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 use of compatible rootstocks, besides protecting sensive plant risk of soil- borne pathogens, can increase the yield and improve the quality of the fruit. The study aimed evaluated compatibility, yield and fruit quality of rootstocks and seedless watermelon. The experimental design was randomized blocks, with a 2x3 (two varieties of seedless watermelon: Shadow and RWT8154; three type of root system: without rootstock and upon BGCIA229 and BGCIA941, selected for their resistance/tolerance to nematodes and/or Fusarium spp) with four blocks and six plants/plot. The grafting method was approaching. Hipocotyl diameter of seed- lings of ‘Shadow' was similar to BGCIA229, and 'RWT8154' to BGCIA941. Verified a hight compatibility in combinations 'RWT8154' with BGCIA941 and BGCIA229. Through grafting it was found: Higher survival was observed in 'Shadow' grafted on BGCIA229. increased vegetative growth of 'Shadow' and reduction in 'RWT8154'; delayed of the 'RWT8154' female flowering; increase in fresh plant weight; increase in the yield of 'RWT8154', and reduction in 'Shadow'; increased fruit weight in 'Shadow' grafted on BGCIA229 and 'RWT8154' grafted on BGCIA941; increase in 'RWT8154' peel thickness; greatest firmness; increase in bright- ness and color intensity of the 'Shadow' pulp. The titratable acidity of the cultivars increased and that the SS/ TA ratio decreased in the tested combinations. So there is specificity among cultivars and rootstocks. The com- bination 'RWT 8154' grafted on rootstock BGCIA 941 provided higher yield and fruit quality.

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 effect of plant aqueous extracts in the control of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc. the causal agent of guava anthracnose in, was evaluated in vitro with 1, 2 and 3% aqueous ex- tracts of Azadirachta indica, Nerium oleander, Ocimum gratissimum, Syzygium aromaticum. The experiment was installed in a complete randomized desing in a 3x4 factorial scheme (doses x extracts). For the evaluation, it was calculated the percentage of fungal inhibition. The experiment in vivo was conducted by applying Syzy- gium aromaticum and Azadirachta indica aqueous extract at 2 and 3%, respectively, in three different storage conditions: refrigerated with and without plastic film (PVC), and at ambient conditions. The experiment was installed in a completely randomized design, in a 2x3 factorial scheme (extracts x storage conditions). We evaluated the external appearance and severity of disease, loss of weight and Brix degrees. Syzygium aromati- cum extract at 2% provided 100% of fungal mycelial growth inhibition, and Azadirachta indica extract at the highest dosage (3%) inhibited 20.22%. In fruits, there was not significant statistical difference between the ef- fect of extracts on the external appearance and severity of disease, loss of weight and Brix degrees. In relation to the storage conditions, the ones with plastic film and refrigerated differed from the other conditions obtain- ing better external appearance and less severity of disease, lower loss of weight and higher Brix degrees.

Several microorganisms produce polysaccharides, deemed to protect the bacteria from several environmental stresses. This paper aims to evaluate the protective effect of exopolyssacharides to different abi- otic stresses in bacterial isolates from “sabiá” ( Mimosa caesalpiniifolia ) nodules. 303 fast growing isolates were qualitatively evaluated for exopolyssacharide production and tested in vitro for tolerance to two levels of acidity, joint aluminum and acidity, three salinity levels; 11 antibiotics and three herbicides. Most isolates re- sisted media acidity, acidity with aluminum, salinity, and ampicillin, cefotaxime, gentamicin and vancomycin antibiotics and 2,4D herbicide, while being sensitive to ciprofloxacin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, kanamy- cin, nalidixic acid, rifampicin and tetracycline antibiotics and paraquat and glyphosate herbicides. There was no connection between exopolyssacharide production and abiotic stress tolerance.

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 undesirable effects of agrotoxics have aroused the interest of society to use alternative tactics of pest control, as plants with insecticidal activity, which can be used as powders, aqueous and organic extracts, essential oils and emulsifiable. This way, the toxicity, population growth and repellence of aqueous extracts of plants were evaluated on the cassava green mite, Mononychellus tanajoa . Aqueous extracts of Cro- ton blanchetianus , Myracrodruon urundeuva and Ziziphus joazeiro were used, in which were immersed in cas- sava leaf discs (3.5 cm diameter). The extracts at all concentrations (1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25%) resulted in a de- cline in the pest population. The concentrations of 20 and 25% of the extracts resulted in the highest percentage mortality of the pest. All extracts in concentrations of 15, 20 and 25% for adult females were repellents M. ta- najoa .

The feeding programs for naked neck chickens in semi-intensive production system from brazilian equatorial semi-arid environment, must consider regional food availability and respective nutritional values. Thus, to evaluate the digestibility and metabolizable energy of alternative forages, it was used 240 naked neck pullets (Isa Label lineage) receiving water and ration ad libitum, pair-housed in cages for total collection of excreta on conventional warehouse. It was used a completely randomized design with factorial arrangement (5x2): one control ration (corn and soy meal) and other four experimental rations with silk flower hay (Calotropis procera), cassava leafs hay (Manihot esculenta), kills pasture hay (Senna obtusifolia) or leucaena leafs hay (Leucaena leucocephala), and all rations were balanced for two growing phases, between 8 and 10 weeks (young pullets) and between 14 and 16 weeks of age (old pullets). The values of apparent digestibility of nutrients for all experimental rations were lower than control ration (P <0.05) and it was observed general means of 72.18% for dry matter, 78.12% for crude protein, 66.90% for ether extract, 28.08% for neutral detergent fiber, 18.51% for the acid detergent fiber, 71.64% for gross energy and availability of 15.61% for mineral matter. The general mean of apparent and corrected metabolizable energy of alternative forages was 1217 kcal/ kg and 1108 kcal/kg, respectively, and the higher value was determined for leucaena hay and the lower value for silk flower hay (P <0.05).

This work was carried out to investigate the effect maturity stage at harvest (M1, M2 and M3, corresponding to fruit with 20-25%, 45-50% and 70-75% of peel red color surface, respectively) of ‘Camila’ and ‘Laetitia’ plums, and then stored in conventional cold storage, on ripening and quality, especially regarding the incidence of flesh browning. Fruits were cold stored during 40 days (1±0.1 oC and 95±2% RH), followed by three days at ambient condition (23±5 °C and 60±5% RH). ‘Camila’ plums harvested at maturity stage M1 showed the poorest evolution of peel red color during cold storage. Only fruit harvested at stage M3 had a good flesh red color development. The values of flesh firmness and force for fruit compression were different be- tween maturity stages, being higher in M1 than in M2 and M3. On the other hand, fruit harvested at stage M1 had the highest force for flesh penetration. However, ‘Camila’ plums harvested with up to 50% of peel red color did not ripe satisfactory and had poor quality. ‘Laetitia’ plums showed satisfactory evolution of peel red color during cold storage, especially when harvested at stage M3. For this cultivar, the force for fruit compres- sion was different between maturity stages, in the following order: M1>M2>M3. Titratable acidity was highest in fruit harvested at stage M1, while ethylene production rate was highest for fruit harvested at stage M3. ‘Laetitia’ plums harvested at the three maturity stages had similar ripening during cold storage. However, fruits should not be harvested with 20-25% of peel red color since they will have a high intensity of flesh browning during cold storage.

The optimization of nutritional efficiency is critical to increase productivity and reduce produc- tion costs. However, the identification of lines with greater efficiency and responsiveness to phosphorus is of great importance, with the in intention to join the hybrid, these traits at once and, moreover, the best way to select them. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate which characters should be considered in the se- lection of genotypes efficient and responsive to phosphorus in sorghum. The correlations were split into direct and indirect basic variables of efficiency and responsiveness to phosphorus through path analysis. The character that most influenced the efficiency of sorghum lines to phosphorus was harvest index to utilization efficien- cy and dry matter to absorption efficiency and use, under conditions of stress. Under conditions of adequate phosphorus fertilization, the trait with the greatest influence for evaluation of responsiveness was dry grain mass to the apparent recovery efficiency, physiological and agronomic.