The inadequacy of sewage systems and water shortages in semi-arid Northeast is encouraging the reuse of water in the production of agricultural crops. This study aimed to analyze the effect of treated do- mestic sewage in the initial development of three melon cultivars in Mossoró-RN. The experiment was mounted on a split-plot in randomized blocks with plots cultivars of melon (Yellow Tikal, Cantaloupe type Harper and Gália) and the split-plots the proportions of water supply and domestic sewage (T1 - 100% water supply T2 - 50% of water supply and 50% of domestic sewage, T3 - 25% of water supply and 75% of domestic sewage and T4 - 100% domestic sewage) in three replicates. In the experimental period were analyzed for physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of sewage and water supply. At 20 days after sowing was measured plant height, stem length, root length and stem diameter. The results showed that the fertirrigation of melon cultivars with domestic sewage minimizes the effect of water scarcity in semiarid. The development of cultivar Gália seedlings was not affected by application of primary domestic sewage. The T2 and T4 were the most suitable for the production of cultivar Gália seedlings.

The objective of this study was evaluate the morphological variability and existing production between peanut genotypes collected from small farmers in seven counties in Recôncavo of Bahia, in addition to selecting the most promising materials. Peanut seeds (60 genotypes) were collected along the ethnobotanical survey. Each genotype was collected from a zoned farmer in the study area. Experimental design was a randomized block with four replications. For morphological analysis of growth characteristics were evaluated: main stem height, number of leaves and number of branches also have assessed them components of plant production and productivity, which were evaluated: the volume of fresh and dried vegetable, fresh vegetable pasta and dried, the diameter and length of vegetables, total number of vegetables, total number of grains and the weight of 100 grains. The data were subjected to analysis of variance and means were compared by the Scott- Knott test at 5% probability. Although not shown variability the vegetative morphological characteristics, yield characteristics are indicative of the existence of variability, and why it has become possible to preselect seven peanut genotypes collected from farmers in the Recôncavo of Bahia, which may be considered important descriptors for the distinction of superior genotypes.

The study assessed sensorial aspects and physicochemical characteristics of two non- commercial genotypes of cherry tomato, CH152 and CLN1561, and compared them to the genotype Carolina, all grown organically. Ripened fruits of the three varieties were harvested at the same time, selected, cleaned and subjected to sensorial analysis by 50 adult testers. They used a 9-point hedonic scale to classify the fruits in terms of aroma, flavor, flesh color and general appearance. The physicochemical analyses determined pH, solu- ble solids (SS) and titratable acidity (AT). For the aspects aroma and general appearance, the 3 varieties ob- tained mean scores of 7.0 to 7.9, which corresponds to “like moderately”; and scored 8.0 to 8.9 to the attribute flesh color, which represents “like very much”. For the attribute flavor, the scores of “Carolina” tomatoes and CLN1561A corresponded to “like moderately, and for CH152 it was “like very much”. The mean values of physicochemical parameters (pH = 4.41 to 4.61; SS = 4.03 to 5.06; and AT = 335.13 to 369.23) were similar among the genotypes (ANOVA, P>0.05). In conclusion, both the varieties tested, CH152 and CLN1561, pro- duce fruits of high sensorial and physicochemical quality, showing potential for commercial exploitation.

The postharvest losses index for fruits in Brazil is high. To attend the quality exigencies and minimize those losses, it is initially necessary to detect the problems on the commercialization chain. Because of that, this study aimed to evaluate the postharvest losses in table grapes during the operations carried out in packinghouses of firms located in Petrolina-Pernambuco State/Juazeiro-Bahia State region and during the com- mercialization in Mercado do Produtor de Juazeiro. The study was carried out in three packinghouses and in three sell places of the Mercado do Produtor de Juazeiro. In the packinghouses, it was observed one day of ac- tivity, following the normal procedures. For sampling, the wasted fruits were weighted, characterized according the kind of loss and quantified before doing another weighting for each identified category. In Mercado do Pro- dutor de Juazeiro, the study was carried out in a similar way, including the same evaluations. Because of the rigorous quality criteria, the percentage of losses in table grapes in packinghouses was 3.9%. This percentage was higher than the value observed in Mercado do Produtor de Juazeiro, which was 1.5%. The main cause of postharvest losses in grapes was mechanical injury in both studied conditions.

The objective was to evaluate the cellulolytic activity of aerobic mycelian fungi from dairy cat- tle fed tropical forages. Isolates of fungi were obtained from 30 samples of rumen fluid from cows fed sorghum silage, 32 cows fed on Brachiaria brizantha , 12 heifers receiving sorghum silage and 11 heifers fed cane sugar. The isolation was performed on C solid medium containing cellulose. Were evaluated 49 isolates, 27 Aspergil- lus spp., four Gliocladium spp., six Paecilomyces spp., nine Rhizophus spp. and three Scedosporium . These isolates were incubated in C medium with 1% microcrystalline cellulose as the sole carborno source, and incu- bated at 37°C in triplicate. Cellulolytic activity indices were verified after 24, 48 and 72 hours and calculated by the ratio between degradation halo and colony diameter for comparing in nonparametric tests. The genus Aspergillus , showed higher cellulolytic activity index mean compared to Rhizophus genus (p <0.05). Eight iso- lates of Aspergillus spp. and six of Paecilomyces spp. showed this index higher than one, indicating potential for utilization in ruminant nutrition.

For applications in water management, estimation of evapotranspiration is a critical term in the water balance, to establish a sustainable development of activities that requires such action. So it is necessary to more accurately estimate the reference evapotranspiration (ETo). The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of daily ETo values obtained for 12 empirical methods by comparing them with the Penman- Monteith FAO. The meteorological data used for the empirical models were measured in the National Institute of Meteorology automatic meteorological station installed at the experimental station in Rafael Fernandes, Federal Rural University of Semi-Arid, Mossoró, RN. Even with some methods presenting divergences from the standard method in the months of the highest water demand with an absolute error of approximately 0.99 to 1.67, it could infer that the most suitable methods based on the performance index greater than 0.76 were: Benevides and Lopez (1970), Linacre (1983), Bruin (1979), Jensen and Hayse (1963) and Priestley and Taylor (1972), in that order, thus it may represent satisfactorily the ETo. The methods that require fewer climatic elements such as Benevides and Lopez (c = 0.85) and Linacre (c = 0.79) performed better than more complex to estimate ETo in daily periods at any time of year.

Anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides) and dry rot (Phoma caricae-papayae) of papaya (Carica papaya) reduce fruit post-harvest storage life. Therefore, this study evaluated under laboratory conditions the effect of the hydrothermal treatment of fruits on these diseases. Two types of tests were conducted: (1) fruit immersion in hot water (48 ºC) for 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 min; and, (2) fruit immersion in hot water at 44, 46, 48 and 50 ºC / 20 min. The experiments were conducted in a randomized complete block design with five replications. Two isolates of C. gloeosporioides and one of P. caricae-papayae were tested in papaya fruits of cv. 'Sunrise Solo' and hybrid ‘Tainung 1’. Fruits were washed, wounded (3mm), inoculated (50μL, 106 conidia mL-1), placed in humid chamber (24 h), and then treated. After treatment, fruits were water cooled (13ºC/20 min) and stored (14 days) in cold chamber (13 ºC; 85-100% R.H.). Daily the diameter of lesions was evaluated for two weeks. Variations on time and temperature did not alter fruit firmness (kg cm-2), pH, total soluble solids (o Brix) e tritable acidity (% of citric acid) in comparison to non-treated fruits. However, in one case on ‘Tainung 1’ fruits, tritable acidity was higher at 48 ºC / 20 min. Fruits treated with hot water at 48 ºC / 20-30 min or 48-50 ºC / 20 min presented less fruit rots.

The indiscriminate use of pesticides is a major environmental problems in the conventional agricultural production systems. The Integrated Production (IP) emphasizes the reduced use of pesticides based on monitoring of pests and diseases. This study aimed to quantify the percentage of reduction in pesticide use in vine growing companies in the region of the São Francisco Submédio Valley after the introduction of IP- Grape. For the survey data were used passbooks field of nine companies in the region checking the number of applications during the production cycle of the years 2006 to 2009, compared to when there was no IP-Grape. In 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 decline of 10, 20, 25 and 16% respectively, in the number of fungicide applica- tions, while the spraying of insecticides decreased 99, 95, 93 and 76%. Herbicides had the greatest rationaliza- tion (85%) in 2006, reaching 100% in 2007, 2008 and 2009, in other words from the year 2007. The rationali- zation in acaricides use was not recorded. Thus, the IP-Grape has achieved positive results in relation to the rational use of pesticides.

The objective of this study was to propose monthly average values of Class “A” pan (Kp) for the Pajeu Middle region, as well as analyze the theirs effects in the estimate of agricultural crop evapotranspira- tion (ETc). Evaporation values of class "A" pan and daily weather data from a series of 1999 to 2011 were used. From the daily values of odd-numbered years were obtained monthly values of reference Kp (Kpref). That series was used in the implementation of six methods of estimation of the Kp. The values found have been sub- jected to an analysis of variance and t-test (p > 0.05). The performance of the Kp values was done by estima- tion of the accumulated ETc values of the six agricultural crops. It was verified that the Kpref provided the best statistical indexes and minor errors in the estimate of ETc. The methods of Pereira et al. and the FAO case A should the best estimates among those evaluated. On the other hand, the Snyder and FAO case B methods were those of the worst performances. The performance of the estimation of the ETc in the Middle Pajeu, using the evaporation values of Class "A" pan, is conditioned by the time of year and crop to be explored.

Due to the oil crisis and concern about the environment, global demand for biofuels has ex- panded rapidly in recent years, so the physic nut has attracted the attention of researchers for the development of research on this specie. The aim of the present work was to verify the effects of the supply of Na to replace potassium nutrition on growth and nutrition of physic nut seedlings. The experiment was conducted in green- house conditions using nutrient solution. We used the completely randomized design in five proportions of replacing K by Na: 100% (T1), 75% (T2), 50% (T3), 25% (T4) and 0% (T5). Thus, the concentrations (in mM) of K:Na in the treatments were: T1 = 0:6.0; T2 = 1.5:4.5; T3 = 3.0:3.0; T4 = 4.5:1.5; T5 = 6.0:0. The sources of K and Na used were KNO3 and NaNO3, respectively. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and means evaluated at Scott & Knott test at 5% probability. The growth and mineral nutrition variables of physic nut seedlings are influenced by the substitution of K by Na, varying according to the characteristic studied. Na re- places partially the K nutrition of physic nut seedlings and establishing a strategy to reduce the doses of K fer- tilizer applied.