Agricultural activity changes the soil physical properties, making them unfavorable for plant development. The objective of this study was to evaluate the soil physical properties and total carbon stocks in the layers of 0 to 0.10 and 0.10 to 0.20 m depth, in areas under different management, and compare with the native forest soil. The study was conducted between May and December 2009, at University of Oeste Paulista, Presidente Prudente (SP). The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design with four replicates in a 4x2 factorial, with four soil management systems (no tillage (NT), conventional tillage (CT), pasture and native forest) and two sampling depths (0 to 0.10 and 0.10 to 0.20 m). We evaluated the parameters of soil bulk density, porosity, organic matter content and total carbon stocks in soil. Human intervention through agricultural practices reduces the stock of carbon in soil to levels well below the conditions found in native forest, besides providing the soil physical conditions worse than that of the soil kept under forest.

The inoculation of seeds with the bacterium Azospirillum has been carried out in maize culture and other grasses. The application of growth bio-regulators is another technology whose results in maize culture have yet to become more widespread. Current study evaluates the agronomic effectiveness of seed inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense in maize, associated with the use of the growth regulator Stimulate ®. Triple hybrid maize CD 304 underwent the following treatments: 1 - control without nitrogen and without Azospirillum brasilense; 2 - Treatment without nitrogen but with Azospirillum brasilense; 3 - Treatment without nitrogen but with Azospirillum brasilense + Stimulate ®; 4 - Treatment with 50% of nitrogen dose recommended for maize culture; 5 - Treatment with 50% of nitrogen dose and inoculation with Azospirillum brasilense; 6 - Same as 5 but with Stimulate ®; 7 - Total N recommended; 8 - Total N recommended + Azospirillum brasilense ; 9 - Total N recommended + Azospirillum brasilense + Stimulate ®. The inoculation of maize seeds with Azospirillum brasilense increases plant height and grain yield when compared with rates in control. The use of 50% of N dose in sowing, associated with the inoculation of maize seeds with Azospirillum brasilense at 200 mL ha-1 (mixed to the seeds) and associated with Stimulate ® (in foliar application), is viable.

Secondary metabolite produced in some plants can provoke alterations in the development of other plants or even other organisms. The aim of this paper was to identify possible allelopathic effects and biologic control of Achatina fulica Bowdich with aqueous extracts of Morus rubra L. leaves. For obtaining the aqueous extract, we used previously dried leaves in concentration of 1g 10 mL-1. Five concentrations of each aqueous extract were tested (10, 30, 50, 70 and 100%) and compared to control (0.0%), distilled water. The aqueous extracts of Morus rubra showed up allelopathic potentialities on the seed germination and in the growth of the shoot and the root system of the tested species, considering that the reduction in the germination and initial growth increased with the rising of the aqueous extracts concentrations used and, in the biologic control, only in the final mass of A. fulica. The results indicated the existence of allelopathic effect, but not molluscicide of M. rubra.

This paper had as objective to build and to calibrate weight lysimeters of low capacity and to establish comparisons between the working status of constant level water table lysimeters. Two weight lysimeters of 15-L and 50-L and two constant level water table lysimeters of 15-L and 50-L were built at Embrapa Mandioca & Fruticultura Irrigation and Fertirrigation Laboratory, Cruz das Almas - BA, Brazil. Linearity, repetitivity and hysteresis errors in the range of reading of the weight lysimeter. Simultaneously measurements of soil evaporation were performed on bare soil with the two lysimeters in a 1-h interval. Afterwards, orange transpiration was measured by using lysimeters and by using a heat balance sap flow equipment. Results showed that the relation between analogical signals and the standard mass in the lysimeter provided linear equation with reasonable goodness of fit. The systematic and random errors were larger in the lysimeters of larger capacity. The instruments were able to make readings with good stability during the days of measurements and were also able to detect mass variation due to hourly transpiration. However, the measurements were in agreement if comparing average three day data.

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the influence of different methods of dormancy breaking and substrates in the emergence and early growth of seedlings canafístula (Peltophorum dubium (Sprengel) Taubert). The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design in a factorial 5 x 4, with five substrates, Bioplant®; 75% Bioplant® + 25% bagasse from sugar cane (75B+25BC); 50% Bioplant® + 50% bagasse from sugar cane (50B+50BC); 25% Bioplant® + 75% bagasse from sugar cane (25B+75BC); bagasse from sugar cane (100%) and four methods of breaking dormancy (control, mechanical scarification using sandpaper, immersion in hot water and scarification with concentrated sulfuric acid) with three replications of 12 seeds. We evaluated the index of emergency speed; average time of emergency; emergence percentage at 7, 14 and 28 days after sowing, the dry mass of shoot and root dry mass. Immersion in hot water and chemical scarification with sulfuric acid (98%) are efficient methods to overcome seedcoat dormancy in seeds of canafístula. The substrates Bioplant® and 75B +25BC provide higher initial growth of seedlings.

This paper aimed to verify the presence of black-fly of citrus in the state of Pernambuco in Brazil and wordwide. The material with symptoms were collected in the metropolitan area of Recife/PE and subsequently led to the identification in the Insect Biology Laboratory of the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco - UFRPE on February 4, 2011. The samples collected from the branches of citrus and bilocular, found the presence of eggs, nymphs, "pupae" and adults of Aleurocanthus woglumi, confirming its occurrence in the state of Pernambuco. The presence of blackfly of citrus had been detected in the city in the state of Pernambuco as Timbaúba, Bom Jardim, Macaparana, Axes, Orobo, São Vincent Farrer and Itambé in citrus plants. Before that had a suspect in the Valley Siriji/PE, now it is in the metropolitan area of Recife, therefore we can confirm that the material collected and identified in the metropolitan area of Pernambuco is A. woglumi.

Priming promotes physiological and biochemical changes in seeds which contribute to the improvement in germination and vigor of the lots. The objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological response promoted by priming lots of papaya seeds after 12 months of storage. Seed lots were obtained through different methods of removing the seeds sarcotesta and stored in a refrigerator for 12 months. After this time, the lots were conditioned in PEG 6000 MPa/48h -0.8 solution, -1.2 MPa/48h PEG 6000 solution, 0.34 KNO3 M/48h solution; H2O/24h and H2O/48h. The temperature during the treatments was 25 Celsius degrees. Seeds not conditioned were used in the control. The design was completely randomized with four replicates, and treatment in a factorial scheme (4 x 6 lots conditioning). The effects of the treatments were tested by F test (< 0.01). Papaya seeds KNO3 solution conditioned accelerated the onset of germination in seeds without sarcotesta, promoting favorable response in the vigor of seed lots. Accelerated aging reduced the germination of the lots. After aging, the conditioning in PEG solution promoted improvement in the physiological quality of the lots.

The paper aimed to evaluate the allelopathic potential of Jurema (Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) Poir.) on seed germination and seedling growth of lettuce. The study consisted of two experiments, each arranged in a completely randomized design with five treatments and four replications of 20 seeds: 1) stem bark extract of M. tenuiflora obtained in hot water (100 °C) and at concentrations of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of standard extract, 2) stem bark extract of M. tenuiflora obtained in cold water and the same concentrations. The extract was obtained by standard 50 g of bark in 500 mL of distilled water. We evaluated the germination percentage (G), germination speed index (GSI), percentage of normal seedlings (NP) and abnormal (PA), shoot length (CPA) and root (CR) in lettuce seedlings. All extracts were analyzed for pH and conductivity. The germination of lettuce was high (> 97%) and no significant difference between means of G and IVG in different concentrations of the extract pattern. No allelopathic activity of M. tenuiflora on the germination of lettuceseeds. The hot extract cause greater percentage of abnormal seedlings in lettuce. The aqueous extracts of bark of M. tenuiflora have phytotoxic effects on seedling growth of lettuce, and in higher concentrations drastically affect the length of the root and shoot.

The aim of this paper was to assess the hygiene and sanitary profile of sun-dried meat sell points in the county of Cruz das Almas, Bahia. Four supermarkets, three food stores, two marketplace stallsand three butcher shops were researched, from December 2009 to January 2010. Data were collected by visiting, observing and the use of a checklist. From the places visited, only the supermarkets reached most of the evaluated parameters. In 50% of the sell points no refrigeration was used, and in 100% of them, the sun-dried meat was not packaged. In 75% of the establishments there was no exclusive knife to cut sun-dried meat, and in 25% of them food and money were handled simultaneously. Aprons, hairnets and clean closed-toe shoes were used in 25% of the sell points. No proper hand washing and others inadequate habits, such as chatting while handling and commercializing the product were in all the establishments. The sun-dried meat commercialized in the county does not comply with the Brazilian legislation, thus affecting food quality and putting at risk consumers' health, being necessary actions to qualify the workers involved in the handling of this food, as well a higher intervention of the responsible sanitary authority.

The aim was to evaluate the effect of late application of different nitrogen levels in different cultivars. The experimental design was a block design with four replications in a factorial 3 x 5 compounds by combining three soybean varieties: Conquest (early season), Pioneer 98C81 (medium cycle) and M-Soy 9350 (late maturity) and five nitrogen rates: zero, 20, 40, 80 and 160 kg ha-1 applied at growth stage R.1 (early flowering), using urea as nitrogen source. The application of 20 and 40 kg N ha-1 provided an increase in the number of pods per plant in all cultivars. Effect on thousand seed weight in cultivar checked only for conquest, with the application of 20 and 40 kg ha-1 N. Yield was reduced with application of 80 and 160 kg N ha-1 and increased with the application of 20 and 40 kg ha-1 N. There was a similar behavior among cultivars for yield components and yield when subjected to nitrogen in a late period. Although it was observed an increase in production around 300 kg ha-1, is still not economically viable application of nitrogen in soybean.