The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth, development and macronutrients concentrations in physic nut fertilized with sewage sludge and calcium and magnesium silicate. The treatments, in a factorial scheme 5 x 2, distributed in design in randomized block with three replications, corresponded to five doses of dehydrated sewage sludge (0; 4.8; 9.6; 14.4 and 19.2 t ha-1, dry basis) and two doses of calcium and magnesium silicate (0 and 1 t ha-1). Were collected soil samples at 0-20 and 20-40 cm deep, and of the older leaf not senescent and of the youngest leaf fully expanded for analysis of macronutrients. Were determined in the 18º month of planting the stem diameter (DC), the crown diameter (DCO) and the stem height (ALT). The application of silicate of calcium and magnesium in soil increased the pH, the concentrations of phosphorus, calcium and magnesium available in the soil and magnesium concentration in the plant, however, did not influenced the growth and development of physic nut. Sewage sludge, on the other hand, promoted increased of the concentrations of organic matter and phosphorus in the soil, and of phosphorus, calcium and magnesium in the plant. There were no relevant interactions between the sewage sludge and silicate, and nor the affect of this last about the growth and development of the plant, recommending only the application of sewage sludge in the cultivation of physic nut.

The use of granular fertilizers as a vehicle for seeding forage species has become a simple and very useful operation. However, the data is contradictory about how much time the seeds can be mixed with urea without reducing the germination percentage. The aim was to study the effect of mixing periods of urea with seeds of Brachiaria ruziziensis on physiological quality. The treatments consisted of seed mixed times of B. ruziziensis (0; 4; 8; 16; 24; 48; 96 and 192 hours) with urea, besides control treatment. It was used a completely randomized design with four replications. Moreover, with the passage of time in contact with urea, water content and electrical conductivity of seed increased, while there was decrease in percentage of germination, first count, the emergence and emergence speed index. Thus, it is concluded as feasible to mix the seeds with urea, since the seeding is performed at intervals shorter than 8 hours, reducing damage to the seed physiological quality of forage.

The increase of the shrimp and fruit crop has devastated the carnauba, evidencing the importance of reforest projects and of researches aiming to the production of seedlings. It was aimed to evaluate the effect of imbibition of seeds and shading on the emergence and quality of carnauba seedlings. The treatments were disposed in a randomized design arranged in split-plot with the shading conditions (without shading and shading all day, during the morning and during the afternoon) as the main factor and the types of seeds (imbibed and non-imbibed seeds) as secondary factor. The imbibed seeds were immersed in water until the protrusion of the cotyledonary petiole. To the shading conditions was used black screen (50%). After 120 days of the sowing, we evaluated the percentage (PE), speed index (IVE) and mean time of emergency (TME), the ratio between the aerial part length and stem¿s diameter (CPA/DC) and quality index of Dickson (IQD). By the PE and IVE, higher viability was verified and vigor in imbibed seeds. By the TME, higher vigor was observed to the seedlings produced under full sunshine and with shading during the afternoon, which had higher quality according to CPA/DC. By the IQD, better balance was observed in the seedling from imbibed seeds and in the seedlings produced under full sunshine. It is concluded that the carnauba seeds imbibition provides higher emergency percentage, accelerates this process and provides better quality of seedlings. Carnauba seedlings produced under full sunshine presents faster emergency and higher quality.

The objective of this study was to characterize the level of mineral nutrients N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mo and B of twelve genotypes of grapevine: 'Italy', 'Ruby' , 'Patricia', 'Isabel', 'Redglobe', 'Roberta', 'Kyoho', 'Romana', 'Rosalinda', 'Moscatel de Hamburgo,' 'Niagara Rosada' and 'UFV 01' in the North Fluminense. Was held on pruning, followed by fertilization and conventional analysis of leaf blade in three moments of the reproductive cycle of the vine: in full bloom, berries and peas at the stage between half and beginning of berry ripening of berries (veraison). Following results were obtained for all moments sampled: normal levels of N, K, P, Mg, Fe, B and Zn and subnormal levels of Ca. The study demonstrated that the leaf blade sampled reflects the nutritional stage of grapevine enotypes.

The current paper was proposed to analyze and determine the behavior and the direct and indirect relation between the sign of live cattle value and the main components of supplementation. The database was obtained by consulting secondary sources, which underwent path analysis to study the unfolding of the correlation coefficient (dependent variable x independent) in direct and indirect effects. The analysis period was from January 1999 to December in 2008. The corn presented a total correlation of 0.5080 indicating a substantial contribution for the increasing of beef value. The value of wheat bag had a direct effect of 0.4897 and an indirect effect through the soybean (0.5601), like this, the main components of concentrate supplementation (soybean, corn and wheat) showed high correlation with the sign of live cattle value in the state of Sao Paulo.

In desalination process, besides the potable water, highly salty and pollutant water (brine) is generated, which can be used for producing crops since it is carefully monitored. In order to test this hypothesis, bell pepper plants, cv. 'Margarita', were grown in coconut fiber substrate under greenhouse and were irrigated with nutrient solutions prepared with tap water, brine from desalination plant, and its dilution with tap water at 75, 50 and 25%, giving a range of electrical conductivities of the nutrient solution (ECs) of 2.6, 3.1, 6.6, 10.0 and 12.2 dS m-1 after the dilutions and fertilizers addition. Completely randomized blocks design was used with 5 treatments (salinity levels of the nutrient solutions) and six replications. Leaf area, number of marketable fruit, total and marketable yield were reduced with ECs increase. The marketable yield of bell pepper 'Margarita' reduced 6.3% for each unitary increase of ECs above 2.6 dS m-1 (threshold salinity) and the results suggest that in hydroponic system, the reduction of marketable yield with increasing ECs is promoted by reduction of the number of fruits per plant instead of a reduction of fruit mean weight.

"Caatinga", dominant vegetation in Brazilian semiarid, has suffered severe degradation process, triggered, among other reasons, by the traditional agricultural and extractive activities. The need to conserve the environment and natural resources in agricultural and forestry activities, led to search for alternatives to conventional production. In this context, agroforestry systems, that integrate trees with crops and livestock, are an alternative operating sustainably. With the aim of studying the potential for preservation tree species of the "Caatinga" in an agrosilvopasture system in semiarid, in Sobral-CE, was evaluated the relatives density, frequency and dominance, the importance value index and the Shannon e Wiener index, of the woody component of this system. It was found that the vegetation management practices of trees and shrubs used in the system decrease density, and interfered in height and diameter distribution of individuals in relation to the original vegetation of the Caatinga. However, these practices were effective in preserving the wealth of flora species of trees and shrubs, similar to the area of native vegetation reserve. Cordia oncocalyx was the species with the highest number of individuals in the system, also showing highest importance value, followed by Mimosa caesalpiniifolia. The family Leguminosae was the most representative. The Shannon index shows that this agrosilvopasture system has the potential to promote an intermediate level of conservation among the "Caatinga" vegetation remnants and disturbed areas in this biome.

This paper presents the results of a taxonomic study of the family Poaceae held in Parque Nacional Serra de Itabaiana, with the objective of contributing to the knowledge of species richest of the Park. The PARNA Serra de Itabaiana (10 45'15''S and 37 25'15''O) is located in the state of Sergipe and covers an area of 7966 ha which includes three units, the serra do Cajueiro, Comprida and de Itabaiana. Collections were made between April 2006 and April 2008 and deposited in UFP, ASE, MO, and RB. Information on distribution have been raised from herbaria, literature and databases available on the Internet. We identified 40 species in the PARNA classified into 19 genera, the richest of which is Paspalum L., with eight species. Five species had their distribution extended in this work. A key to identify the species is presented, as well as comments on distribution and ecology.

The blossom-end rot of tomato is characterized by the appearance of a necrotic tissue in the distal part of the fruit. This disorder is not caused directly by the calcium deficiency, but it results from the expression of some genes in stress conditions. Interactions between temperature, water availability, high saline or ammonium concentration, etc., control the appearance of the blossom-end rot in the fruits. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the influence calcium and ammonium on the productivity and blossom-end of tomatoes grown hydroponically. The experiment was carried out in the green house of the Department of Agronomy of the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, and consisted of factorial arrangement between six levels of calcium and two levels of ammonium in the nutrient solution (6 x 2), with six replications in experimental design of randomized blocks. Calcium treatments were the concentrations of 120, 140, 170, 200, 240 and 280 mg L-1, and ammonium treatments were the absence of this cation in the nutrient solution and the addition of 28.4 mg L-1, corresponding to 15% of total-N of the nutrient solution. The blossom-end rot, productivity, fruit diameter and number of fruits were evaluated. The data were submitted to the analysis of the variance and regression. The calcium addition caused a reduction in the tomato productivity, and the treatments with ammonium caused a lesser incidence of blossom-end rot.

Aiming to evaluate the nodulation and grain yield by cowpea inoculated with rhizobia isolates obtained of soil samples from Brazilian Northeast region, an experiment was carried out in Leonard jars under greenhouse conditions. The experiment was performed on a randomized block design with five replicates and five sampling times, performed at 15, 30, 45, 60 and 75 days after emergence (DAE). Nine rhizobia isolates and the recommended strain (BR 2001) were inoculated on cowpea. Besides, it were used two control treatment: mineral nitrogen (TN, applying 150 mg N plant-1) and an absolute control (T0). Evaluating the number of nodules per plant (NN), nodule dry mass (NDM), plant dry matter (PDM), Accumulated N (Nac), grain dry mass (GDM) and straw dry mass of pods (DMP). Results showed that the NN, NDM, PDM and Nac content increased until 45 DAE. Although variations had been occurred after 60 DAE for these parameters, significant difference was only found for Nac content at 75 DAE. Evaluated parameters (NN, NDM, PDM and Nac) showed a high correlation with GDM. Although no statistical difference had been observed to the strain BR 2001, five of the nine Bradyrhizobia isolates provided GDM production from 1.6 to 2.4 times more than the recommended strain, indicating high potential of use of these isolates as inoculant. However, further experiments are needed, mostly under field conditions to confirm these results.