Rio Grande do Norte state despite having favorable conditions for growing garlic, currently depends on imports of this product to meet its domestic demand. Evaluation of cultivars from of other regions of Brazil was determined in order to verify the agronomic performance under the edaphoclimatic conditions of the Mossoró. region The study consisted of an experiment conducted in the city of Mossoro from June to November/ 2011. The experimental design was a randomized block design with four replications and eleven treatments, cultivars Amarante, Branco Mossoró, Caturra, Chinês Real, Chinês São Joaquim, Cateto Roxo, Gravatá, Gigante do Núcleo, Gigante Lavinia , Gigante Roxo and Hozan. Cultivars Branco Mossoró, Caturra, Cateto Roxo and Gravatá had a greater percentage of plants with bulb and larger diameter bulb, indicating adaptability conditions of Mossoró. Most total yield bulbs) was recorded by cultivar Branco Mossoró presented 65.22% and 11.53% distributed in bulb diameter grades 3 (32 to 37 mm) and 4 (37 to 42 mm), respectively.

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 objective of this study make a characterization of production systems of goat milk in the Cariris Paraiba. Were visited units processing and receiving points of the goat milk in 17 cities and interviewed 540 farmers in the regions of Cariris. The information was obtained through the application of questionnaire consisting of questions relating to ownership, herd management and health and the results were analyzed according to frequency of responses between the regions. There were significant differences (P<0.05) between the western and eastern Cariris with respect to ownership and size of properties and with respect to the species created in the properties of the two regions. The family system of production with low use of technologies and small herds predominates in Cariri. An interaction between race, environment and management should exist for the maximum production is reached. The use of conservation techniques fodder as hay and silage can help standardize production in semi-arid northeast.

With purpose of evaluating the salinity’s effe cts of the nutrient solution at different stages of development of the culture of pepper grown in a hyd roponic system, an experiment was conducted in a pr o- tected environment at the Department of Environment al Sciences, Federal University of the Semi - Arid (UFERSA). The experimental design was completely ra ndomized design with 15 treatments and three replic a- tions. The treatments consisted of five levels of s alinity of the nutrient solution (1.2, 3.49, 5.69, 7.07 and 9.23 dS m -1 ), applied at three stages of crop development (24, 85 and 120 days after the transplanting) .The leve ls salt obtained by mixing two sources of water (water supply (AB) and waste water desalination (RD)) .Th e nu- tritive’s solution salinity above 1,2 dS m -1 reduced the growth and yield of pepper grown in c oconut fiber sub- strate. The nutrient solutions prepared with water saline waste can be used in the pepper’s grown nutr ition in coconut fiber substrate with the lowest yield loss for increment the electrical conductivities (CEs), when ap- plied at 85 and 120 days after the transplanting , corresponding to fruiting phase.

In the search for more sustainable energy sources, it has been invested in renewable energy sources like the biodiesel. However, for certification sustainable it is necessary that the energy generated by the biofuel is greater than the energy required for the entire production process. In this context, nitrogen fertilization has been a challenge because are large energy expenditures to obtain it, then, the use of alternative sources of nitrogen in agriculture may enable the environmentally friendly biodiesel. Thus, the objective this study was to evaluate the influence of the use of treated domestic sewage in the production of sunflower. The statistical design used was randomized blocks in split plots with four replications. In the plots, we evaluated the effect of two types of irrigation water; plots were distributed five irrigation, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00 and 1.25 of the evaporation of class “A” PAN. In subsubplots, we evaluated the effect of four doses of nitrogen fertilization 25, 50, 75 and 100 kg ha-1. The more positive energy balance of 1:1,30 and 1:1,36 was obtained with irrigation of 222.48 mm and nitrogen levels of 50 and 25 kg ha-1, irrigated with well water and sewage, respectively.

The objective this work was to study the drying of integers grains of pumpkin, grains without tegument and grain flour of pumpkin in an oven with forced air circulation at temperatures of 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 °C and adjust the mathematical models of the Diffusion Approximation, Two Term Exponential, Hen- derson and Pabis, Logarithmic and Page, to the experimental values. The fit of the mathematical models to data from the drying kinetics was performed using analysis of nonlinear regression, through Quasi-Newton method, using the software Statistica 5.0. As a criterion for adjustment of the models the coefficient of determination and mean-square deviation were used. It was observed that processing influenced the time of drying, where the samples of grain flour of pumpkin demanded a shortest time to reach equilibrium. For samples of integers grains of pumpkin and grains without tegument, the model that best fitted the experimental data was of the Dif- fusion Approximation at all temperatures studied; for samples of grain flour, the logarithmic model was the best fit to drying curve.

Aiming at assessing the growth of sweet peppers (Ca psicum annum L.), submitted to different controlling strategies of weeds in the no-trillage and conventional planting systems, an experiment wa s carried out in UFERSA’s experimental orchard in Mossoró-RN. The split-plot scheme was used, which was distribu ted within the experimental design, in randomized block s with four replications. The planting systems (no- trillage and conventional) were assessed in the plots, and t hree weed handling strategies (soil covering with p olyethyl- ene film, with hoeing, and without hoeing) were ass essed in the subplots. Within each subplot, assessm ents were made on 0, 21, 42, 63, 84, 105, 126, and 147 d ays after transplanting (DAT) for the purpose of de termin- ing the following features of the sweet pepper: lea f area, leaf area index, dry mass of leaves, of ste m, of fruits, and the total dry mass per plant, leaf area ratio, leaf weight ratio as well as the rates of absolute and relative growth and of net assimilation. On the 30th and 90t h DAT, the weeds’ density was assessed in the treat ments without hoeing. It was found that the no-trillage s ystem displayed a decrease in the incidence of weed s as com- pared to the conventional planting system. The no-t rillage system decreased the incidence of weeds com pared to the conventional planting systems. The weed inte rference in treatments without hoeing reduced the g rowth of pepper in both systems and the no-trillage with hoeing system showed higher indices than the other manage- ment strategies of plants in both planting systems.

Ni was the last nutrient characterized like essenti al for plants. Its essentiality is due to participa - tion as constituent of urease enzyme, which makes i t extremely important for the metabolism of N. Thus , the objective of this study was to investigate the grow th, content and accumulation of urea and nutrients in cowpea bean plants ( Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) ‘IPA 206’ according to nickel rate and two soil types. The experi- ment was carried out in a greenhouse at Universidad e Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, using a 5 x 2 factorial scheme in a randomized block design wit h four replications. Treatments consisted of foliar applica- tions of five nickel concentrations (0, 20, 40, 60 and 100 mg L -1 Ni) in the form of NiCl 2 .6H 2 O and two soils, a Typic Quartzipsamment and a Tb dystrophic Red-Yello w Ultisol. Ni rates promoted Ni toxicity symptoms j ust on young leaves of bean. These symptoms were charac terized by small reddish spots that have not progre ssed during the time and did not influence on the plants development. The foliar application of Ni increase d levels of this micronutrient in stems, mature leaves, youn g leaves and pods of cowpea bean, indicating high m obility of this micronutrient in the plant, but did not alt er the urea contents, indicating no effect on the a ctivity of urease enzyme. The dry mass of the shoots and the c ontent of others nutrients were not affected by fol iar appli- cation of Ni. Plants grown in Ultisol showed higher growth and higher content of urea and Cu in mature leaves; K and B in mature leaves, young leaves and twigs an d Zn in mature leaves and stem.

The objective of the work was to evaluate the decoctions of Hyptis marrubioides, Aloysia gratissima and Cordia verbenacea and the mixture of those decoctions with the commercial fungicide pyraclostrobin + epoxiconazole on the control of powdery mildew in eucalyptus. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse using ministumps of Eucalyptus urophylla x E. camaldulensis (“urocam”) VM1 hybrid, considered highly susceptible to powdery mildew. The treatments consisted of three decoctions at 50%, of the fungicide at 0,75 mL L-1 and the mixture of the decoction with the fungicide at the proportions of 50:50, 25:75 and 75:25, respectively. The treatments were sprayed every 14 days and the disease severity evaluations were carried out every 7 days. The direct fungitoxic effect of the treatments on the powdery mildew of the eucalyptus was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). It was verified that the fungicide and decoctions of H. marrubioides, A. gratissima and C. verbenacea and all the mixtures of those decoctions with the fungicide were efficient in reducing the severity of powdery mildew in eucalyptus ministumps. The mixture of decoctions with the fungicide pyraclostrobin + epoxiconazole allowed us to reduce fungicide dose by 75% and increase the efficiency of control. Through the images obtained by SEM verified the fungitoxic action of the decoctions, the fungicide and combinations of these products on the powdery mildew of the eucalyptus, such as hyphal wall and conidiophore lysis and wilting of the fungal conidia.

A vegetação de Caatinga abriga diferentes tipos de paisagens únicas, das quais pouco se conhece. Considerando esta carência, objetivou-se nesse trabalho realizar um levantamento fitossociológico em uma área de Caatinga, situada no município de Bom Jesus, Piauí. Foram lançadas sistematicamente 15 parcelas quadráticas de 400 m², com espaçamento de 80 m entre parcelas e entre linhas. Dentro de cada unidade amostral foram mensurados o perímetro e a altura total de todos os indivíduos com circunferência à altura do peito (CAP) ≥ 6 cm. Após o levantamento dos dados foram calculados os parâmetros fitossociológicos, distribuição diamétrica e o índice de diversidade de Shannon-Weaner (H’). Foram amostrados 640 indivíduos, representando 36 espécies, densidade de 1.600 ind. ha-1 e área basal estimada de 17,02 m². ha-1. As espécies mais representantes foram Copaifera langsdorffi Desf., Ptyrocarpa moniliformis Benth., Pterodon abruptus (Moric.) Benth. e Combretum glaucocarpum (Mart.) Eichl., apresentando por volta de 43% dos indivíduos amostrados e 40% de importância ecológica na área. O resultado do índice de diversidade de Shannon-Weaner (H’) foi de 2,96 nats ind-¹.