This study aimed to identify the similarities among hydrochemical variables describing the groundwater qualities in the Salgado watershed river (Southern Ceará), with the use of multivariate statistical analysis. Also, the groundwater hydrochemistry was investigated and classified using the Piper diagram. The study was developed from secondary data provided by the CPRM (Centro de Estudo Geológico do Brasil, previously Companhia de Pesquisa de Recursos Minerais). The geological formation of the Salgado basin has two aquifer systems, one on sedimentary rock (porous, karst and alluvial) and another on (fractured) crystalline rock. The research was conducted in 24 groundwater wells spread out over the drainage area of the basin, with data having been collected for the last 10 years. The water samples were analyzed for their content of Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, CO3, HCO3 -, SO4 2- and CE. Two groups were formed by the use of cluster analysis, and both were independent with respect to their hydrological characteristics, and similar in hydro geological formation. The water quality study showed no temporal interference. The two components explained 78.30% of the total variance of the water quality. According to the Piper diagram, the waters were classified as 55.6% mixed chlorided water and 40% mixed bicarbonate water, in groups 1 and 2 respectively. The hydrochemical characterization of the studied waters implied no limitation to their human consumption.

The genus Lippia (Verbenaceae) comprises about 200 species of pantropical distribution. Lippia gracilis Schauer, popularly known as the mountain balm, is an aromatic plant, native of northeastern Brazil, used in folk medicine as an antiseptic and to treat dermatitis. Although cytogenetic serve as a tool in taxonomy rate, cytogenetical studies of genus Lippia are restricted. Given the above, the present study aimed to determine, at the first time, the chromosome number of copies of L. gracilis, and thereby contribute to a better taxonomic understanding of this genus. In this sense root tips collected from newly planted specimens were pretreated with a solution of 2mM 8-hydroxyquinoline for 4 hours, fixed in Carnoy 3:1 (ethanol: acetic acid) for 24 hours and stored in the same fixative for later analysis. The roots were hydrolyzed in 5N HCl for 20 minutes and the slides, prepared by squashing in acetic acid (45%) and stained with 2% Giemsa. The best metaphases were photographed and pointed to the chromosome number 2n = 24. Moreover, were observed metacentric and submetacentric chromosomes. Because there are several chromosome numbers in the genus, from n=10 to n=30, and as the same is little known cytogenetically, f more comprehensive cytogenetic studies are necessary, involving a larger number of species, so these data may help to clarify taxonomic inconsistencies in the family Verbenaceae.

In recent years an increase of 15 to 20% occurred in market share melons like Cantaloupes group, which present more attractive organoleptic characteristics and higher commercial value. However it needs more care in production due its higher sensitivity to soil salinity. Effects of soil and water salinity are among the main limiting factors to melon yield and quality at Rio Grande do Norte Sate, Brazil. This work was carried out with the objective of studying the effect of different irrigation water salinity levels on yield and quality of cantaloupe hybrid 'Sedna'. Experimental design was a randomized complete blocks with four replications. Treatments consisted of five salt concentrations in irrigation water (0.54; 1.48; 2.02; 3.03 and 3.9 dS m-1). Yield and quality characteristics evaluated were: number of marketable fruits per plant, yield of marketable fruits, mean weight of fruits, soluble solids content (SS) and pulp firmness. An increase on irrigation water salinity level negatively influenced yield of melon hybrid 'Sedna'. Yield loss in response to salinity was due to decrease in number of fruits per plant. Mean values of soluble solids and pulp firmness were not influenced by irrigation water salinity.

Black rot of pineapple, caused by Chalara paradoxa, is a postharvest disease responsible by high losses on fruits destined to the fresh market and to the processing industry. The work had as objective to evaluate influence of naturals extracts, fungicide and resistance inducer for C. paradoxa control, isolated from pineapple fruits. It was observed action of resistance inducer acibenzolar-S-metil, fungicide mancozeb and the natural extracts of Anadenanthera colubrine, Anacardium occidentale, Ocimum minimum and Momordica charantia, on inhibition of C. paradoxa growth in vitro. It was transferred 25 -L of each treatment for a hole on center of Petri dishes with PDA and was placed a fungus disk on it. Evaluations were carried out every 24 hours, for seven days. For evaluation of conidia production, 20 mL of distilled sterilized water were added in each Petri dish with fungus colony for obtaining conidia suspension and, concentration was verified in Neubauer chamber. Thirty five pineapple fruits, var. Smooth Cayenne were inoculated with C. paradoxa and incubated in humid chamber for 24 hours. The experimental design was completely randomized with averages compared by Tukey test at 5% of probability. The treatments were able to reduce mycelial growth and sporulation under the conditions studied. The minor effects of the disease on the fruits of pineapple were observed with the Ocimum minimum extract and mancozeb. The fungicide mancozeb and Ocimum minimum extract influenced the control of C. paradoxa.

An experiment was carried out at Remigio, State of Paraíba, Brazil, to assess the water requirements of yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarpa Degener) from transplanting to fruiting irrigated with water without restriction salinity (0.5 dS m-1) and saline (4.5 dS m-1) in substrate with and without biofertilizer, with and without mulch. The experimental design was randomized blocks in factorial design 23, with three replications and three plants in lysimeters with 130 dm3 of substrate. In relation to witnesses, the use of organic raw material and the cover was reduced by 11.2% and 4.5% in water consumption of plants irrigated with water without restriction salinity and saline, respectively. In non-saline water interaction biofertilizer x mulch, plant water consumption to 2.76 mm day-1 in apical vegetative growth, 4.97 mm day-1 in growth and production of side branches and 5.65 mm day-1 on flowering and fruiting. In the periods of growth and production of side branches, flowering and fruiting, the water consumption of witnesses with water without restriction salinity are higher by 18.4% and 7.7%, respectively, of control plants irrigated with saline water. The electrical conductivity of the leached solution is enhanced by the use of saline water and the treatment without mulch. Plants irrigated with saline water present crop coefficients lower than those irrigated with water without restriction salinity.

The preparation of lists from the obtaining of primary data in herbaria contributes to enrich knowledge about the Brazilian flora. Mainly, for botanical groups present in the region semiarid and characterized by low availability of information as the monocotyledons. In this way, this work presents a floristic survey of monocotyledons of the State of Ceará, northeast of Brazil, analyzing the taxa richness. The data, which are computerized and available in the software BRAHMS 6.7, were obtained from collecting of the Herbarium Prisco Bezerra (EAC). A total of 3,472 exsicates from collections in the State of Ceará were analyzed, representing 540 species, 207 genera and 28 families. The richest families were: Poaceae (193 spp.), Cyperaceae (104 spp.), Orchidaceae (51 spp.), Bromeliaceae (38 spp.) and Araceae (35 spp.). The richest genera were: Cyperus (31 spp.), Paspalum (26 spp.), Panicum (23 spp.), Rhynchospora (17 spp.), Eleocharis (16 spp.) and Eragrostis (13 spp.).

This study was carried out in three irrigated West indian cherry varieties at Petrolina - PE, Brazil, in 2006 and 2007, with the objective of comparatively knowing the floral biology, the reproductive system, the effective pollinators, their habit of visiting the flowers and the contribution of pollination to crop benefit. The floral anthesis was diurnal and occurred between 4.30h and 5.00h, and at this moment the pollen grains were already available and the stigma was receptive. The number of elaiophores varied among the varieties and individuals. The pollinic viability of the variety Okinawa was low (14.8 ± 5.5%) when compared to Flor Branca and (92 ± 3%) and Sertaneja (83.4 ± 9.2%) varieties. The reproductive success due to spontaneous selfpollination varied from 4 to 6% among the three varieties. In the manual crossed pollination among the varieties, the lower fructification tax was obtained for the crossing using Okinawa as pollen donor (<1%) and the major rate was obtained with Sertaneja (43%). In the natural pollination (control) Sertaneja presented the biggest value of fructification (46%). The variety Okinawa showed the lowest frutification rates. The irrigation system adopted in the farming systems influenced the visits of the pollinators. Regarding frequency, behavior and flower constancy, Centris aenea was considered effective pollinator of the crop in the region.

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the performance of lines of cherry tomato, heat tolerant under the organic system. The experiment was conducted at the Instituto de Ciências Agrárias da UFMG, Montes Claros - MG. The treatments consisted of eleven lines of cherry tomato, heat tolerant, obtained from the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center, China: CLN1561A, CLN1555C, CLN1555B, CLN1555A, CLN1558B, CLN1558A, CH151, CH152, CH154, CH157, CH155 cultivated under organic system. We used a randomized block design with eleven treatments and four replications. There was an inverse relationship between the average fruit weight and number of fruits produced per plant. The lines CLN1561A and CH157 are indicated for the culture and commercialization of the cherry tomato organically produced, therefore to present greater productivity and greater total soluble solid content.

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the development of melon seedlings grown in different substrates. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse covered with 25% screen, at the Department of Technology and Social Sciences -DTCS of the University of the State of Bahia / UNEB, Juazeiro-BA, from July to August 2005. It was used a completely randomized experimental design with six treatments and four replications, each one consisted of 50 seedlings. The treatments composed of the substrates: Plantmax HT©; soil; sterilized soil; sugarcane residue; sugarcane residue + soil (1:1) and sugarcane residue + urea. Polystyrene trays of 200 cells were used as containers, where seeds of the AF882 melon cultivar. We sowed at 1 cm depth, using one seed per cell. The emergence percentage, average emergence time and average emergence velocity were determined. Fourteen days after sowing were evaluated seedling height, shoot and toot fresh and dry masses leaf area and chlorophyll content. The results allow one to conclude that the commercial substrate Plantmax HT© and the sterilized soil were those that provided the best melon seedlings formation.

This research aimed at evaluating the effect of the semiarid climatic conditions on the physiological behavior of F1 Saanen x Boer crossbred goats, created at an intensive system. The experiment was carried out in the Health and Rural Technology Center, in the Federal University of Campina Grande, in the town of Patos, Paraiba. Twenty-four animals were used, with ages varying between three and four months, being 12 females and 12 males, weaned and prevented against worms, receiving ad libitum water and controlled concentrate and roughage. The environmental variables were checked inside and outside the experiment place, as well as the physiological variables of all animals. Except for the humid bulb temperature, the variance analysis revealed shift effect (P<0.05) for all environmental variables. There was merely shift effect (P<0.05) for Cardiac Frequency and Rectal Temperature, and the averages of both, in the afternoon, overcame those observed in the morning. The obtained results based on the studied physiological and environmental variables conclude that crossbred goats, resulting of Boer (paternal) and Saanen (maternal), present a good resistance to heat, permitting their indication for the meat production in confinement on semiarid conditions.