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.

This research focused on to test the reaction of cultivars and introductions of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) and varieties of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) to Rotylenchulus reniformis. Two experiments were carried out independently with treatments arranged in a completely randomized design. In the first one 4 cultivars ('Crimson Sweet', 'Charleston Gray', 'Sugar Baby' and 'Omaru Yamato') and 4 introductions ('MO-1 to MO-4') of watermelon were tested and in the second one 9 varieties of cotton ('BRS Ipê', 'BRS Rubi', 'BRS Safira', 'BRS 200 Marrom', 'IAC 23', 'Auburn 2', 'Deltapine 16', 'BRS 187-8H' and 'Deltapine 61'). Each treatment consisted of one genotype with 4 replicates witch consisted of one plant grown in a mixture of sterilized and naturally infested soil by 2.784 and 3.016 vermiform specimens in the first and second experiment, respectively. Cultivars and introductions of watermelon reacted as poor hosts while varieties of cotton reacted as good hosts of R. reniformis.

The knowledge of the parameters of the growth of a culture is of fundamental importance for a rational and efficient nutritional handling. An experiment was carried out during the period of october to december of 2005, in farm of the producing melons region of Assu-Mossoró, with the objective of analyzing the growth of the melon plant Gália fertirrigation with different doses of nitrogen and potassium. The randomized blocks in a factorial scheme (3 x 3), with three replications. The Treatments consisted of combination the three nitrogen doses (N1-42, N2-84 e N3-126 kg ha-1) and potassium (K1-106, K2-212 e K3-322 kg ha-1), being the levels N2 e K2 are most recommended in technical literature, applied for fertirrigation with different irrigation depths (L1 = 1,1.NTI, L2 = 0,9.NTI and L3 = 0,7.NTI). The appraised variables were index of leaf area (IAF), matter dries of the aerial part (MSPA) and the reason of leaf area (RLA). The index of leaf area and I accumulate it of matter dries can be dear for equations polynomials of the second degree. The index of leaf area and the matter accumulation dries were influenced positively by the increment in the doses of applied nutrients and for the irrigation depths. The reason of leaf area of the melon plant is reduced during the cycle of the culture, being influenced by the irrigation depths than for the levels of nitrogen and potassium.

The present work had as objective verifies different methods for evaluation of the physiologic potential of gherkin seeds. Two lots of seeds aged were used artificially, in water, being obtained for each lot, six quality levels. The seeds aged artificially to the temperature of 41ºC by 0, 8, 16, 24, 32 and 45 hours and high relative humidity were submitted to the germination tests, first count of the germination and vigor. The first germination count, accelerated aging (41ºC/48h) and seedling emergence was efficient in evaluating physiological quality of gherkin seeds.

The study of the family Hydrophyllaceae senso latu in the state of Pernambuco, Brazilian Northeastern is presented. It was found only one species, Hydrolea spinosa L., being provided description, besides illustrations, comments based on its morphology, distribution and flowering and fruiting data.

The objective of the present work was to evaluate the entomophauna associated to pigeonpea in the Reconcave Region of Bahia, Brazil. Fifteen day period collections were carried out between September 2004 and October 2005. A total of 4,799 samples represented by 58 species and distributed in six orders and 25 families were collected in experimental plantations. The richest order in species was Hemiptera with 30 species represented by 57.43% of the total of the individuals collected. The Membracidae family was the most abundant with 36.72% of the total of the samples whereas the Enchenopa gracilis species was the most featured with 9.38% of the total. Hymenoptera was the second order regarding richness with 14 species being represented by 37.03% of the individuals. Among the species identified, the Atta and Acromyrmex species were the most damaging to the pigeonpea crop leading to significant losses in the early stages of the crop.

In order to determinate the floristic check-list of a inselberg at the Fazenda Timbaúba (35o52'50.3", 7o1'0.8"), municipality of Esperança/PB, Agreste da Borborema Microregion, were realized the present study. The inselberg flora comprise 127 species, 101 genera and 53 families of wich the Leguminosae family with 17 species showed the higher richness, followed by the Asteraceae (9 spp.), Poaceae (7 spp.), Euphorbiaceae and Orchidaceae (6 spp.) families. Bromeliaceae and Cactaceae, despite of not be the higher richness, are covering extents areas, suggesting a higher importance for those families in inselbergs colonization. Comparing the families with other inselberg floras, 29 of them also were raising in Quixadá/CE, 28 in Pão de Açúcar and 24 in Serra do Mar/RJ inselbergs. The majority of species showed xenomorphic adaptations due hydric stress observed in the Southern and Northeastern Brazilian inselbergs. The differences in the floristic composition, especially at genus and species level seem to result of different speciation pressure what aid the taxa with better adaptation at these environments.

The effect of residual organic fertilization is an essencial tool for maintaining the sustainability of soil fertility in the semi-arid region. This study objectives assess the effect of residual organic fertilization on the income of mass drought and absorption of nutrient by sorghum grown in Entisol which for six years has received application of caprine manure or green fertilization with crotalaria and cultivated with potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). In the cultivation of potato annually the treatments consisted of planting and incorporation of the Crotalaria juncea L. at the time of flowering (C); addition of 15 t ha-1 of caprine manure (E); Planting and incorporation of crotalaria + 7,5 t ha-1 manure (CE); and witness without crotalaria or manure (T) with four repetitions. The treatments receiving application of manure provided the largest accumulations of N, P and K by sorghum. The effect of residual organic fertilization favored larger increase in the production of dry sorghum in the crops first and second. The annual organic fertilization of potato increased the levels of P and K in the soil swappable which influenced the growth of sorghum in subsequent cultivation. The manure shows high potential to be used as organic fertilizer in the region. However the planting and the incorporation of biomass of crotalaria without the addition of manure in addition to nitrogen not contributed the nutrient content of soil.

The green fertilizing has been used to improve the physical-chemical properties of soil, to help the benefic microorganisms, to increase the organic matter and essentially to put the nutrients available to the plants. The objective of this work was to evaluate the production of fitomassa and the macronutrients contents of scarlet starglory in different phonological stages. An experiment was carried out in the agricultural year of 2005, in a completely randomized design with eight treatments and five replications. The treatments consisted of following phenological stages: 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105 and 120 days after seed germination of scarlet starglory. Plants of scarlet starglory were taken randomly, with a quadrate of 1.0 m x 1.0 m, and cut at 0.10 m from the soil level. The highest production of fitomass was obtained from 112 days after seed germination of scarlet starglory, with mean weight of fresh mass of 32.69 t ha-1. However, the content of dry matter was 11.07% of the fresh mass at 120 days after germination. The highest contents of N, P and K were obtained of plants with 15 days. Based on these results, it may be possible to use the scarlet starglory as a green fertilizer in the semi-arid condition of Rio Grande do Norte state.