With the objective of evaluating the effectiveness, in natura, of the plants: melon of São Caetano (Momordica charantia), purgative potato (Operculina hamiltonii) and pumpkin seeds (Curcubita pepo L) on helmints infections in naturally infected goats, submitted to an original therapeutic protocol, were used 40 goats males, of Moxotó race with age varying of six and twelve months, divided in four groups and distributed in the following way: three corresponding to each treatment and a group control, where placebo was used. The administered doses were from 45g/10kg of corporal weight to the leaves of melon of São Caetano, 4,5g/10kg for crumb of the purgative potato and 19g/10kg for crumb of the pumpkin seed, for three consecutive days. In intervals of 30 days feces parasitological exams were accomplished (Gordon & Whitlock, 1938). After 30 and 60 days of treatment, a mean reduction of 63.06% and 2,70% was observed for melon of São Caetano treaty group, 63,9% and 72,32% for purgative potato treaty group and 87,31% and 24,00% for the pumpkin seed treaty group, respectively.

It were determined serum levels of phosphorus and magnesium in 90 cattle grazed at Almino Afonso, Martins, Olho D´Água dos Borges, Patu, Rafael Godeiro and Umarizal cities, Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil. Serum phosphorus levels lower than reference values were found in 23 of 90 cattle (25.6%), from all evaluated cities. Serum levels of magnesium were lower than reference values in 15 of 90 cattle (16.7%), from five of six cities. Further works are needed aiming the reasons for reduced serum levels of evaluated minerals.

Existe interesse em informações sobre as necessidades de fertilizantes para a cultura do meloeiro, explorada no Pólo Agroindustrial Assú/Mossoró/Baraúnas, Estado do Rio Grande do Norte, visando a obtenção níveis elevados de produtividade de frutos de qualidade, a redução do desperdício de adubos e a diminuição da degradação ambiental. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos de aplicações de doses de nitrogênio (uréia, 45% de N) e fósforo (superfosfato simples, 20% de P2O5) sobre o rendimento e a qualidade dos frutos do meloeiro Gold Mine, de frutos amarelos, irrigado por gotejamento. As doses de nitrogênio (0, 50, 100, 150 e 200 kg N ha-1) foram combinadas em esquema fatorial com as doses de fósforo (0, 50, 100 e 150 kg P2O5 ha-1). Adotou-se o delineamento de blocos completos casualizados com cinco repetições. O nitrogênio aumentou as massas total e de frutos comercializáveis, reduziu a firmeza e o teor de sólidos solúveis do melão, mas não influenciou os números total e de frutos comercializáveis, nem o índice de formato do fruto. O fósforo não influenciou as características quantitativas e qualitativas do melão.

Different rooting average were tested to identify those whch would provide the best conditions for growth of mandacaru (Cereus jamacaru P.. DC.), facheiro (Pilosocereus pachycladus Ritter), xiquexique (Pilosocereus gounellei (A. Webwr ex K. Schum.) Bly. ex Rowl.) and coroa-de-frade (Melocactus bahiensis Britton & Rose). five different compositions for rooting average were (sand; soil; sand + soil; sand + cattle manure; soil + cattle manure) the study was carried out from september of 2004 to december of 2005, in an area room temperature at Embrapa semi-arid, Petrolina, PE, Brazil. the substrate composed with sand + cattle manure and soil + cattle manure rooting medium showing the highest rates. In relation to the development of the system to radicular of the cactáceas was verified that in treatment 1 (sand) all had presented the biggest values in length terms. The growth in height of the cactáceas was influenced by different analyzed substrata. Between substrate, optimum cattle manure was with ground.

This work had as objective to evaluate the effect of different calcium sources in the diet of broiler chickens with 1 to 28 days of age, on the food intake, live weight gain, feed conversion, level of ashes and calcium in the tibia bone, longitudinal and transversal length of the tibia bone and retention calcium. The experiment had duration of 31 days being used 576 chicks of one day of age, with the cobb line ancestry. It was used entirely randomized design, being the sources consisting of calcium carbonate, calcium carbo quelate and limestone (calcareous rock) of two distinct deposits, A and B, respectively, being all they also evaluated to the granulometer, solubility and pH. The food intake showed significant difference for the calcium sources, however none of the calcium sources influenced the feed conversion, probably to the observed compensatory physiological effect on the live weight gain of the broiler chicks. With regard to the bone mineralization (tibia), it did not have significant influence of the calcium sources, however, with relation to the diameter and length of the tibia bone, the limestones A and B showed the best values when compared with the calcium carboquelate.

The experiment were carried out to determine sodium requirements for egg-white (EW) and egg-brown (EB) strain pullets from 12 to 18 weeks of age. It was used a completely randomized design according to a 6x2 factorial (sodium levels: 0.04; 0.10; 0.16; 0.21; 0.27 and 0.32%; with 2 strains), content five replicates of six pullets per experimental unit. The standard basal diet was formulated to contain 2,900 kcal AMEn/kg and 14.0 % CP. Feed intake, water intake, daily weight gain, feed: gain ratio, rectal temperature, and comb size were evaluated, as well as feces dry matter and humidity. In the experiment, there was no interaction between sodium levels and strains on the studied variables. The sodium levels had significant effects on feed intake, daily weight gain and feed: gain ratio according to the quadratic model and increased water intake and feces humidity linearly, whereas the feces dry matter and rectal temperature decreased linearly. For EW and EB strain, it is recommended 0.18 % sodium or daily intake of 131 and 148 mg of sodium from 12 to 18 weeks of age.

This study evaluated the effect of different temperatures and light conditions on Ocimum basilicum L. seed germination. The treatments were the temperatures of 20ºC, 25ºC and 30ºC and two different light expositions (constant dark and 8h of light plus 16h of dark). The tested variables were first count germination and germination percentage. The treatments consisted of 200 seeds, with four replications of 50 seeds each, sown on filter of paper for 14 days on germination chamber. The completely randomized design was used and the averages compared by Tukey test at 5% probability. The specie of Ocimum basilicum is positive photoblastic and temperature of 30ºC was the best condition for seed germination.

The objective of this work was to evaluate sowing depth and seed dormancy breaking method in the formation of seedlings of the soursup rootstock cv RBR. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions at the orchard of the Lavras Federal University - UFLA. The experimental design was in randomized blocks in a two factors arrangement (4x3), with four replicates and five plants per plot. The dormancy breaking treatments were: witness (control); immersion in water (25 °C for 12 hours); immersion in water (25 °C per 24 hours) and side cut on the seed. The seeds were sowed at 1, 2 and 3 cm of profundity. The characteristics evaluated were germination velocity; germination percentage and after 120 days of sowing the seedlings height (cm); rootsand aerial part fresh matter (g) and roots and aerial part dry matter (g) were also evaluated. There was notinteraction of dormancy brake treatments with the seeds profundity. Seed germination was not influenciated by theprofundity that the seeds were sowed. The side cut on the seed did not provide different results of germination percentage and germination velocity compared to the other treatments, but presented higher of seedlings height.

The aim of this research paper was to make a comparison between the reference values of crop evapotraspiration acquired through the FAO-modified Penman-Monteith and Thornthwaite, Hargreaves-Samani, Blaney-Criddle, the Class A pan and Makkink. Data was obtained from the meteorological station at Boa Vista, in the State of Roraima, Brazil. Results have shown that the methods of Blaney-Criddle tend to be well adjusted to the reference values of the crop evapotranspiration as to those obtained through the FAO-modified Penman-Monteith. The Class A pan showed good adjustments that can be a good alternative for irrigation management in this region.

The germplasm bank of cucurbitaceae, sited at Semi-Arid Embrapa in Petrolina-PE comprises different species of cucurbitaceae family, out of which 600 accessions of Citrullus spp. Forty two accessions from the germplasm bank plus the Crimson Sweet cultivar were submitted to morphological evaluation in order to study the genetic variability of accessions collected in three different regions from the State of Bahia (Chapada Diamantina; Irecê e Vitória da Conquista). The field trial was set in a randomized block design with three replications. Thirteen phenotypic descriptors to evaluate plant and fruit characteristics were used. The data were submitted to a variance analysis and the means were compared using Scott-Knott at 5% probability. The analysis of variance among accessions from different regions showed significant differences for eleven characters except number of stems per plant and rind thickness in the peduncle region. The accessions formed two different groups for most of the descriptions, but, fruit mean weight and sugar content presented four and three groups, respectively showing higher genetic variability, the variation among accessions within each region was significant. Irecê and Vitória da Conquista presented the higher and the smaller variation among the accessions, respectively. Therefore, the genetic variability of watermelon accessions in the tree regions of the State of Bahia and some accessions presented useful characters to be incorporated in watermelon breeding programs.