Chicory is a vegetable Amazon unconventional flavor that has attracted the attention of researchers for its great versatility, which makes it a promising vegetable. However, jobs are scarce in the literature on cultivation techniques for the species. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of pruning tassel floral and different spacing, the yield on Amazon chicory. Three different spacings: E1 = 0.15 x 0.15 m, with 44 plants m2, E2 = 0.20 x 0.20 m, with 25 plants m2, and E3 = 0.25 x 0.25 m, with 16 plants m2, with and without pruning floral tassel. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design in a split plot design 3 x 2, with six replications. The characteristics evaluated were: number of leaves, fresh weight and dry weight of shoots, number of tassel floral tassel floral fresh weight, yield (kg m-2), and leaf area index (LAI). The largest production of chicory Amazon was obtained in plants grown at a spacing of 0.25 x 0.25 m subjected to pruning floral tassel. The highest yield for Amazon chicory was obtained in plants grown at a spacing of 0.15 x 0.15 m submitted pruning floral tassel.

This work was carried out with the objective to study the foam-mat drying of Cereusjamacaru pulp fruit with albumen (2%) and “Super Liga Neutra” (2%) with whipping time of 5 min, dried inoven with air circulation at 70; 80, and 90 °C with three different foam thicknesses (0.5; 1.0 and 1.5 cm). The drying curves were fitted with the Page, Henderson and Pabis and Cavalcanti Mata models. Drying time was influenced by the foam thickness and process temperature being the process faster for smaller thickness and higher temperature. The Cavalcanti Mata model presented the best fit of the experimental foam drying kinetics data.

The use of manure as a nutrient source is of fundam ental importance in the restoration and maintenance of soil fertility, especially in semiar id regions. The purpose of this study was to evalua te the nutri- ent release during decomposition of different manur es in the Paraíba semiarid region. The experiment w as con- ducted at the Experimental Field belonging Embrapa, in Patos/PB. The treatments were arranged in block s with split plot with four replications using a factorial arrangement 4 x 2 x 6, referring to four types of manure (donkey, cow, goat and sheep), two forms of deposit ion (surface soil and buried 10 cm deep) and six sa mpling times for assessment (30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 days after the experiment). Were determined the con centra- tions of N, P, K, Ca and Mg. The N in goat and shee p manure were higher than 50% of the donkey and cat tle manure and also showed the highest levels of calciu m and magnesium. The sheep and cattle manure showed the highest levels of phosphorus and potassium, res pectively. The goat and sheep manure showed the hig hest levels of N, Ca and Mg. The release of nutrients fr om manure spread on the soil surface and incubated showed little variation in the initial phase of the experi mental period. Increases in soil water content prov ided higher activity of the microbial community, with more inte nse release of nutrients in the manure treatments were in- cubated in soil.

The soil management system can modify the natural d istribution of the soil attributes and, con- sequently, the variability of the soil aggregation and organic matter content. Thus, the aim of this w ork was to evaluate the aggregate stability and organic matter content spatial distribution on a Haplic Cambisol under sugar cane cultivation in the Southern Amazonas Sta te, Brazil. A 70 x 70 m square mesh, with regular 1 0 me- ters intervals, was designed over the cultivation a rea, resulting in 64 sample points. Soil blocks wit h preserved structure were collected at 0.0-0.2 m depth in orde r to analyze the aggregate stability and organic ma tter con- tent. The data were submitted to the descriptive an d geostatistical analysis. The soil attributes pres ented a spa- tial dependence structure and the greater range was observed for the mean weighted diameter and aggreg ate class <1.00 mm. Also, there is a spatial relation a mong the mean geometric diameter, mean weighted dia meter and aggregate classes (> 2.00 and 2.00-1.00 mm).

The objective of this study was to evaluate the emergence and development of lettuce seed- lings, cv. Babá de Verão, when produced with organi c substrates made from sheep manure. The experiment was accomplished at a nursery in the Universidade F ederal Rural de Pernambuco (UFRPE), Unidade Acadêmica de Serra Talhada (UAST), Serra Talhada to wn, State of Pernambuco, during the month of April 2011. It was used a completely randomized design wi th four replications. The treatments were: T1 – com mer- cial substrate (Tropstrato HT ® ); T2 – sheep manure + sand (1:1); T3 – sheep manur e + sand (2:1); T4 – sheep manure + sand (3:1); T5 – sheep manure + soil (1:1) ; T6 – sheep manure + soil (2:1); T7 – sheep manure + soil (3:1); T8 – sheep manure + sand + soil (1:1:1); T9 – sheep manure + sand + soil (2:1:1); T10 – sheep m anure + sand + soil (3:1:1). Emergence indicators were: per centage, speed index and average time of emergence. Re- garding the development characteristics of seedling s were analyzed: leaf number, seedling height, root length, shoot dry matter and root dry matter. Whereas the i ndicators of emergence and development, it can be i nferred that substrates T3 [EO + A (2:1)], T4 [EO + A (3:1) ], T6 [EO + S (2:1)], T7 [EO + S (3:1)] and T10 [EO + A + S (3:1:1)] provided similar results to those observ ed in the production of lettuce seedlings with the commercial substrate, thus providing the formation of vigorous seedlings more sustainable for the initial stage o f cultivation of this vegetable.

The adoption of management practices that reduce water losses is essential to conserve moisture and improve soil temperature, especially in arid and semiarid environments of the Brazilian Northeast, characterized by high evapotranspiration and the adoption of irrigation with saline water, which harms growth and yield of commercial crops. Given these factories, an experiment was conducted in Nova Floresta, Paraíba, from August 2010 to February 2011 in Oxisoil, in order to evaluate the production of bell pepper and soil moisture in grooves with side trim, and application of biofertilizer and mulch cattle. The experimental design was randomized blocks with four replications using a factorial 2 x 2 x 2 for the ground beef with and without biofertilizer, with and without residues of sisal fiber (Agave sisalana), with and without the side facing the grooves, to reduce lateral water losses by infiltration of water with polyethylene plastic film. From the results, the lining of the lateral grooves provided higher values of soil moisture, number of fruits, fruit mass, plant production and productivity, bell pepper plants. It was also found that the combination of biofertilizer and mulch the ground beef remained wetter in the first 15 cm depth.

The whitefly is the major pest of tomato due to direct damages caused by sucking and indirect damages related to viruses transmition. Was evaluated the distribution and incidence of whitefly nymphs in tomato by using of mineral and organic fertilization in greenhouse. The experiment was carried out at the Experimental Farm of São Luis, Maranhão State University in a greenhouse during the period november 2010 to december 2011. The experimental design was completely randomized plots with five treatments and six replications T1-Soil + NPK, T2-Soil + NPK + micro-nutrient, T3-Soil + NPK + manure, T4-Solo + manure + NPK + micro-nutrient, T5-Solo + manure + rock phosphate + Biofertilizer. Irrigation was performed manually, based on the weight and field capacity of each pot. The number of nymphs of B. tabaci was evaluated by counting performed at 45, 60 and 75 days after transplanting. In the process of sampling three leaflets were removed by plant been each of plant strata lower, middle and top. The use of organic fertilization showed lower incidence of nymphs of B. tabaci in tomato and distribution of this insect pest is higher in middle and apical strata of the plant.

The vegetation of the Caatinga has different types of unique landscapes, in which little is known. Considering the situation, this study aimed to perform a phytosociological survey in area of Ca atinga, located in Bom Jesus, Piauí. Were systematically re leased 15 quadratic plots with 400 m², with spacing of 80 m between plots and between lines. Within each sampli ng unit were measured all individuals with circumfe rence at breast height (CBH) ≥ 6 cm, as measured in these individuals the CBH and the total height. With this, it were calculated the phytosociological parameters, diamet er distribution and diversity index of Shannon-Wean er (H'). In this survey we sampled 640 individuals represent ing 36 species, which provided a density of 1600 in d ha -1 and an estimated basal area of 17.02 m² ha -1 . The species most representatives were Copaifera langsdorffi Desf., Ptyrocarpa moniliformis Benth., Pterodon abruptus (Moric.) Benth and Combretum glaucocarpum (Mart.) Eichl. , with about 43% of the sampled and 40% in the area of ecological importance. The result of the diversity index of Shannon-Weaner was 2.96 nats in d -1 .

The carnauba (Copernicia prunifera (Miller) HE Moore) is a native fruit species to the north- east of Brazil and its exploration is based mainly on the extract of wax powder from leaves. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of different management strategies of cutting leaves, developmental stages and leaf age on leaf traits and physical-chemical attributes of carnauba wax in a natural population of carnauba palm located at the Cajazeira Farm, municipality of União, Piauí state, Brazil. The selected plants were identi- fied and classified in two developmental stages: capoteiro and adult palm. The management strategies cutting leaves were: one cut in August; two cuts, the first in August and the second in December; and one cut in De- cember. The leaves were separated according to age into new and old leaf. It was performed the individual analysis of variance of leaf number (LN), wax powder production (WP), ratio WP/LN, moisture content, impu- rities content and wax yield for each management systems as well as the analysis of the different managements. Leaf age presented as the attribute of greater relevance in the commercial use of carnauba. The best manage- ment strategy for cutting leaves of carnauba consists of a single annual cut in December.

The pollination is currently recognized as impor tant factor of production in the driving of many crops. The objective of this research was to study the reproductive biology of fennel in the field int ercropped with colored cotton (BRS Safira) in the presence an d absence of insecticide Actara and evaluate the pe rform- ance of their floral visitors. The evaluations were conducted in an experimental field in the municipa lity of Lagoa Seca-PB. Plots were evaluated: P 1 = fennel in the absence of insecticide; P 2 = fennel in the presence of insecticide; P 3 = fennel intercropped with cotton in the absence o f insecticide; P 4 = fennel intercropped with cotton in the presence of insecticide. In each plot data were recorded on the inflorescence and flower s such as floral morphology, color, time, duration and sequen ce of anthesis and observed aspects related to time , fre- quency, duration and visiting behavior. For analysi s of the reproductive system was evaluated the natu ral polli- nation and self-pollination by the number of fruits formed, weight of thousand seeds and number of see ds/kg. The hermaphrodite flowers are yellow in color, have 5 mm in diameter, have five petals, have short cor olla and inferior ovary containing two ova. After anthesis, the flowers remained open for approximately 24 hour s. Ob- served self-pollination in this species, but there is increased production of fruits and seeds in the natural polli- nation. The bee Apis mellifera is the most efficient pollinator of this species, with a higher number of visits to the plots without insecticide application, regardle ss of single planting or intercropping system.