The objective of this work was to characterize plants and fruits of native muricy (Byrsonima verbascifolia Rich. former. Juss), a tropical underutilized and endangered fruit tree in a coastal area of Northeast Brazil. There were evaluated the main biometric parameters of 20 plants and 200 fruits collected from a natural occurring area in Alagoas. The fresh fruits weight 1,21 g in average, the longitudinal and transversal diameter of the fruits were, respectively, 8,5 mm and 7,4 mm with an average income of 63% of pulp. The fresh mass of the fruit was proportional to the amount of pulp (r = 0,605; P < 0,05), indicating an interesting potential to select elite trees with fruit quality for futures works on genetic improvement.

Jatropha curcas crop is raising attention as an alternative crop for oil and biodiesel production. Despite the knowledge about their nutritional demand is essential for fertilizer recommendation, few research has been made on this issue, mainly on the use de zinc and copper. In order to measures these elements concentration in leaves and stems of Jatropha curcas plant two experiments were carried out in a greenhouse, in Campina Grande, Paraiba State, Brazil, from July to December 2007. The substrate for the pot plants was a 5 mm-sieved surface soil(Neossolo Quartzarênico). The experimental design was a completely randomized with three replications. The treatments of first and second experiment were composed of five levels of Zn (0; 2; 4; 6 and 8 mg dm-3) and five levels of Cu (0; 1; 2; 3; and 4 mg dm-3) which were applied at the time of planting. One plant of Jatropha curcas was grown per pot after thinning and was irrigated whenever necessary. At 80, 100 and 120 days after planting were collected the 4 th. leaves of each plant; at the end of the experimental period, all the leaves and stems were collected separately and in any plant material were determined the levels of zinc and copper. Under conditions that the experiments were carried out the treatments Zn influenced the content of the element found in the fourth leaf of the plant, collected at 100 days after sowing, and they deemed appropriate. The treatments with copper influenced in a positive manner the content of the element found in the fourth leaf collected 80, 100 and 120 DAS, however, the levels of the element at all times and in all parts of the plants were very low.

A field experiment was developed in the period of April of 2000 to May of 2002, at the Experimental Station of Jiqui pertaining to the Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária do Rio Grande do Norte - EMPARN, Parnamirim city, state of Rio Grande do Norte. The work had as objective to evaluate the effects of nitrogen and potassium applied through irrigation water on the nutritional state of green dwarf coconut tree (Cocos nucifera L). The treatments had consisted of the combination through the experimental matrix of Plan Puebla III, 5 doses of N and 5 doses of K2O both oscillating of 135 the 2565 g plant -1 year -1 derived of the urea and white potassium chloride. The used experimental A field experiment was developed in the period of April of 2000 to May of 2002, at the Experimental Station of Jiqui pertaining to the Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária do Rio Grande do Norte - EMPARN, Parnamirim city, state of Rio Grande do Norte. The work had as objective to evaluate the effects of nitrogen and potassium applied through irrigation water on the nutritional state of green dwarf coconut tree (Cocos nucifera L). The treatments had consisted of the combination through the experimental matrix of Plan Puebla III, 5 doses of N and 5 doses of K2O both oscillating of 135 the 2565 g plant -1 year -1 derived of the urea and white potassium chloride. The used experimental delineation was of blocks at random with 4 repetitions and 5 plants for plots totalizing 40 experimental units. The plantation was made in the triangular spacing of 7.5 m between plants and 7.5 m between lines. When the plants were with 4, 4.5 and 5 years had been made three foliar material collections in two plants for parcel in 9 and 14 number leaves. With the results of the analyses proceeding from these collections they had extracted to the averages and was made the statistics analysis. In the samples, they were determined the N, K, P, Ca, Mg and Cl concentrations. Only the N presented concentration below of the critical level, the other P, K, Ca, Mg and Cl nutrients had presented its concentrations above of this level. There was not trend defined between 9 and 14 levels in relation to the N, P, K, Ca, Mg and Cl concentration. The N concentrations had increased proportionally and linearly and to the amount of N applied. The K concentrations had increased proportionally of quadratic form to the amount of applied N. The K concentrations had increased of quadratic form proportionally to the K doses and linearly to the N doses. There was no effect of the N and K doses on the Ca proportions, the Mg concentrations of Mg had diminished linearly with the rise of the N and K doses. The Cl concentrations had increased with the rise in the N and K doses. Considering the evaluated nutrients and the shown leaves, it is possible affirm that the plants were nutritiously were balanced.

Opuntia ficus-indica Mill. is cultivated extensively a fodder species and for fruit in many countries. The seeds have a lignified covering that protects them against adverse environmental factors, however it hinders germination. Objective was to determine to determine an efficient, practical and low-cost methodology to break seed dormancy. These were submitted to the following treatments: control (intact seeds) (T1); mechanical scarification with number 80 water sandpaper for ten minutes (T2); sulfuric acid immersion for 3, 5 and 10 minutes (T3, T4 e T5, respectively); e 80ºC water immersion for 3, 5 e 10 minutes (T6, T7, e T8, respectively). The experimental design was entirely random, with eight treatments and four repetitions. The appraised characteristics were: emergence percentage first count and velocity index and seedling dry mass. The mechanical scarification with number 80 water sandpaper for ten minutes effectively broke the O. ficus indica seed dormancy.

The aim was to survey the floristic, structure and to characterize data of Capparis flexuosa L. in an area in the semi-arid of Paraiba State. Ninety-nine contiguous parcels of 10 m X 10 m have been established for measured standing specimens whose trunk measured ¿ 3 cm of diameter at ground level (DNS) and whose total height was ¿ 1 m. The index of diversity of Shannon-Wiener (H') and equability of Pielou (J'), density, frequency, dominance, Value of Covering (VC), Value of Importance (VI), diameter-class and height-class were calculated. It was verified that plant mean density was 2879 ind.ha-1, with 2850 individuals belonging to 22 species, 18 genera and 12 families. H' = 1.75 nats.ind-1. The value J' = 0.57 showed an ununiformity in the species distribution in the studied parcels. Capparis flexuosa was the fourth species with greatest relative density (6.04%) and relative frequence (12.43%) indicating a good distribution in the studied area; the first in relative dominance (26.03%), the third in VC (16.03%) and the fourth in VI (14.83%), suggesting that this species is well adapted to the edafoclimatic conditions of the studied area. We observed that 1.975 individuals were found between 3-6 cm of diameter and 2716 between 2.01 - 5 m height.

With the objective in determine the contribution of the clay and of the organic matter for CTC of the soils of the State of Alagoas, with base in data of the rising exploratory-recognition done by JACOMINE et al.,(1975) 265 representative samples were used of the horizons A and B of 64 profiles of the different areas of the State. The CTC of the fraction clay corrected by the organic matter is presented by area and in the general for the State: Coast CTCargila = CTCsolo - (% C x 4,4) /% clay x 100; Forest CTCargila = CTCsolo - (% C x 4,7) /% clay x 100; Rural CTCargila = CTCsolo - (% C x 5,6) /% clay x 100; Interior CTCargila = CTCsolo - (% C x 4,7) / %argila x 100; São Francisco CTCargila = CTCsolo - (% C x 3,1) /% clay x 100; General CTCargila = CTCsolo - (% C x 4,6) /% clay x 100;. It is presentedre a presentative model of equation for determination of CTC of the fraction clay (Targ) and of 1 gram of carbon (TC) (cmolc clay kg-1) for the State of Alagoas: Targ (Y) = 17,27 - 1,0976ArgB + 0,01276ArgB2 + 4,9748TB - 0,05526ArgB.TB (R2 = 0,989) and TC (Y) = 1,2189 - 0,0531ArgA + 0,0722ContA (R2 = 0,664). It's presented average, medium, minimum, maximum, standard deviation, asymmetry and curtose of the clay tenor, organic carbon, CTC and contribution of the organic carbon for area and in the general for the State, being also applied for CTC of the clay (Targ) and CTC of 1 gram of carbon (TC).

The culture of the castor bean comes as a promising alternative for the producing of the semi-arid Northeasterner, mainly for to present characteristics as adaptation to the climatic conditions and to present in seeds they nourish chemistries of addition importance for production of Biodiesel, however, they are still scarce studies on techniques handling of this culture, mainly as the manuring This work driven with the objective of evaluating the initial development of the castor bean submitted to different sources and doses of organic matter. The used design was it entirely randomized in factorial outline 2 x 5, with three replications. The treatments were composed by the combination of two sources (manure bovine and manure ovine) and five tenors of organic matter in the composition of the substratum (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40). The appraised growth indexes were: plant height, number of leaves, stem diameter and fitomassa of the aerial part. The castor bean answered the sources and the studied doses significantly, as well as the interaction among these factors. Answer was verified forms quadratic the doses of bovine and lineal manure to the doses of manure ovine. The largest development of the plants was verified with bovine manure, in close tenors of 30%.

Despite the mineral fertilization is an important factor for increasing castor beans yield, few researches has been made on this issue, mainly on the use de zinc and copper. In order to evaluate the effects of these elements on the nutritional status of castor bean plant two experiments were carried out in a greenhouse. The substrate for the pot plants was a 5 mm-sieved surface soil (Neossolo Quartzarênico). The experimental design was a completely randomized with three replications. The treatments of first composed of five levels of Zn (0; 2; 4; 6 and 8 mg dm-3) and second experiment were composed of five levels of Cu (0; 1; 2; 3; and 4 mg dm-3) which were applied at the time of planting. One plant of castor bean, cultivar BRS 188 - Paraguaçu, was grown per pot after thinning and was irrigated whenever necessary. At 90, 110, and 130 days after planting were collected the 4 th. leaves of each plant; at the end of the experimental period, all the leaves and stems were collected separately and in any plant material were determined the levels of zinc and copper. The Zn levels used affect the Zn level found in the leaves and stem, and this level is considered adequate. Cu treatments affect the Cu level found in the 4 th. leaves collected at 90 and 130 DAP, however, the Cu level in all periods and all parts of plants is low.

The Myracrodruon urundeuva Fr. All. specie is known like aroeira-do-sertão, it belongs to Anacardiaceae family and it can be found in the Caatinga, Cerrado and Pluvial Forest. In the present study was tested on aroeira-do-sertão the water deficit effect under greenhouse conditions in two experimental blocks: the daily irrigation and the other with water deficit. It had tested with four repetitions by treatment and in three point of stem: basal, intermediary and apical. It was registered the data about photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, relative water content and leaf protoplasmatic tolerance. The water deficit produced increment in relative water content in the leaves at the all positions leaves through the stem and reduced the transpiration and photosynthesis rates in the plants. The apical leaves were the most sensitive to the variations of the ambient. When the aroeira-do-sertão leaves were exposured to high temperature, they presented protoplasmatic tolerance mostly in the leaves located at intermediary position in the stem whose growth is complete.

It has been recorded that alternative techniques used to keep the product on and control plagues countwith a concept that is getting better day by day. It is a chilling process of grains. Therefore, a freezing unit was used in order to cool the environmental air before injecting it into the aeration system of the structure that stores the product. This is an strategy applied to reduce the grains¿ temperature to such low values that it can inhibit or even avoid the bugs¿ development, also despite the climatic conditions.. This trial was carried out in a storing Plant from a cooperative named CONTRIGUAÇU, in Palotina-PR, from November, 28th to December, 23th , 2003. Three experimental silos were used. The first one with 5,000 tons static capacity, while the others capacity was of 2,500 tons each. The concluding results showed that the layers reached a final chilling temperature in sequence, which means that, when the first one got into this point the same happened to the next ones. This result points out the existence of a chilling zone that takes part of the inner part of the grains as time passes by due to the temperature gradient among the temperature of the product, the chilling air temperature and the flow of air supplied by the equipment. The specific consume of energy was of 5.12 kW.h/ton of wheat to the first silo and of 4.48 kW.h/ton of wheat the the other ones. It was also recorded the chilling cost, which was of R$ 0.53/ton of chilled wheat.