The objective of this study was to economically compare a corn silage diet supplemented with 1.3 kg/day of concentrate with sugarcane diets supplemented with a 9:1 mixture of urea plus ammonium sulphate and increasing levels o concentrate (1.3, 2.0, or 2.7 kg/day). Twelve Holstein and eight Brown Swiss dairy heifers averaging 176 kg of body weight (BW) in the beginning of the trial were blocked by breed and BW, and within each block, randomly assigned to treatments. Each experimental period lasted 28 days with 21 days for diet adaptation and seven days for data and sample collections. The average prices of feedstuffs in the state of Minas Gerais during the year of 2004 were used in the economical analyses. The sugarcane diet with greatest proportion of concentrate or, forage to concentrate ratio of 45:55 (dry matter basis), can replace corn silage in dairy production systems that plan heifer's birth age close to 24 months of age .

To the evaluate the different alternative foods identify like an agroindustrial by-products through on the total apparent digestibility and digestible nutrients determinations five Criole adult horses were housed in individual metabolism cages. From the reference diet (DR) contained peletized ration and tifton-85 hay, was made the substitution in 30% with weight basis (kg/kg) for each one of the agro industrial by-products, soybean residue (RS), soybean hulls (CS), wheat hulls (CT) and corn hulls (CM). In the digestibility obtained with each one of the alternative foods, the best values were obtained with CT (45.31% crude protein), with RS (78.86% ethereal extract), with CS (82.53% neutral detergent fiber), with CS (85.75% acid detergent fiber), CM (96.92 % non structural carbohydrate), CM (57.18 % total carbohydrate) e CS (57.67 % crude energy). In the determination of nutritional value with each one of the alternative foods, the best values were obtained with CT (7.53 % DCP), RS (5.11 % DEE), CS (53.04 % DNDF), CS (40.77 % DADF), CT (35.82 % DNSC), CM (48.12 % DTC), CM (2101 DEB kcal/kg). It was suggest that all alternative foods tested in this study can be used in the feeding horse, more over, the inclusion level and combination of these by-products in the diets to maximize feed efficiency and mantence of the digestive tract health will be depend on the readiness and regional cost.

Three experiments were conducted in the agricultural year of 2007, aiming to estimate the genetic divergence, using the Mahalanobis' generalized distance, and the test of competition of six populations of corn in the municipalities of Arapiraca, Rio Largo and Viçosa, of Alagoas State. The experimental was in the randomized blocks design with seven treatments and four repetitions. There was the formation of two different groups where, it was conclued that is small genetic divergence between the populations of corn. A group was formed by six populations and the other group by the "Asa Branca" variety. The people "Viçosense" and "Rio Largo" were closer genetically (D2 = 1.70), while the longest distance has been detected among the population Alagoano and witness Asa Branca (D2 = 67.27). The average yield of grains ranged from 2,885 kg ha-1 to 3.461 kg ha-1 in the "São Luiz" and "Viçosense" populations, respectively, with overall average of 3,207 kg ha-1, although not statistically differ.

In the cemented plots, between July/93 and August/94, in the campus of the Federal University of Paraíba, in João Pessoa (lat 7o 02' 30'' S and long 3o 45' 06' W), experiments were carried out as follows: in the plots A, B and C podzolic soil was put into them and amended with 25kg of sugarcane bagass and added 80 earthworms (A), 10kg of bagass and 80 earthworms (B) and unamended and added 40 earthworms (C). The results showed that the sugarcane bagass improved same soil properties, by raising the pH and Ca++, organic C, S.O.M., and N levels. Microbial biomass (BM), in mg CO2-C.100g-1 of soil and microbial activity (MA), in g.year-1, showed a means: (A) BM= 7.88mg and AM= 1.54g; (B) BM= 10.44mg and AM= 1.59g; (C) BM= 3.29mg and AM= 1.25g. Ratio Cmic : Corg were higher in the plots with greater amount of sugarcane bagass (0.84% in A, 0.64% in B, and 0.33% in C). Earthworms population density (individuals.m-2) was initially 13 in the three plots and increased to 35 in A, 40 in B, and to 30 in C respectively. The results obtained here suggest that 10kg of sugarcane bagass enhanced soil microbial biomass and activity, and the earthworm population assayed.

Nematodes are abundant metazoans in all ecosystems with some species surviving in extreme conditions. The sand dunes are dynamic systems and are always in a state of successional change in terms of succession and only recently has the distribution and succession of soil animals in coastal dunes been given wider attention. This research focused on to describe the trophic structure of nematode community associated with two stages of a vegetation succession in a coastal moving sand dunes ecosystem in the north shore of the Rio Grande do Norte State. Five sites were classified in two stages of an ecological succession defined as "beach" and "deflation hollows among dunes" where samples of soil, roots and shoots were collected. Nematodes were extracted from the soil by centrifugal flotation procedure and from the roots by this method associated to blender trituration and classified in families and trophic groups according to feeding habits. The structure of nematode fauna was described by maturity index, plant parasite index and modified maturity index and fungal feeders/bacterial feeders and omnivores+predators/bacterial feeders+fungal feeders+plant parasites rates. The ecosystem was characterized by low diversity of families which composed trophic groups, low values of maturity indexes and omnivores+predators/bacterial feeders+fungal feeders+plant parasites ratio and low abundance of dorylaimids. These datas reflected high level of disturbance which this habitat faces.

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.

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 area of the extreme North of Minas, due to your character ecotone, involves a large number of physiognomies and floristic complexes, but presumably unknown. Thus, the aim of this research was to determine the structure and the floristic composition of an area of arboreal caatinga in Juvenília, Minas Gerais. Hopes to contribute with information that allow, in the future, that is arrived to a classification it aims at and coherent of this vegetation. A sample of 10 (20x20m) plots was allocated (400m2), distributed on a parallel transect to the largest axis of the fragment, and to each 20 meters in this transect two plots were allocated, distanced 10 meters to each other, totaling 0.4ha. All the individuals were registered with CBH (circumference at breast height) > 10cm. In the structure, 36 species with diversity of H' = 2.4 and eqüability of J' = 0.67 were sampled, values middlemen if compared with results of other works developed at Brazilian deciduous seasonal forests. Acacia martii, Caesalpinia pluviosa, Eugenia uniflora and Tabebuia impetiginosa presented the largest values in all the structural parameters analyzed. This links with the high abundance of those species. The community's diameter distributions tended to the normality with smaller amount of individuals in the classes smaller and larger diametric.

The quality of irrigation water is one of the environmental factors that can affect the initial growth of the culture of melon. This study aimed to evaluate the emergence of seedlings of melon, hybrids Goldex and Vereda in different levels of salinity of irrigation water. The study was carried out at the Seed Analysis Laboratory of the Department of Crop Science of the UFERSA, Mossoró, RN, between February and April 2007. The treatments were organized in a completely randomized design in factorial scheme 2 x 6 (two hybrids of melon plant Goldex and Vereda, and six levels of electrical conductivity of irrigation water: 0,45; 1,30; 2,15; 3,00; 3,85; 4,70 dS m-1), with four replications. 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. The salinity interfered in all parameters measured, and that as of 2.5 dS m-1 were more harmful to the hybrid Goldex that Vereda.

This assay was conducted at the Department of Animal Science da Universidade Federal Rural do Semiárido- UFERSA/RN. With the objective to evaluate the effects of the addition of growing levels of jitirana (Merremia aegyptia L.) in the nutritive value of the elephantgrass silage (Pennisetum purpureum Schum). The experimental design used was the completely randomizes with six treatments and three replicates. The treatments consited of corn silage with 0,10,20,30,40 and 50% of jitirana forage. The material remained ensiled for 65 days in experimental silos plastic sacks. And the contents of MS, PB, EE, RM, MO and crude energy (EB) were determined. The increase in the ratio of jitirana resulted into a positive linear effect on the values of PB, RM, EE and EB, and a negative effect on the contents of MS and MO. The addition of up to 50 % of jitirana forage in the mixture of the silage is a viable alternative to the improvement of the nutritive value of Sorghum silage.