The goal of the present study was to evaluate the nutritional state of ten arboreal plants occurring at Paraíba's Semi-Árido aiming to contribute to the nutritional diagnosis of Caatinga's species, advice on soil fertilization and the resulting betterment of environmental quality in those areas. To this end, leaves and twigs samples of the species angico(Piptadenia macrocarpa Benth), aroeira (Astronium urundeuva Engl), umbueiro (Spondias tuberosa Arruda) mofumbo(Combretum leprosum Mart.), pereiro (Aspidosperma pyrifolium Mart), pau d' arco (Tabebuia serratifolia Nichols.), marmeleiro (Croton sonderianus Mull. Arg.), craibeira (Tabebuia caraiba Mart. Burt.), tamboril (Enterolobium contortisiqua Mart.) and umburana (Torresia cearensis) were taken for the essaying of these species nutritional state. The collected material was firstly dried and grinded to determine the levels of macronutrients N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S and micronutrients, Cu, Fe, Mn, Zn. The results evinced that the evaluated species showed comparable levels of macro andmicronutrients, when confronted with the nutritional diagnosis of other arboreal species.

To evaluate litter production monthly, a experiment was carried in RPPN Fazenda Tamanduá, Santa Terezinha (PB), from august/2005 to july/2006. The litter collectors of 1m x1m were distributed in a well preserved Caatinga forest sister. Litter was fractioned into leaves, stems, reproductive structures and miscellany, and then dried and weighed. Estimated total litter production in the twelve month was 2.283,97 kg ha-1, being 65,09% leaves, 25,41% stems, 8,72% reproductive structures and 0,87% miscellany. The magnitude of litter deposition was leaves > stems > reproductive structures > miscellany, with deposition seasonality, with deposition peacs in the sainy season begin.

In order to evaluate the effects of two doses of organics composts of two different origins in the lettuce yield was conduced this work. The composts, originated from mixture of straw brachiaria seed, cattle manure and chicken manure. The composting was conduced by 35 days with monitoring of temperature. Lettuce yield was evaluated in experiment carried during 30 days. The chicken manure compost increased lettuce yield in the two doses evaluated. The cattle manure compost didn¿t increased the growth of lettuce in the larger dose. The chicken manure compost, with 35 days, was recommeded for utilization in the fertilization of lettuce with increments in the yeld.

This study aimed at knowing the diversity of fruit fly species (Diptera: Tephritidae) and discussing the influence of abiotic factors on the population fluctuation of these species on a guava (Psidium guajava L.) orchard in Russas, CE. Two McPhail traps baited with protein hydrolisate at 5% were set up on the orchard. The traps were serviced weekly and all the insects captured were transported to the laboratory where the fruit flies were separated from other insects, counted and preserved in alcohol (70%). The survey was carried out from January to December 2003. Tephritids were identified at the Laboratório de Moscas-das-Frutas at UFERSA, in Mossoró (RN). Population fluctuation was calculated based on the number of flies/trap/day, considering the total number of males and females of Anastrepha and Ceratitis. Climate data used in this study were obtained from CENTEC weather station. The correlation between population fluctuation and abiotic factors was analyzed using Spearman correlation coefficient at the 5% level. A total of 1,164 fruit flies belonging to four species were captured - Anastrepha zenildae Zucchi (77.45%), A. sororcula Zucchi (18.69%), A. obliqua (Macquart) (0.15%) and Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) (3.71%). Among the abiotic factors, temperature and relative humidity were the ones that most indirectly influenced the population fluctuation of fruit flies. However, the availability of host fruits is the preponderant factor that determines the populational peaks of fruit fly species throughout the year on this guava orchard in Russas (CE).

The experiment was carried out at Plant Health Department of the Escola Superior de Agricultura de Mossoró, ESAM during the period of October to November of 2003, with the objective of evaluating the effect of different saline solution leveis on seed germination and development of seediings of song-thrush (Mimosa caesalpiniiflolia Benth.). A completely randomized experimental design was used with four treatments and four replicatíons of fifty seeds. The treatments consísted ofthree saline solutions (of 10, 20 and 30 dS/m) pius a control (0.614 dS/m). The seeds were incubated in sterilized sand into wood packing-case. The evaluated traits were emergency percentage, Índex of emergency speed, seediing height, number of leaves and seedlings fresh and dry mass. The increase of the leveis of solution salinity decreased the seediing height and Índex of emergency speed, besides of influencing on seed emergency percentage.

Is a native species of the Brazilian half-barren, pertaining to the family Anacardiaceae Lindl., being of importance socioeconomic for the populations of these regions. With intention to supply subsidies that contribute for optimum knowledge of the species, the present work has for objective the histochemistry characterization of leaflets of Spondias tuberosa Arruda. For this study cuts of the transversal from medium portion of leaflets, submitting them later the diverse reagents and corantings. The analyses had evidenced the starch granule presence, oxalate of calcium crystals, greasy composites, resins, phenolic composites and tannins. Mucilages peptics and reducing sugars had not been found in no tissues to leaflet. One expects that the results of the histochemistry tests serve as elements to qualitative comparison for identification of phytotherapeutics drugs and to the prospection of the principle(s) active(s) of the vegetable.

The present work has as objective to determine and compare the variation of basic density of peroba's wood throughout the Aspidosperma polineuron, that specie belongs to Apocynaceae's family, known popularly as Peroba. The sample was carried in three selected trees at random form in dense Ombrófila¿s forest in Apiuna and President Nereus Ramos/SC. The trees were knocked and they had their changeable dendrometrics measured. The basic density was determined in samples of 1,5 x 1,5 x 5 cm, removed of the internal part of the record (cerne) and the external part (alburnum), having been these collected the height of chest (DAP), 0%, 10%, 50%, 75% and 95% of morphologic inversion's point. Above this, two samples with branches called G1 and G2 were colleted. The basic density was gotten through the relation between the dry weight and the green volume of samples, revealing increasing of the base for the top of the tree. In the accomplishment of variance's performance (ANOVA) was not able to be verified significant differences between the averages of densities throughout the log and the branches. The average basic density was 0, 66 gcm3. The uniformity found for basic density throughout the stem is a characteristic that confers the specie stability and security for its use in structural projects, however it´s necessary deeper studies to better scientific fundaments of its physical and technological properties.

This experiment had for objective to evaluate some parameters of quality of the bee honey (Apis mellífera L.) produced by IAGRAM and commercialized in the city of Mossoró-RN. For this, 19 honey samples had been collected in the local market, these were analyzed, in the Chemistry Laboratory of the Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), how much to the color, humidity, total acidity, reducing sugars, apparent sucrose and diastase activity. It was utilized districted statistics for analysis of date, with shunting line standard, reliable interval and distribution of frequency. The honeys sample presented the colors clearly extra amber (5,2%), amber (5,2%) and dark amber (89,4%). The honey samples presented normal standard established for the Brazilian Legislation as humidity percentage (14,3 18.6%) and reducing sugars (66,9 75.0%). About 5,2% and 42% of the analyzed honey samples, not presented, respectively, apparent sucrose content and total acidity, as the standard established for commercialization as floral honey. The diastase activity was remained inside of the quality standard.

Aiming to evaluate the genetic divergence among castor bean accessions through collections of racemos with seeds of ten municipalities in the State of Alagoas in the year 2007. The variables were analyzed: weight of 100 seeds (W100), weight of the 100 seed coats (WC100); transversal (TLS) and longitudinal lengths of the seed (LLS); raceme length (LR); e content oil of the seeds (OCS). For the evaluation of genetic divergence was used the principal components analysis and the cluster were made using the Tocher method. Phenotypic correlations between the variable and the altitude (ALT) of the collection places were also carried through. Exist significant divergence between the accessions, indicated for the two first principal components, that explained 82.15% of the existing variability. The variables W100 and WC100 were those that more contributed for the observed divergence. Four groups were formed by Tocher' methodology, showing possibilities of future works to explore the variability found in castor bean accessions. The correlations were positive between some variables, like the altitude, that seems to have especially influenced the W100 variable, but not on OCS.

Stachytarpheta coccinea Schauer (Verbenaceae) is recorded for the first time to the Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazilian Northeast. This species was found in Caatinga vegetation especially at the region Western of the State. Description, geographic distribution and illustrations to the species are presented.