The work was conducted in two environments of caatinga, occurring in the Moacir Lucena accomplished, Apodi - RN. 12 plots have been demarcated 10 x 20 m, randomly distributed in each environment, characterized as follows: Area I - managed area and Area II - area of legal reserve of Accomplished. In each plot were sampled all individuals with CAB ¿ 10 cm. In Area I were sampled 130 individuals, five families and eight species, while in Area II, 244 individuals, four families and seven species. The Mimosoideae and Boraginaceae families are highlighted by number of individuals. Caesalpinea bracteosa presented greater number of individuals in the environment I and Auxemma glazioviana the environment II. The environment I made highest diversity of the Shannon- Weaver (H'), 1,10. In the environment I Caesalpinea bracteosa and Auxemma glazioviana were the species that showed higher frequencies, densities and dominances relatives, index of importance and value of coverage. Auxemma glazioviana presented highest density, dominance, frequency, IVC and IVI in the environment II. In the environment I most individuals presented stem diameter of between 11 and 21 cm, while the environment II, less than 11 cm.

The research had the objective to determinate the ideal substrate for the germination of pitaya seeds in laboratorial conditions. The experiment was carried out in the Unesp - São Paulo State University - Campus of Jaboticabal - Brazil, using seeds that were extracted of a ripe fruit and testing the substrates: filter paper; vermiculite; sand; commercial substrate with pinus (Plantmax); coconut fiber (Amafibra); soil, sand and manure in the proportion of 3:1:1, being that the filter paper provided the largest values to percentage of germination among them, showing be the more appropriate.

It was carried out, in the nursery area located at Campus of Federal University of Lavras (UFLA) Minas Gerais, an experiment aiming to evaluate different doses of simple super phosphate and two substrates in plant production of loquat tree. It was tested four doses of simple super phosphate (0; 2.5; 5; 10 kg m-3 of substrate) and two substrates: A (organic compost + sand + soil in 1:1:3 volume proportion) and B ( Plantmax + sand + soil 1:1:3 volume proportion) A randomized block design was used with a 4 x 2 factorial scheme, with four replications and four plants per plot. The following characteristics were evaluated: high of plants (cm); length of root (cm); number of leaves/plant, dry matter of above ground part, roots and total (g/plant). The results showed that for seedlings of loquat tree, it is recommended to mix to substrate the super phosphate fertilizer in doses until 6 kg m-3. Between the substrates, the one the showed more viable was the substrate A (organic compost + sand + soil in 1:1:3 volume proportions).

With the objective of analyzing the impact of the nutritional and sanitary manages bioeconomically in properties of the South of the State of Tocantins, through productivity indices, it accomplished a survey, through questionnaire, in 12 properties, of the which, it was selected intentionally six, that it were divided in two groups: group "A", containing three properties that accomplish appropriate nutritional and sanitarium manages; and group "B", also with three properties whose nutritional and sanitarium manages are deficient. After completion of the questionnaire, for gauging of the productivity indices of each group, it can be glimpsed the magnitude of the impact of the nutritional and sanitary manages on the systems of creation of animals sheep, demonstrating that the properties of the group "A", in spite of the expenses with feeding and medicines, it possess more competitive and lucrative profile in relation to the group "B". Of ownership of the data of the indexes productivity, it took place an evolution of a flock, containing 100 ewes and three reproductive, where the group "A" presented a larger number of animals to be sloughtered, proving the profitability of the systems that use an appropriate nutritional and sanitarium manages rationally.

The Brazilian northeast region is the main melon producer of Brazil, however in the rainy period there is a significant fall in the quality and amount of melon produced. This work aimed to evaluate the quality and the shelf-life of 'Frevo' yellow melon produced rainy time and stored under cold storage. The completely randomized design was used, in factorial scheme 5 x 4, with five replications. The treatments resulted of the combination of five storage times (0, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days) and four storage temperatures (7, 9, 11 and 13 ºC). In each storage time the fruits were analyzed 48 hours after the withdrawal of these of the cold chambers to simulate the market conditions. The evaluated characteristics were flesh firmness, soluble solids, weight loss, chilling injury and internal and external appearances. The fruits kept at 13ºC and 11ºC temperatures had a postharvest shelf-life of 21 days, however, temperatures around 7ºC and 9 ºC favored the development of chilling injury, being apparent at 14º day. The temperatures and the time studied are not determinative for the increase or reduction in the soluble solid content.

The best period for sugarcane growth for Itambé, Pernambuco, Brazil, was evaluated, based on observed daily precipitation and potential evapotranspiration data, for years classified as "dry", "normal" or "rainy". Potential evapotranspiration monthly values were estimated through Hargreaves methods, and transformed into 10-days period averages. Ten-days period distribution of precipitation, full evapotranspiration and half of potential evapotranspiration are used to characterize sugarcane growth phase, by determination of pre-humid, humid and post-humid periods. Results show that the best period for the growth phase of this culture in Itambé region for dry years is from January 26th to September 28th, with 245 days duration and total precipitation of 822 mm. In normal years, it begins on March 9th and ends on October 5th, with 210 days duration, and precipitation of 1064 mm. For rainy years the best period for sugarcane growth phase begins on February 20th and ends on October 13th, with 235 days duration, and average precipitation of 1426 mm.

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 high incidence of the solar radiation and temperature and the high annual variability of the rainfall during the year in the region of semiarid Paraiba, contribute for the losses of CO2 of the soil. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the microbial activity according the emissions of C-CO2 in a micro basin which is in a process of environmental degradation in Paraíba semiarid, located in the "Fazenda Experimental Bacia Escola, CCA, UFPB" in São João do Cariri, PB, during a translation, in the years of 2003 to 2004. Five points of determination had been choosed in a toposequence where there vas evaluated the microbial activity by the C-CO2 production. In the rainy season the tax of losses of CO2 of the soil diminished independent of the position of determination in the toposequence. In the dry season, when there was some pluviometric precipitation, the tax of edaphic respiration, expressed in terms of losses of CO2 from the soil to the atmosphere, increased with the water availability of the soil.

The use of fungicides is a key measure of control used to halt the vine decline in melon by Monosporascus cannonballus. This study aimed to ascertain the effectiveness of the active principles fluazinam and methyl thiophanate in control of M. cannonballus in melon. Melon plants (yellow type) were grown in pot with soil naturally infested with the pathogen. The soil was originated from areas with a history of vine decline in melons. It was used a design in DIC with 10 treatments and 5 replications. The treatments consisted of increasing doses of these active principles alone or in combination. Were utilized two controls: autoclaved soil and naturally infested soil. The parameters analyzed were fresh weight of roots, damage to hypocotyl in primary and secondary roots. The analysis of variance indicated that all treatments that showed the presence of active principle fluazinam differ significantly from other treatments. In addition, the analysis did not indicate differences among the doses used in the experiment. Thus, it appears that this active principle can be recommended at its lowest dose to control the disease once it is properly registered to this crop. It was found phytotoxic effects of the active principle methyl thiophanate in melon plants during this experiment.

The study was carried out in Fazenda Pau Ferro, Itaperuna - RJ, to evaluate soil quality attributes in pastures areas, Braquiária (Brachiaria brizantha (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Stapf), Suázi (Digitaria swazilandensis Stent) and Tifton 85 (Cynodon spp. cv Tifton 85) cultivated in hill relief. Soil samples were collected at 0-10 and 10 -30 cm depth in two times; dry period (August of 2004, May of 2005 and August of 2005) and in the rainy period (December of 2004) in different sections: at the hillside shoulder (TS), backslope (TM) and footslope (TI) positions. In the samples soil chemical and physical analyses were accomplished. Were evaluated the soil aggregate stability; the bulk density (BD) and the total volume of pores (TVP), total organic carbon (TOC) and soil fertility. To study the multidimensional effect of soil attributes the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was applied. The pastures areas showed a good aggregation levels, in the different times and depths evaluated. The grasses Tifton 85 and Braquiária propitiated a higher TOC contribution in the depth of 0-10 cm and also larger aggregate weight in the class> 2,0mm, in the dry period. Higher values of BD were observed in the TI. In the rainy period it was observed a BD reduction and TVP increase, mainly for the Suázi areas. In a general way, the positions of the hillside TS and TM were the ones that showed the higher values for the physical and chemical attributes indicating a better soil quality in these areas. In the TI area the lowest levels of soil quality were observed, possibly for the accentuated steepness of this last position of the slope in relation to the other positions. The PCA separated the areas in function of seasonal variation. The dry season presented the higher correlation values with soil quality attributes such as the aggregation indexes and TOC. The aggregate weight distribution in function of the size classes, especially > 2,0 mm, MGD, MWD and TOC were a indicative sensitive to the effects of the treatments, grasses types and seasonal variation.