability of the larval phase and pupal, weight of pupas were observed after 24 hours, deformation percentage of pupas and adults, longevity, fecundity and total life cycle. The viability of larvae fed on leaves of maize and cassava was 74% and 60%, respectively. The larval period of the insects was shorter in maize 16.89 days (seven instars) and cassava 20.08 days (six instars). The pupal phase lasted 11.42 days in cassava treatment and 10.87 in the maize. The pupal weight of females and males was higher in corn 204.91 mg and 198.97 mg, respectively. The biological cycle varied depending on the ingested food. Adult longevity lasted 9.88 days for insects fed on cassava leaves. Therefore, cassava affected the development of S. frugiperda.

Combretum leprosum Mart. is a tree species native of the Caatinga, used in the restoration of degraded areas and in folk medicine. Thus, this research aimed to evaluate the germination and vigor of the seeds subjecting them to different pre-germinative treatments, temperatures and substrates. In the first experi- ment, we tested the pre-germinative treatments: mechanical scarification with sandpaper, chemical scarification with H2SO4 for 1, 5, 10 and 20 minutes, immersion in water at 80 oC and imbibition in distilled water for 24 hours, beyond of the control. In the second experiment, after treatment of imbibition in water for 24 hours, the experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial 5 x 4 (five substrates: into paper, sand, coconut fiber, vermiculite and paper towel organized in the form of rolls; and four temperatures: 25, 30, 35 and 20-30 oC). The following parameters were evalueted: seed moisture content, germination, germination speed index, first germination count and seedling length and dry matter weight. The seeds of Combretum leprosum have not coat dormancy. However, pre-germinative treatments of mechanical scarification with sandpaper and imbibi- tion in water for 24 hours allows better expression of seeds vigor. The paper towel and the temperatures of 25, 30 and 20-30 oC provide adequate conditions for evaluating the germination of Combretum leprosum seeds.

Macroptilium martii Benth. is a native grass species of the Caatinga, used in the feeding of cattle and goats during dry periods. This study aimed to characterize the fruit and seeds, as well as evaluating the germination of the seeds of M. martii subjected to different methods of scarification. For the characterization of the seeds was carried out using biometrics a random sample of 100 seeds and 100 fruits. Mass, length, width and thickness of fruits and seeds, and number of seeds per fruit were evaluated. With and without lopping: monitoring the soaking curve using two treatments: with and without lopping. Twelve pregerminative to assess seed dormancy treatments were used: control, coating, soaking for 12, 24 and 48 hours, warm to 80 °C for 3, 6 and 12 minutes and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) for 3, 6 water 12 minutes. The seeds were germinated as substrate type germitest paper towel. The design was completely randomized with four replications of 25 seeds each. The data were submitted to Tukey test at 5% probability. The seeds of M. martii have low variation for biometric features. Furthermore, seeds respond to standard soaking phase, being verified by the dormancy coating impermeable. The most appropriate method for breaking dormancy is blunt on the side opposite the micropyle, it provides the best conditions for seed germination.

To evaluate different organic sources as substrates for the production of rootstocks of Tamarin- dus indica L., we conducted an experiment in a greenhouse nursery located on the campus of Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA) in the period from October 2007 to February 2008. We tested the substrates: soil, manure, goat manure, sheep manure and humus, and combinations thereof, totaling twelve treatments. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design, with 12 treatments (substrates), four replicates and 10 plants per treatment, totaling 480 plants. The conclusion that the combination of soil with animal manure, in various ratios studied, show satisfactory results in the production of the tamarind rootstock was reached. The treatment not only composed of soil provided suitable for production of rootstocks results of tamarind.

Considering that milk is susceptible to fraud, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of sodium citrate and fortifier in density and freezing point of milk. The addition of citrate in 0.1%, the maximum regulated by Brazilian legislation, was sufficient to decrease the average freezing point for 0.021 °H and increase the density average in 0.0008 g cm - 3 . In these samples was possible to add up to 5.6% water without exceeding the Brazilian standards density and freezing point. The fortifier added to milk in con- centrations higher than 0.05% decreased the average freezing point 0.0024°H compared to the control treat- ment. The average density difference only in the group with addition of 0.44% of tonic, an increase of 0.0034 g cm - 3 compared to the control treatment. However, the dilution recommended by the manufacturer (0.007%) not changed density and freezing point average of milk. The results showed that the addition of citrate in percent- ages permitted by Brazilians law was able to change the freezing point and the density of milk. It should be pointed that in direct UHT process the evaporation of water excess from milk with 0.1% of citrate is based on - 0.530 o H, it is possible that the removal of the incorporated water in UHT process could be incomplete, and can be present in percentages higher than 5%. Thus, the manufacturer recommended concentration of fortifier did not change the density and the freezing point of milk.

This study evaluated the effects fungicides with or without association with potassium phosphite on the control of the Asian rust (Phakopsora pachyrhizi) of soybean. Two field tests (‘Coodetec- 219RR’ and ‘Emgopa-313’) were conducted (12/2005-4/2006) in Cristalina (Goiás, Brazil), in a complete ran- domized block design (Nine treatments; five replications). The treatments were with one and two applications of phosphite-K (1192 g a.i. ha-1 P2O5 + 596 g a.i. ha-1 K2O) + vegetable oil (VO - 0.5% v v-1), two applications of traditional fungicides (TF) [pyraclostrobin+epoxyconazole (66.5 + 25 g a.i. ha-1); methyl- thiophanate+flutriafol (300+60 g a.i. ha-1); tebuconazole (100 g a.i. ha-1)], and, one application of TF+phosphite and a second application of phosphite+VO. For ‘Emgopa-313’, product applications were made on V8 and R2 soybean growth stage, while for Coodetec-219RR on R1 and R5. Evaluations of disease severity (%DS) were made each seven days after product applications. After the first product application, all treatments significantly reduced DS. At the end of evaluations only treatments with TF significantly reduced DS. Yield and mass of 1000 seeds were significantly higher for treatments with TF. Phosphite-K applications decreased DS, but did not increase yield and mass of 1000 soybean-seeds.

In order to quantify the growth, accumulation and exportation of macronutrients by carrot ‘Forto', and obtain equations that best represent them, it was conducted an experiment in the São Gotardo (MG), from May to September 2004. Samples were taken at 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110 and 120 days after sowing (DAS) to determine dry matter and accumulation of macronutrients in leaves and roots. At 40 DAS, five days after thinning, the plants had 0.18 g and 0.04 g in dry leaves (LDM) and of roots (RDM), respectively. From then, until 88 DAS, the partitioning of photoassimilates and accumulation of matter in the shoots were more pronounced. The RDM was low until 80 DAS, which corresponded to two thirds of the crop cycle, from when the amount of material allocated in this part of the plant had strong growth, surpassing, at 88 DAS, the amount of LDM. The nutrient accumulation was small in the first 60 DAS, coinciding with the period of lower dry matter accumulation. The order of decreasing macronutrient accumulation by the crop were: K > N > Ca > P > S > Mg, in the amounts of 906.7, 438, 155.46, 87.4, 58 and 37.63 mg plant-1, respectively. The root participated with 60.5% of the accumulation of N, 86.1% of P, 58% of K, 25.5% of Ca, 55.6% of Mg and 65.5% of S. Considering a population of 590,000 plants per hectare, the total quantity of nutrients by the crop of carrots was 258.3, 51.6, 534.8, 91.7, 22.2 and 34.2 kg N ha-1, P, K, Ca, Mg and S, respectively.

With purpose of evaluating the salinity’s effe cts of the nutrient solution at different stages of development of the culture of pepper grown in a hyd roponic system, an experiment was conducted in a pr o- tected environment at the Department of Environment al Sciences, Federal University of the Semi - Arid (UFERSA). The experimental design was completely ra ndomized design with 15 treatments and three replic a- tions. The treatments consisted of five levels of s alinity of the nutrient solution (1.2, 3.49, 5.69, 7.07 and 9.23 dS m -1 ), applied at three stages of crop development (24, 85 and 120 days after the transplanting) .The leve ls salt obtained by mixing two sources of water (water supply (AB) and waste water desalination (RD)) .Th e nu- tritive’s solution salinity above 1,2 dS m -1 reduced the growth and yield of pepper grown in c oconut fiber sub- strate. The nutrient solutions prepared with water saline waste can be used in the pepper’s grown nutr ition in coconut fiber substrate with the lowest yield loss for increment the electrical conductivities (CEs), when ap- plied at 85 and 120 days after the transplanting , corresponding to fruiting phase.