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.

This work makes a approach of the familiar agriculture of the Assentamento Redonda in the City of Icapuí in the State of the Ceará, objectifying tytisy to identify, to classify the familiar agriculturists having for base the survival strategies put in practical for these actors in the process of local development. The methodology adopted in the work searched to make possible adequate knowledge of the agricultural activity and the agricultural agriculturist, through the analysis of economic performance and parameters that they make possible to measure the stimulus to the investment in the production, as well as the degrees of integration to the market and specialization of the production. In accordance with the gotten results, in the studied locality, the properties are considered integrated to the market and possess greater specialization in the cattle production and of cashew chestnut. Between the studied producers, it has low stimulus to invest in the farming production; this if must to the fact from that the majority of the income of the seated ones is proceeding from other sources as: retirements, pensions, stock market family (bolsa família), wages and others, what it becomes the agricultural activity relatively less attractive. Words Key: Tipificação, Familiar Agriculture, System of Production, Icapuí-ce.

In order to evaluate the response of Nitrogen and Simple super phosphate fertilization in the growth of yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarpa Deneger) seedling an experiment was carried out at shady chamber (50%) at Agricultural Department of Universidad Federal de Lavras (UFLA). A randomized block design was used with factorial scheme 4x4, with four replications and five plants by plot. It was used 4 doses of Nitrogen (0; 800; 1600 and 3200 mg N dm-3 of substrate) and 4 SS doses (0; 2,5; 5,0; and 10,0 kg m-3 of substrate. It was evaluated the characteristics: high of plants ( cm), root length (cm) number of leaves/plants, dry matter of aerial part and root (g/plant). ). It was verified that the nitrogen fertilization in cover warranty best quality in production of plants of yellow passion fruit. The simple super phosphate not showed good results substrate formulation to formation of seedlings of yellow passion fruit.

This paper reports the first occurrence of Hoplolaimus galeatus associated to banana (Musa sp.) var. "Gran Naine" rhizosphere in Ceará State, Brazil.

The objective of this experiment was evaluate the effect of nitrogen nonproteic (NNP), that is urea and ammonia sulphate, replace to soybean meal in the supplementation of milk cows fed with differed buffel grass and cactus forage. The work was carried out at IPA - Experimental Station in Serra Talhada - PE. Eight cows were fed in a 7.5 ha area, four from the Guzera race and four from the 5/8 Holstein/Zebu. They were supplied with 38 kg of cactus forage (P) and soybean meal (FS), being replaced by urea + ammonia sulphate (U+SA). The experimental design was the Latin Square, and the treatments were P + FS (1.69 kg FS); P + 2/3FS + 1/3U (1.13 kg FS + 97 g U+SA); P + 1/3FS + 2/3U (0.56 kg FS + 195 g U+SA) e P+U (292 g U+SA). The 5/8 Holstein/Zebu cows were more productive than the Guzera, with the production of 7.08 and 7.31 against 4.67 and 5.34 kg/day, respectively, for milk and corrected milk for 4% of fat. There was no difference among the treatments or interaction race x treatment, so that the NNP could substitute soybean meal in the conditions of developed experiment.

This work was carried out to measure the adaptability on the heart rate (HR), respiratory frequency (RF) and rectal temperature (RT) in Boer and Anglo-nubiana goats at Meio-Norte, Brazil. Fourteen male goats were used (7 = Boer and 7 = Anglo-nubiana) in the same conditions. In the same days and times were too collected the temperature and (TA) and relative humidity of the air (UR). The SNK test was used to compare the means. The results obtained to Bôer and Anglo-nubiana was, in dry period, HR (beats/minutes) = 79.3±16.1 and 97.0±18.3; RF (mov.min-1.) = 25.5±5.9 and 34.4±13.3; TR (oC) = 39.2±0.4 and 39.4±0.4. In rain period, in the same breed order HR = 75.1±6.9 and 82.5±6.0; RF (mov./min.-1) = 27.7±4.47 e 26.7±5.5; TR (oC) = 39.3±0,4 and 39.4±0,4. The TA, in oC, and UR, in %, were in the dry period 33.0±1.5 and 55.0±7.43; and in the rain period, 30.0±2.02 and 81.2±6,99. The Anglo-nubiana goats showed the highest HR, RF and RT relative to the Boer goats in the dry and in the rain periods that indicate the Boer goats are better adaptable in the hot stress conditions.

The objective of this work was evaluating the principal alterations of the chemical properties of quality of the papaya 'Formosa' under refrigerated storage. The harvest of fruits was accomplished in a commercial planting located in the municipal district of Baraúna-RN. The storage happened in cameras under controlled conditions of temperatures (8, 10 and 12 ºC ± 1 ºC) and relative humidity of the air (90 ±5%) during periods of 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. After each period, the papayas were transferred to environmental conditions (20 ± 1oC 60 ± 5% UR) where a period of shelf life of seven days was simulated. Then, the papayas were analyzed regarding the titratable acidity (ATT), C vitamin, total soluble solids (SS), starch, reducing and non-reducing sugars. A completely randomized experimental design was used, in a factorial 3 x 4 outline (temperatures x time of storage), with five replications and two fruits per plot. The best extension for the post harvest useful life of papaya 'Formosa' was esteemed for the fruits submitted to 10 °C and 90 ± 5% UR up to 20 days, with soluble solids above 12% and C vitamin around 40 mg×100 g-1. The fruits submitted to 8 °C, 90 ± 5% UR had the worst estimates, presenting the smallest contents of SS.

The irrigation practice, in a lot of situations, is the only way to guarantee agricultural productivity and economic and social development, especially in the semi-arid region of the Northeast Brazil that is characterized by rainfall irregularities. The objective of the present work was to quantify qualitatively the lands of the farm Agreste, located in the Microrregião do Alto Piranhas, Itaporanga - PB, in classes of potential aptitude for irrigation. For this was taken in consideration the soil characteristics and the available water resources. In the farm 16.80 hectares (3.29% of the lands) can be used for irrigation with restrictions. 144.96 hectares (28.38% of the lands) are irrigable, but only for special use. Finally, 349.04 hectares (68.33% of the lands) are not inapt for irrigated agriculture.

With The experiment was carried out during the dry season in the experimental station of Serra Talhada -IPA, state of Pernambuco. The objective was to evaluate the botanical composition, the availability and the quality of the fodder and the diet of the fistulated animals grazed in a field of differed buffel grass. Twenty-four species of twenty-two genus and twelve families were found in the area of study, and the available fodder varied from 6492 kg DM/ha in the beginning of the work to 3356 kg DM/ha in the end. The buffel grass always participated with over 90% in the different period of studies. The in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) that was always inferior to 50%, allied to crude protein content, both in the pasture and in the diet of the animals were very low as expected to differed pasture grass.