To evaluate the mandacaru (Cereus jamacaru P. DC.) consumption for goats in the drought period in the caatinga, they were selected to the 18 animals in the community of the Alto the Angico, Petrolina, PE, in the period of august to november of the 2004. The phytomass from mandacaru (Cereus jamacaru P. DC.) and the portion consumed by animals in the supplement period was determined. The animals were separate in two groups, and a group stayed in continuous pasture in the caatinga and the other received supplement with mandacaru in the period of 80 days. The animals consumed, on the average, 324.98 kg the mandacaru. The daily consumption the mandacaru for animal was of 5.16 kg/dia. The animals that received supplement had the period, while the other animals lost, on the average, 5.25% of the alive weight in relation to the initial weight.

The insects of the Chrysopidae family are very important for biological pest control. The present work had the objective of determine the consumption capacity of eggs of three moths species by Chrysoperla externa larvae, besides to verify the larvae-adult period viability, duration of the larval period, and the total mass (g) of consumed eggs. The experiment was accomplished in laboratory conditions, under controlled temperature (25 + 2 ºC), UR (75 + 10%) and photoperiod (14:00 H). Insects of the first generation (F1) were used, being three treatments with 30 replications, under DIC. The obtained results showed that the eggs of S. cerealella and A. kuehniella provided higher viability for the larvae-adult period of C. externa; the duration of the larval period of C. externa was smaller when the eggs of A. kuehniella were used as food; and the larvae of C. externa, preferentially consume the eggs of A. kuehniella, being the higher consumption in the third ínstar.

The red pitaya is a cactacea that has been more and more demanded both for theproducers and for the consumers. Nevertheless, there are still several aspects about its cultivation that need to be elucidated, in order to provide a good culture development and profitability to the producer. This work was done aiming to study the effect of substrate in the vegetative propagation of this fruit, commonly done through cutting. The experiment was carried out in a lath house from the Departamento de Produção Vegetal of FCAV - UNESP. Cuttings of adult plant were used and placed in different substrates for rooting, composing the following treatments: (1) soil, sand and manure of tanned corral mixture, in the proportion of 3:1:1; (2) coconut fiber (Amafibra); (3) sand and (4) commercial substrate (Plantmax). For each treatment, 4 replications with 10 cuttings were done. Fresh and dry mass of roots (grams) and volume (mL) were evaluated. A completely randomized design was used, and data evaluated by Tukey test at 5% probability. In the conditions in which the experiment was accomplished, one can conclude that there was influence of the substrate in the fresh mass and volume of the roots, being the substrate (1) the most appropriate for seedlings formation of this species.

The objective of this work was to verify the usage level and the occurrence of the papaya (Jacaratia corumbensis O. kuntze) in a caatinga area of 112 ha, located in eight communities of small farmers in the semi-arid region of Bahia State. The work was accomplished with 149 farmers, in the period from August to December 2000. In each community, interviews with the farmers were done in order to verify those that used the papaya (mamãozinho-de-veado) to feed the animals in the dry season, and also to verify a rise in the density of plants per hectare. The data analysis showed that the papaya was used in all the studied communities as an alternative for alimentary supplement for the animals in the dry season. The papaya plant density of natural occurrence in the communities was of 10.38 plants /ha, in average, indicating that this plant is well disseminated in the area, being an alimentary supplement source for the animals in the semi-arid conditions.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the synthetic compound Thiazolidines-2,4- dione on the ¿in vitro¿ development of Monosporascus cannonballus, the causal agent of the melon sudden wilt (vine decline) and Trichoderma sp., the biocontroller agent of the referred pathogen. The work was done through two experiments. In the first experiment the following concentrations of the composition were used: 0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175 ìg.mL-1, combined with four isolates of M. cannonballus. The evaluated variables were mycelial growth inhibition (MGI), mycelial growth rate (MGR) and area below mycelial growth curve (ABMGC). In the second experiment the effect of the same concentrations of the synthetic compound were analyzed regarding a Trichoderma sp isolate. In the first experiment, there was a significant interaction between concentrations andisolates. High correlation coefficients confirmed the agreement of combination among the variables. The progress curves of the variables, according to compound concentrations, were adjusted by polynomial models. The most efficient concentration was 75 ìg.mL-1,, for inhibiting the mycelia growth until the experiment end, except for the Mc4 that showed TCM of 5.07. Regarding other isolates, Mc 3 was the least resistant, as with concentration of 50 g.mL- 1showed TCM of 2.36, while Mc1, Mc2 and Mc4 presented a higher growth rate, being 8.48; 8.08 and 8.97, respectively. The recommended dosage of the compound for the inhibition of M. cannonballus development when measured in vitro is 153 ug.mL .Neither concentrations influenced the mycelial development of Trichoderma sp.,as it didn¿t differ from control (P=0,05), demonstrating the potential of this synthetic compound as a complementary form of Monosporascus cannonballus control, together to the Trichoderma spp.

From leaves, stems and roots of healthy yellow passion fruit plants 93 isolates of endophytic fungi were obtained, with the colonization rates varying from 59.8 to 92.4% (leaves), 27.2 to 90% (stems) and 2.4 to 87.2 (roots). Twenty-nine of these isolates were evaluated for extracelular hydrolitic enzymes production (amylolitic, cellulolitic, lypolytic and proteolytic) and capacity to promove growth of yellow passion fruit seedlings. The isolates were identified as Fusarium (44.82%), Colletotrichum (37.93%), Acremonium, Glomerella, Curvularia, Alternaria and Aspergillus (3.45% each). The isolates EM11, EM50, EM172, EM20, EM81, EM72, EM135 and EM24 presented lypolytic activity with halos varying from 1.52 to 3.74 cm, and no isolate produced proteolytic, cellulolytic and amylolitic enzymes. Fifteen endophytic isolates promoted growth of yellow passion fruit seedlings, being the best EM173 (Alternaria), EM155 (Fusarium), EM139 (Curvularia), EM20 (Colletotrichum), EM6 (Acremonium) and EM151 (Colletotrichum) that increased aerial and root fresh biomass and root dry biomass of until 108.4, 204.4 and 70.2%, respectively, 90 days after the inoculation.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of four nitrogen sources (ammonium sulfate, calcium nitrate, urea and monoammonium phosphate) at 80 kg ha-1, applied 2, 3, 4 and 5 times through drip irrigation on the production and characteristics of the melon, under field conditions, at the Cajazeiras Agricultural Farm, located in Tibau, RN, Brazil. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized block design, in a 4 x 4 factorial scheme, with four replications. The melon yield was measured considering total number and weight of the fruits, the number of marketable fruits per hectare and size of the fruits. Generally speaking, the results showed that melon plants presented similar response to all used nitrogen sources, notably to the MAP applied three times; that the number of nitrogen applications did not affected the evaluated parameters regarding production and quality of fruits; and that the used nitrogen sources and the application number of the fertilizers resulted in higher amount of types 6, 7 and 8 fruits (fruits with average size).

Aiming to evaluate crisp head lettuce cultivars adapted to summer, showing tip burn¿s tolerance caused by calcium deficiency, an experiment was conducted in Santana da Vargem, MG, comprising the Lucy Brown, PSR 1114, PSR 1115, PSR 0110, PSR 5338, PSR 1530, PSR 0398 and Raider cultivars. A randomized complete blocks design with three replications was used. Total and commercial fresh mass, stem length and tip burn¿s tolerance caused by calcium deficiency were evaluated. The total fresh mass ranged between 538.8 and 894.4 g.plant-1, being PSR 1114; PSR 1115; PSR 5338 and Lucy Brown superior to the others, with 822.2; 833.3; 850.0 and 894.4 g plant-1, respectively. For commercial fresh mass and stem length there were no significant differences among the evaluated cultivars. Regarding tip burn¿s tolerance significant differences were observed. The Lucy Brown cultivar showed the highest incidence of this physiological disorder.

Aiming to evaluate seedling emergence of black sapote (Diospyros ebenaster Retz.) it was developed an experiment with seeds, collected on mature fruits, proceeding from Germoplasm Bank of Horticulture Department, University of São Paulo State, Jaboticabal, Brazil. Immediately after extracted, the seeds were washed, dried in paper and put in plastic box filled with the substrate studied, thus characterizing four treatments, as follows: Plantmaxâ; Coconut fiberâ; Sand; Soil mix [soil + sand + bovine manure (3:3:1)]. It was observed emergence percentage (E%) and rate of emergence speed (RES). The different substrates had statisticalinfluence on variable studied. The highest E% was obtained on soil mix, Plantmaxâ and Coconut fiberâ substrates and the best RES was observed on soil mix and Plantmax? substrates.

This experiment was carried out in the greenhouse of the Departament of Animal Production/ UFRPE, from november of 2002 to may of 2003. The work objective was to evaluate the chemical composition of different Panicum maximum Jacq. cultivars submitted to different levels of nitrogen fertilization. It was used a complete randomized experimental design and the treatments were represented by the factorial arragement of the cultivars Massai, Atlas and Tobiatã and the nitrogen fertilization (0, 80, 160 and 320 kg of N.ha-1.year-1), with four replications. The plants were cut 60 days after-seeding for uniformization and three cuts were carried out with intervals of 35 days and intensity of 10 cm. It was determined concentration of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF). Massai presented lesser crude CP (12,7%) and greater NDF concentration (60,8%) than the other cultivars. There was significant effect of the nitrogen fertilization for the CP and NDF. The increase in the nitrogen level raised the CP concentration and reduced the FDN concentration of the studied plants. The Atlas may be considered the cultivar that presented the best chemical composition because its satisfactory CP concentration (15,3%) associate to the lesser NDF concentration (58,8%).