In Brazil, the production of watermelon with seeds is highly representative. However, available information about fruit quality of different varieties grown in the same environment is still rare, which makes it necessary to carry out trials that can fill this gap. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the postharvest quality of different varieties of watermelon (Crimson Sweet, Charleston Gray, Sugar Baby, Fairfax and Tendersweet), grown under conventional conditions in Mossoró - RN. The experiment was carried out from September to November 2008 in the experimental field of the Federal Rural University of the Semiarid (UFERSA). The data for the fruit quality were recorded in the Laboratory of Postharvest of UFERSA. The experiment was set under a completely randomized design with six replications and each replication consisted of a fruit. The quality characteristics were analyzed: fruit fresh mass (kg), fruit dimensions (greater length and width), overall appearance, pulp yield in percentage, seed characteristics, pH, acidity, vitamin C, soluble solids and SS/TA ratio. The physical determinations showed variations for fruit fresh mass (4.2 to 9.7 kg), pulp yield (42.0 to 58.5%), rind thickness (1.1 to 2.5 cm), as well as to the number and mass of seeds. In the physical-chemical determinations it was observed phenotypic uniformity among the varieties for almost all variables and, although all of them favorable to consumption, this result indicates narrowing of the genetic basis of varieties, which makes it necessary the evaluation of other genotypes.

This work aimed to evaluate the effect of the use of calcium nitrate on the reduction of stress in the melon plants exposed to excess salt in the irrigation water. The experiment was carried out at the Centro de Ciências e Tecnologia Agroalimentar (CCTA/UFCG), Pombal-PB, from 09/19/2009 to 11/20/2009, using the hybrid melon 'Hales Best Jumbo'. The treatments consisted of the use of two levels of salinity of the irrigation water (0.3 and 5.0 dS m-1) versus rates of N in the form of calcium nitrate (5.5; 6.25; 7.0; 8.5 g N per plant). The experimental design was in randomized blocks, in factorial scheme 2x4, with four repetitions. The highest rates of photosynthesis, stomatic conductivity, transpiration, leaf area, total dry mass and the fruit yield per plant were observed in melon plants irrigated with water of low salinity (0.3 dS m-1) compared to the ones with the saline water (5.0 dS m-1), and for the rates of N between 6.10 and 8.5g of N per plant for both levels of salinity. The suply of N in the form of calcium nitrate was effective on reducing the stress in melon plant the caused by the salinity of the irrigation water up to the rates of 6.20g of N per plant. In absolute terms we can affirm that the best performance of the melon plant was achieved with the dose of 6.25g of N per plant when irrigated with water of low salinity.

Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L.) Sw. is an exotic species of Leguminoseae commonly known as flamboyant-mirim, and largely used for unban arborization. The objective of this study was to evaluate methods for overcome dormancy of seeds of flamboyant mirim. The work was developed at the Laboratory of Seed Analysis and green house of Centro de Ciências Agrárias at Universidade Federal da Paraíba, campus II, Areia, PB. The experimental procedure used was completely randomized with 14 treatments (control (intact seeds) (T1); scarification with sandpaper opposite number 80 in the region to hilum soaking in water for 0; 12; 24; 36 and 48 h (T2, T3, T4, T5 e T6) at 30 ºC; immersion in hot water at temperatures 70 and 80 °C (T7 and T8); sulfuric acid scarification by immersion 5; 10; 15; 20; 25 and 30 minutes(T9, T10, T11, T12, T13 e T14) and four repetitions. The variable obtained were percentage emergency, first count emergency and emergency speed index (IVE). Daily count of the seedlings was carried out during 25 days. The seeds immerged in sulfuric acid for 30 minutes presented smaller of seedlings emergency. The mechanical scarification of the seed tegument followed by immersion in water for 12 and 24 h are the most effective method for to overcome dormancy of seeds of flamboyant.

Studies have shown that the Caatinga has two vegetation types related to different soils originated from crystalline and sedimentary. However, it is unclear whether the flora as a whole varies in relation to this difference or if it only varies for certain plant habits. This article provides a comparative analysis of the different habits of flowering plant species that occur on different soil types in a semi-arid region of northeastern Brazil. Sixty plots (10 x 10m) were established to collect woody species and 300 plots (1 x 1m) were established to collect herbaceous species. The plots were in soils of crystalline and sedimentary origin, and drainage and relief were taken into consideration. One hundred and fifty species distributed in 40 families were recorded. Species richness was greatest in Leguminosae (37 spp.), Euphorbiaceae (16 spp.) and Convolvulaceae (13 spp.). There were 101 woody species and 49 herbaceous species, suggesting that the woody habit responds better to local morpho-pedological differences.

The aim this work was know the species of fruit fly and host plants in orchards in the urban area in the north of Minas Gerais. Were selected 10 orchards with wide variety of fruit species, which were distributed in equidistant way in the urban area of Janaúba, MG. Weekly, were collected systematically fruit flies through trap type McPhail and ripe fruit and in ripening one, on those orchards. Were collected 7.016 tephritid obtained from trap (5.226) and fruit (1.790), from which 1.044 belonged to genus Anastrepha and 5.972 were Ceratitis capitata. The specimens number of C. capitata (85.1%) was around six times superior to Anastrepha spp. (14.9%), demonstrating the preference of this species for urban orchards. Eight species of Anastrepha occur in urban orchards of Janaúba, MG. Ceratitis capitata was found infesting 10 species of host fruits, being the main S. purpurea and guava. In fruits were collected three species of Anastrepha (A. obliqua, A. sororcula and A. zenildae) which were associated with five species of fruit (Malpighia glabra L, Psidium guayava L, S. dulcis, S. purpurea and S. tuberosa). The predominant species of Anastrepha was A. obliqua, and S. tuberosa and S. purpurea being the main hosts of this species in the urban area of Janaúba, MG.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of salinity in the growth and nitrogen fixation in leucaena. Plants were cultivated in Leonard pots containing clean and sterilized sand. The treatments were distributed in a completely randomized design, in a 3x3 factorial, with five replicates. The first factor corresponded to no inoculation and inoculation with Bradyrhizobium sp SEMIA 6070 and SEMIA 6153 strains. The second factor corresponded to NaCl concentrations: 0, 25 and 50 mol m-3. Were analyzed the height and dry matter accumulation, the number of nodules and nitrogen in plants. The inoculation of plants with the strain SEMIA 6070 provided higher growth and greater nitrogen accumulation in plants thar were not subject to salinity. Nodulation was not affected by salinity. Inoculation with SEMIA 6153 strain provided greater tolerance to salinity.

The goals of this work consisted of identifying the prevalence of helminth eggs in household organic wastes generated in the urban zone of cities of the semiarid of the Paraíba. The work was accomplished from June to December of 2006 in 30 homes in the urban center of Cabaceiras, 30 in Caraúbas and 50 in Queimadas. Organic solid residues were collected during in three consecutive weeks and alternate days (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) in the generating source. For quantification of the helminth eggs three composed samples were picked up by city, resultants of ten fractions of organic solid residues collected in the homes. The amount of helminth eggs varied from 12.82 to 14.39 eggs/gST, with viability of 95.42%. In prevalence order, they enrolled Ancylostoma sp., Enterobius vermiculares, Fasciola hepatica and Ascaris lumbricoides. The eggs of Ancylostoma sp. were identified in 100% of the examined samples. The terrible sanitary quality verified for the household organic waste solid in three cities, located geographically in the area of the paraiban semiarid they suggest that these residues constitute important source of contamination to the environment and the human being, requesting the appropriate management.

This study aimed to evaluate the occurrence of weeds and the performance of common bean grown on different types of plant residues managed with herbicides, in a no-till system. The treatments were arranged in split plots in a randomized block design with three replications. Prior to sowing common bean in the no-till system, plant residues of sorghum, maize, jack bean, sunflower, stylosanthes, rice, soybean and weeds were spread on the plots. Common bean was sown after chemical drying of the cover species. The two secondary treatments in split plots after bean sowing consisted of herbicide absence and the use of a mixture of the herbicides fomesafen (applied at a rate of 100 g ha-1 , 20 days after bean emergence-DAE) and quizalofop-p-ethyl (applied at a rate of 70 g ha-1, 25 DAE). Sorghum produced highest amounts of straw as well as the best soil cover. The plant residues did not influence the establishment of common bean. Herbicide application controlled weeds efficiently. However, the effects of mulch on weed control did not influence bean yield. The treatments influenced the number of pods per plant and grain yield of the bean yield components, with higher values in herbicide-treated plots.

In the handling for the quality of grapes without seeds the use of gibberellic acid (GA3) in association with synthetic cytokinin of character is common not purics derivatives of the urea, being the most common TDZ (N-fenil-N-1,2,3-Thidiazol-5-il urea) and the CPPU (n (2-chlorine-4-pridil) - N-feniluréia). The present work had for objective to study the effect of the cytokinin of character purics: BAP (6-benzilaminopurina), associate with the gibberellic acid (GA3), in clusters of the cv. Superior Seedless, in the Valley of the San Francisco. The evaluated characteristics had been the mass fresh weight (g), diameter (mm), length (mm) and volume of berries (mL), soluble solid (SS), titratble acidity (AT) and relation SS/AT. It was verified that the GA3 in the concentration of 10 mg.L-1 associated with 10 mg.L-1 and 20 mg.L-1 of BAP had promoted the increments most significant in the quality of clusters of the cv. Superior Seedless.

The gallery forest and other unequal vegetal areas of semiarid suffered the antropized influence but this first kind of vegetation has been less studied. The floristic composition and phytosociological study of the woody representatives in the riparian forest of the Bodocongó River, semi-arid of the Paraíba State, it was studied through of the insertion of four transects perpendicularly to the water body in and each transect were plotted three parcels with 10x20 m. It was used Mata Nativa II program to calculate phytosociological parameters. The analyzed vegetation was represented by 357 individuals belonged to 16 genera and 7 families. The species that presented the most number of individuals were: Prosopis juliflora (221), Croton sonderianus (52), Pithecellobium dulce (20) and Ziziphus joazeiro (14). Prosopis juliflora occurred in all studied areas demonstrating its aggressive characteristic and also showing the susceptibility of areas that passed by human influence to invader areas. The highest importance value of quantity of species (VI) was Prosopis juliflora (49.22%), allowed for Ziziphus joazeiro, Croton sonderianus and Pithecellobium dulce. It was demonstrated that the bordering forest of Bodocongó River hasn't contain an expressive floristic composition that it is related probably to the influence and degradation resulting from human action.