Soil microbial biomass (SMB) is considered a significant nutrient pool in soils, that may be associated to changes in the vegetation cover. In order to estimated the SMB C and N contents, six treatments were installed in mature forests (F), 8-year-old mixed plantations of indigenous tree species (P), and abandoned pastures (G), at both the flooding (V) and the sloping (M) areas of the Poço das Antas Biological Reserve, an Atlantic Rain Forest remnant of ca. 5,200ha. Soil samples were collected at the layers 0-2.5cm, and were incubated to also measure soil respiration rates. There was no significant difference among the treatments for SMB-C content and for the soil respiration rate, but the plantation on the flooding area showed a higher value for SMB-N than that on the sloping area plantation. Higher values of metabolic quotient (qCO2) and of Cmic:Nmic ratio suggest the plantation on the sloping area has a lower stability than the plantation on the flooding area.

The search to exotic fruits by the consumers and producers have in creasing in the latest years. The commercialization in CEAGESP is being similar to the flowers, that are an important part. The dovialis can be used in this way and the present research was conduced due the ausence of technical information about this culture. Evaluate the influence of the temperature on percentage of germination of seeds of this plant. The experiment was conduced in the Laboratory of Seeds, located in the Department of Vegetable Production, of FCAV - UNESP - Campus of Jaboticabal/SP, using seeds that were extracted from ripe fruits of dovialis trees, washed, placed to dry on shade and so conditioned in gerbox, being realized 4 replications with 10 seeds in each one and the treatments were composed by 4 temperatures: 15, 20, 25 and 35ºC, in a experimental delineation entirely randomized. The values of percentage of germination were transformed in arc sen x/ 100 . The averages were compared by the test of Tukey, with 5% of probability. Were realized daily evaluations of the number of germinated seeds, being the percentage of germination represented by the adding of the obtained plants, and the VIG was calculated according to Maguire (1962). Through the obtained results in this research, can be concluded that the temperatures of 20 and 25ºC were the most appropriated to a higher and faster germination for the specie in study.

The objective of evaluating the effect of salinity water irrigation of the for vegetative phase of castor culture, it was developed a greenhouse experiment at Environmental SciencesDepartment of UFERSA. The experimental delineating used was entirely randomized with six treatments and three replications. The soil utilized was eutrofic red-yellow latossol and the treatments were six waters with different salinity levels (0,5; 1,0; 1,5; 2,0; 2,5; 3,0 dS·m-1). The cropping was carried out with the BRS 149-Nordestina variety. The variables evaluated were: chemical-physical characteristics of the soil (pH, electrical conductivity, Ca, Mg e Na), and in the plant, the plant height, stalk diameter, fresh and dry matter. It was observed that the soil under went the influence of the waters utilized: the pH, Electrical Conductivity and changeable Na with the water salinity. With the increase of the salinity, the plant development decreased.

The refrigeration is considered the most recommendable physical process to extend the shelf-life of fruits further control pathogens development. The demand for alternative postharvest disease management practices that could reduce consumer and environmental risks has increased in recent years like the use of sanitation products. The aim of this work was to evaluate the efficacy of chlorine dioxide associated with refrigeration on the control of Fusarium pallidoroseum. The effect of 8 different temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 ºC) on the pathogen development and the effectiveness of chlorine dioxide to control F. pallidoroseum were evaluated. The best performance was obtained at 30 ºC. The temperatures of 10 ºC and 40 ºC inhibited completely the mycelial growth and sporulations, in spite of don't be lethal for F. paliidoroseum that recover its normal development when transferred to room temperature. Melons were treated with chlorine dioxide at 10 ug.mL-1. Inoculums contained 107 conidia/mL were applied onto wound on fruit surface and then stored in three different environment: room temperature (29 ± 1 ºC), low temperature (10 ± 2 ºC) during 16 days and low temperature during the whole time, evaluating every other day the incidence and severity during 28 days. The refrigeration inhibited the lesion development. Under refrigeration chlorine dioxide reduced 54 % of incidence and severity, while at room temperature just around 14 % of incidence comparing to control. Chlorine dioxide associated to refrigeration may contribute in an efficient way to integrated control of postharvest disease in melon.

The burning of the sugar cane for occasion of the harvest causes an expressive volatilization of the sulfur contained in the vegetable material, worsening possible deficiencies of this nutritious the short and average term. The goal of this research was to evaluate and to determine the critical levels of sulfur in soils using the mineral gypsium as sulfur source. They were installed four field rehearsals in different class texturais soils. In all rehearsals the experimental delineation employee was blocks at random. The treatments in each rehearsal they constituted of the combination of five doses of mineral gypsium and three chemical extractors, with three repetitions. They evaluated the treatments at thirty days after the application of the sulfur doses in the depths 0-0,2m of sampling. The sulfur doses were defined from need to calagem, for the layer 0,4-0,6 m of depth. With the results of recovered sulfur and production of the sugar cane, they were certain the critical levels of sulfur in the soil. The ammonium acetate extractor in acetic acid extracted more sulfur in loamy soils, of low values of P-rem and with larger contents of organic matter, while the calcium chloride extractor introduced sulfur extraction smaller power, at the same terms. Already the calcium phosphate, contend match and in the presence of acetic acid, extracted efficiently, independent sulfur of physical and chemical characteristics of the soils. The critical levels of sulfur in the soil were increasing in loamy soils, of low values of P-rem and with larger contents of organic matter.

The objective of work was evaluated four methods of superation of dormancy in Jitirana (Merremia aegyptia). The treatments used were: 1- Checking, 2 - Submersion in the hot water at 80ºC by one minute, 3 - Mechanic escarification by five minutes; 4 - Submersion in the sulfuric acid by six minutes, 5 - Submersion in the sulfuric acid by ten minutes. The experimental design was completely randomized with four replications. The plot was formed by sample with 50 seeds. The traits evaluated were: fresh weight, dry weight, height of seedling, length of root, percentage of germination and index of velocity of germination. The seeds treated with sulfuric acid showed bigger percentage of germination. The treatments with mechanic escarification and sulfuric acid (10 minutes) showed bigger index of velocity of germination.

The aim of this work was to verify the effects of Lithothamnium (Concinal Fertilizador®) in different substrates. The experiment was carried out at plant formation area at Federal University of Lavras orchard, testing the following doses of Lithothamnium: 0; 2; 4; 6; and 8 kg m-3 in two compositions of substrates: A (organic compost + sand + soil at 1:1:3 volume proportion) and B (Plantmax + sand + soil at 1:1:3 volume proportion). The randomized blocks was 5 x 2, with 4 repetititons, and 5 plants for plot. The following characteristics had been evaluated: length of the aerial part (CPA), length of the system to radicular (CR), leaf number (NF), dry substance of the aerial part (MSPA) and dry substance of the root (MSR). For seedling production of passion fruit, Lithothanium was good option for growth of passion fruit seedling, and the substrate B promoted best plants.

The effects of salinity on the plant are first noticed during the germination process. Therefore, the aim of this work was to evaluate germination and initial development stage of melon plants hybrids (Mandacaru and Vereda) in different levels of salinity of irrigation water. Research was conduted at the Seed Analysis Laboratory of the Department of Crop Science of the UFERSA from February to April 2007. The treatments were organized in a completely randomized design in factorial scheme 2 x 6 (two hybrids of melon plant Mandacaru and Vereda, and six levels of electrical conductivity of irrigation water: 0,45; 1,95; 3,45; 4,95; 6,45 and 7,95 dSm-1), with four replicates. Evaluation of speed of emergence-index, height of the aerial part of the seedling, dry mass of the aerial part of the seedling and seedling emergence. Compared to the Vereda Hybrid, the Mandacaru proved to be the most tolerant to salinity due to higher estimates of the speed of emergenceindex, height of the aerial part of the seedling, dry mass of the aerial part of the seedling and seedling emergence in different levels of salinity of irrigation water.

Prickly pear has great potential for biomass production in agroecosystems of the semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil. However, this crop has a relatively high cost of planting, therefore, studies have aimed at management practices that optimize its fodder production for the greatest possible period of time. The present work was conducted within a 19-year old prickly pear field and had the objective of evaluating the effects of different planting densities (5,000 and 10,000 plants ha-1) and harvest intensities (preservation of primary or secondary cladodes during harvest) on biomass production and soil fertility. However, the preservation of secondary cladodes during harvest led to greater biomass production within the density of 5,000 plants ha-1. Fertilization with 20 t ha-1 of manure at 2-year intervals, increased ( P < 0.05 ) soil total N content ( Nt ) and also soil P extracted by the Mehlich-1 method, in relation to soil under native vegetation in an area adjacent to the prickly pear field. However, soil K extracted by Mehlich-1 the method, was lower in the area cultivated with prickly pear, in spite of the manure applications, showing that there is a need to add K from another source, as a way of maintaining long term levels of this nutrient in the soil.

The Objective this work was to evaluate the interaction of the amount and salinity of irrigation water in the floral efficiency of the Green Dwarfish coconut tree, in the area of the coastal boards of the Northeast of Brazil. The study was driven in the experimental station of EMPARN, located in Parnamirim - RN, in the period of August of 2002 to September of 2003. The studied factors were four irrigation sheets, based on the evaporation of tank class "A" (30, 60, 90 and 120% of the evaporation of the tank) and four salinity levels in the irrigation water (0,1; 5,0; 10,0 and 15,0 dS.m-1). The experimental design was entirely random with subdivided portions and regression analysis with answer surface. The number of feminine flowers grows with the increment of the irrigation amount, reducing the negative effect of the applied saline levels. The relationship flower / picked fruit reduces with the increase of the saline levels, while the interaction of the largest irrigation sheets with the smallest saline levels results in a growth in the number of flowers emitted by picked fruits. The production in biomass of the fruits grows positively with the increase of the irrigation sheets and it reduces with the increase of the saline levels and the interaction of the smaller saline levels with the largest irrigation sheets produce the largest weights of registered fruits. As reaction the water with high salinity to the plant of the coconut tree answers with the increase of the efficiency of the bloomed related the crop of fruits, in other words, it emits less flowers to obtain the same production that in appropriate conditions of cultivation.