This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different additions of flour I endocarp of babassu on consumption and digestibility in diets. Twenty uncastrated male sheep were distributed in a completely ran-domized into four treatments with five replicates per treatment. The animals received experimental diets isoca-loric and isonitrogenous (zero, 7.5%, 15%, 22.5%). The dry matter intake as a function of body weight and metabolic weight decreased linearly with the inclusion of flour I Endocarp in the diet. The apparent digestibil-ity coefficients demonstrate the occurrence of a linear decrease with the inclusion of by-product in the diet. Nitrogen balance was positive with all inclusion levels, decreasing with larger inclusions in a linear response. The inclusion of this byproduct promotes change in score of the feces. The flour endocarp I of babassu present-ed the typical features of consumption and digestibility of forages. The inclusion of by-product in diets for lambs should stand at 7.5% inclusion.

The objective was to evaluate the growth of clones of forage cactus, subjected to different conditions of water availability in the Brazilian Semiarid, during a year of climate anomaly (biennium 2012-2013). The experiment was carried out in the first production year of the second crop cycle (March 2012 to February 2013), in the district of Serra Talhada, State of Pernambuco. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design using a factorial arrangement 3x3 with three replications, being used three intervals of application of a fixed irrigation depth (7.5 mm), (7, 14 and 28 days), and three forage cactus clones (IPA: IPA Sertânia; MIU: Míuda and, OEM: Orelha de Elefante Mexicana). Eight biometric campaigns were performed during the experiment period for morphological analysis of the plants and cladodes along the time. It was found that water availability conditions showed no significant influence (P>0.05) on the majority of the absolute and relative values of the growth variables of the three forage cactus clones. However, when comparisons were performed among different clones, regardless of the water availability conditions, it was observed that, in terms of absolute values, the OEM had the highest means, differing only from the MIU clone. Regarding evaluations over time, there were increased growth rates in the last months of the crop cycle because of the occurrence of rainfall, which in conjunction with the application of the irrigation treatments promoted the best biometric increments for the OEM and IPA Sertânia clones.

The goal of this paper was to study the morphogenetic responses of jenipapo explants in differ-ent culture conditions in vitro to support multiplication and in vitro production of secondary metabolites proto-cols. After 90 days of cultivation, the jenipapo seedlings were segmented (nodal and leaf segments) and trans-ferred to MS medium supplemented with 30 g L-1 sucrose and different concentrations of 2.4 2.4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid -2.4-D (0; 4 and 8 mg L-1) combined with four concentrations of benzilamino-purine- BAP (0; 1; 2 and 3 mg L-1). After 120 days the percentage of explants with morphogenetic response, as is the formation of calluses and/or organogenesis was evaluated. The 2.4-D at concentrations of 4 and 8 mg L-1 induces an increase in morphogenetic response, especially in callus formation, of leaf and nodal segments. The BAP 1.77 mg L-1 induces increased callus formation in leaf segments and induces their higher shoot regenera-tion in leaf and nodal segments. The concentrations of 2.4- D and BAP studied do not induce the formation of somatic embryogenesis in leaf and nodal segments of jenipapo SIR access.

The dynamics of organic matter influences the main chemical, physical and biological processes in soil, and often determines their chemical behavior and fertility. Therefore, it is essential to quantify the frac- tions that make up the organic matter to the understanding of pedogenic processes that reflect or induce soil properties. The aim of the study was to evaluate the behavior of soil organic matter in different soil profiles under deciduous formations, through fractionation of organic matter and obtain their different oxidizable fractions. Ten soil profiles were described and collected in areas of deciduous formations in the state of Minas Gerais and Bahia. Chemical and physical analyzes were performed on each horizon. For organic matter fractions, the fractionation of humic substances and subsequent determination of carbon in each fraction was performed: humin (HUM - C) , fulvic acid (C - FAF) and humic acid (C - FAH) and calculated their relations and percentage of each fraction relative to total organic carbon (COT) , %FAF, %FAH, %HUM and %EA, beyond fractions oxidizable C in each evaluated horizon. Humic substances that make up the organic matter in the soil of seasonal dry forests profiles showed that this compartment MOS showed a predominance of the humin fraction, followed by humic acids and lower content of C, fulvic acids for most soils. However, the different fractions of oxidizable C could already point more labile fractions associated with surface horizons, and more recalcitrant to subsurface horizons.

The use of cashew apple bagasse for bioethanol production aimed at taking advantage of a re-gional culture that has about 85% of waste. Due to the complex structure of the material, it is necessary to sub-mit it to physical pretreatments and/or chemicals such as acid prehydrolysis, alkali, steam explosion, CO2 ex-plosion, hot water treatment, pretreatment with microwave, among others, before hydrolysis process for ethanol production. The aim of this paper was to study the prehydrolysis and acid hydrolysis in the cashew bagasse peduncle (Anarcadium occidentale L.), and the removal of toxic compounds from the hydrolyzate liquor using the residual lignin as adsorbent and alcoholic fermentation of liquors for the production of the second genera-tion bioethanol. The cashew bagasse, based on its chemical characterization and physical chemistry, presented itself as a promising source in order to produce bioethanol. The prehydrolysis, is effective in the removal of hemicelluloses mainly in the extraction of arabinose, the temperature being the major variable influencing the process. For the acid hydrolysis done with the following hydrolysis conditions: temperature at 200 °C, acid concentration equal to 6% and ratio of 1:6 has presented the combination of the highest concentration of sugars with a minimum concentration of toxic compounds. During the study of the alcoholic fermentation of liquors with hydrolyzed yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, presented yield and efficiency of production of ethanol from cellulosic pulp of processing stalk cashew maximum dry were respectively 0.445 g ethanol/g of pulp and 87.1% hydrolyzed liquor with the addition of cashew apple juice.

The millet is a forage with high yield potential, mainly due to its high tolerance to water deficit and adaptation to soils of low fertility. Even being adapted to soils of low fertility, it is responsive to nitrogen fertilization. The objective was to evaluate the growth and nutritional efficiency of millet forage cultivars, due to nitrogen (N). The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, in a typical Yellow Oxisol Dystrophic. The experimental design was a completely randomized design, arranged in a 4 x 2 factorial scheme with six repetitions. The factors were the control treatment (without fertilization with N) and three doses of N (75, 150 and 225 kg ha-1 ) in the form of urea and ammonium sulfate and two cultivars of pearl millet (BN2 and ADR500). The harvest was performed 80 days after the emergency. The higher production of dry matter of aerial part was obtained with the estimated dose of 179 kg ha-1 of N. The cultivar ADR500 showed the highest height and greater efficiency of translocation, while the BN2 showed higher N content of the aerial part and roots. The greater efficiency of use and translocation of N were achieved with doses estimated for 109 and 133 ha-1 of N for the cultivars ADR500 and BN2, respectively.

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the cutting frequency and levels of the manure on cactus for-age productivity. The research was conducted at Pendencia Station – The State Agribusiness Reaserch Compa-ny of Paraíba, Soledade – PB –Brazil, from August 2008 to August 2010. It was utilized a factorial arrenge-ment 4x5, 4 crop managements (M1= cactus forage harvested at 12 months after establishment; M2= cactus forage harvested at 12 months after the first regrowth; M3= harvested of the accumulated production in 24 months and M4= sum of the first production and regrowth) and five levels of goat manure: 0; 5; 10; 15 e 20 Mg ha-1. It was evaluated the fresh matter production (FMP) and dry matter production (DMP), water accumula-tion, rainfall use efficiency (RUE) and percentage of the water accumulation in the plant. The largest level of organic fertilizer promoted an increase in FMP of 275, 171, 184, 203% and DMP: 305, 175, 223, 218%, re-spectively, when comparing the highest level of fertilizer with the unfertilized treatment, and an increase in water accumulation 115.60, 102.93, 166.95, 218.53 kg of water ha-1 when comparing the highest level with the unfertilized treatment. The organic fertilization in M1, M2, M3 and M4 managements, despite of the levels, promoted a linear increase in the RUE. Fertilization increases the cactus forage productivity, and its rainfall use efficiency. The annual cut can be employed as a practice in the management of cactus forage.

This work aimed to determine instead at determining chemical composition, nutritional aspects and morphological characteristic of tubers from sweet potato roots (Ipomoea batatas L.) of cultivars Rosinha de Verdan, Capivara and orange-fleshed produced under the organic system. The chemical composition of flours from sweet potato (SP) roots was different among cultivars. The starch content for SP cultivar ranged from 26-33 % (d. b.), and the orange-fleshed roots presented 3182 μg of β-carotene/100 g. The flour yield ob-tained for SPF processing was higher in Rosinha de Verdan (25.40%), and the starch content of roots ranged from 12.48-27.63 % (d.b.). The processing condition modified the starch granular characteristics of the flours and reduced 31% the carotene content and vitamin A value of the orange-fleshed flour. The orange-fleshed flour presented higher levels of carbohydrate, starch and total energy value (TEV) than others white fleshed flour. The consumption of serving size of orange-fleshed roots and flour provided higher provitamin A require-ments for children.

The removal of the original vegetation and deployment of crops, combined with inadequate management practices, usually cause the deterioration of the physical and chemical quality of the soil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in the physical and chemical attributes of a Typic Quartzipsamment from different land use systems and soil management. Four agroecosystems were selected: eucalyptus forest, extensive grazing, crop-livestock integration and integrated crop-livestock-forest, and an ecosystem preserved vegetation of native cerrado, located on Fazenda Modelo II in Ribas do Rio Pardo, MS. Soil samples were col-lected at depths of 0-5, 5-10 and 10-20 cm in a completely randomized design, with six plots of 150 m2 on each system. The integrated crop-livestock and integrated crop-livestock-forest provided the biggest contribution in the improvement of soil fertility. There was an antagonistic relationship between physical and chemical soil as sustainability evaluation, and chemical attributes had to be more affected than physical.

The maintenance of a plant water status is essential for keeping of its development in environments with limited water availability. Different species have different mechanisms that provide greater ability to survive under drought conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate physiological parameters changes of the isohydric species Beaucarnea recurvate Lem. under irrigation suspension. The study involved experiments with slow dehydration (SD) performed by withholding water followed by plants rehydration, and with rapid dehydration (RD), where individual leaves were detached and placed to dehydrate in the laboratory bench. The results showed that although of the soil water content (% H2O) reach critical values (12%) in the first days of the irrigation suspension, the plants showed maintenance of the relative water content (≅80%) over the 54-day SD period, when the net photosynthesis (PN) reached null values. Throughout SD, it was observed that the PN, stomatal conductance (gs), instantaneous carboxylation efficiency, the electrons transport rate, the potential quantum efficiency of PSII and chlorophyll content were reduced. In RD, experiment was observed a high correlation between PN and gs . The results suggest that the reduction in photosynthesis was initially caused by a stomatal adjustment that culminated in an imbalance between photochemical energy production and its consumption by biochemical apparatus of photosynthesis. However, after rehydration, all gas exchange parameters were recovered, indicating that the isohydric behavior of this species contributed to the plants did not suffer extensive damage during a prolonged period of irrigation suspension.