This work had the objective of checking the echophysiological behavior of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] cv. BRS Xique-xique cultivated under different levels of hydric deficit. The plants were cultivated in vases with capacity for 10L, containing one substratum composed by: 88,45% sand, 3,71% of clay, 7,84 % of silte. The experimental design was entirely randomized with three treatments (TO- reposition of 100% of lost water by evapotranspiration, T1- reposition of 50% and T2- reposition of 25%) and five repelicates. Previously, T1 and T2 suffered a period of stress and were later rehydrated. In the day of the assessment, the plants of T1 had been undergone to stress for three days, while the plants T2 for 5 days. The variables analyzed were: leaf water potential, net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration, internal CO2 concentration and foliar temperature. The fewest availability of water caused reductions in the net photosynthesis rates, stomatal conductance and transpiration in T1 and T2 when they were compared to T0. The internal CO2 concentration in T2 was the greater among analyzed treatments. The reposition of 50 % of the lost water hasn´t caused any damage in the net photosynthesis.

Concerning the different plant physiognomies of Brazilian semi-arid, the riparian vegetation is the least studied. With reference to this, there is a gap in comprehension of the influence of environments heterogeneity on the flora distribution. In order to evaluate the richness and species composition in distinct environments along a stretch of riparian vegetation of the Pajeú river, was performed a botanical survey in the municipality of Floresta, Pernambuco state. Samples were collected in six hectare. Were identified 78 species in 39 families in four environments: the fluvial terrace, the riverside, the small elevation and the tableland. Families with the greatest number of species were Leguminosae (sensu Engler) and Euphorbiaceae, similar to those reported in other Caatinga surveys. 52% of species collected were herbs. As expected, there were floristic differences between the gradient along the fluvial terrace to tableland, as a function of environmental heterogeneity. The tableland had the highest species richness while the fluvial terrace the lower.

In Northeastern Brazil peanut is an important culture due to its high palatability, nutritional value, grain high oil content and for being an additional and/or alternative source of income for small regional farmers. However, production is insufficient, primarily due to low yield, lack of use of adequate cultivars and inadequate management. Therefore, an experiment was carried out (March/June, 2008), at the Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA) (Semi-arid Rural Federal University), in Mossoró, RN (Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil) experimental station, to evaluate yield of 2 creeping peanut cultivars (Runner IAC 886 and IAC-Caiapó), grown in 2 row spacings (0.5 m and 0.9 m). In a complete randomized block design treatments were allocated in a 2 x 2 factorial (2 cultivars x 2 row spacings), with 4 replications. Production components and yield were evaluated (number pods plant-1, number seeds meadow-1, 100 seed weight, pod yield, percentage yield almonds and straw yield). Cv. Runner IAC 886 showed higher yield than cv Caiapó, in both row spacings (0.5 m = 5,169 kg ha-1 and 0.9 m = 4,264 kg ha-1) mainly due to the number of pods plant-1. Row spacings affected both cultivars. Runner IAC 886 showed higher yield of pods at the 0.5 m spacing (5,897 kg ha-1) and Caiapó in the 0.9 m spacing (4,264 kg ha-1). Straw yield was higher in the lower row spacing cultivation.

Callus culture has shown a great potential for large-scale multiplication of superior genotypes in a short period of time. The objective of this work was to establish a methodology to induce callus formation in leaf fragments of Coffea canephora Conilon cultivar, to determine the growth curve and to analyze the development of the calli. The growth curve allows to determine the suitable time to subculture the calli in a new medium. The explants were inoculated in 50% MS medium with 10 mg.L-1 thiamine, 1 mg.L-1 pyridoxine, 1 mg.L-1 nicotinic acid, 1 mg.L-1 glycine, inositol 100 mg.L-1, hydrolysed casein 100 mg.L-1 and 400 mg.L-1 malt extract, 20 g.L-1 sucrose, 8 g.L-1 agar, supplemented with IBA (10 HM), 2,4-D (20 HM) and 2iP (10 HM). To determine the growth curve, the calli were weighted up to the 60th day of culture. The callus growth curve presented sigmoidal shape, with five distinct phases. The subculture must be done on the 53th day of culture, aiming at the plant regeneration.

The experiment was carried with the objective of evaluating the adaptability of the breeds goats to Semiárid through physiologic parameters: rectal temperature, respiratory frequency and surface temperature and the structures of the tegument: perspiration glands, fat of glands and hair follicles. 40 female were used goat, of the breeds Anglo-Nubiana, Savana, Boer and Moxotó, being 10 animals of each breed, with medium age of five months. For the physiologic answers, he animals were allocated into a completely randomized design entirely in portions subdivided in the time, with the main treatments constituted by the breeds and the secondary ones by the shifts. For the study steorologic of the tegument was used in a completely randomized design entirely with four treatments and three repetitions. There was in significant teraction (P<0.05) between breed and shift, for the rectal and surface temperature. The breed Savanna it presented larger medium (P<0.05) for respiratory frequency and the Anglo-Nubiana to medium smallest (P<0.05). There was significant difference (P<0.05) regarding the number of hair follicles for breed Anglo-Nubiana that presented the smallest number, differing significantly (P<0.05) of the breeds Savanna and Moxotó that presented the largest averages, however these didn't differ (P>0.05) of the Boer breed. The breed Anglo-Nubiana it presented larger number of glands perspiration (P<0.05) and the breed Savanna presented the largest average of fat of glands (P<0.05). The studied breeds demonstrated to be physiological well adapted and with characteristics of the favorable tegument to the climatic conditions of semiarid.

Beginning with the observed rainfall data and the potential evapotranspiration for normal, dry and rainy years, the best period for the vegetable cultivation was evaluated for Ipojuca, Pernambuco, Brazil. The potential monthly evapotranspiration (ETP) data was computed using Hargreaves' method and transformed into ten-day averages. The sum total of rainfall over a ten day period, full evapotranspiration and half of the potential evapotranspiration data are used to characterize of the growth phase, along with the determination of the pre-humid, humid and post-humid periods. The results show that the best period for the initial growth phase in Ipojuca for dry years is from the 01st of March to the 06th of October spaning 223 days and with a total rainfall of 1414 mm. Results demonstrated that the best initial growth phase for sugar cane during normal years is from the 20th of February to the 06th of October, spaning 236 days and with a total rainfall of 1864 mm. And for the rainy years, the best period for the initial growth phase of sugar cane is from the 23th of January to the 20th of October, spanning a period of 267 days and with a total rainfall of 2578 mm.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the production of lettuce Lactuca sativa cv. Verônica to water levels. The experiment was conducted at Centro de Ciências Agrárias at Universidade Federal de Roraima (State of Roraima, Brazil). The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse following the completely randomized blocks design with four replications. The treatments consisted of six water levels based on fractions of the class A pan daily evapotranspiration (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, 100% e 120%). The results of yield and fresh matter showed a linear response of the applied irrigation levels. The water use efficiency showed a decreasing linear response with respect to the irrigation levels. The maximum of yield showed 17.35 t ha-1 with 120% Class A Pan evaporation level.

Bactris gasipaes is an important Amazonian culture as the main source of hearts of palm. Techniques of plant tissue culture are promising tools in breeding programs of this culture. The objective of this study was to develop protocols for the in vitro establishment and callus induction in Bactris gasipaes shoot tips. Shoots were collected from young plantlets of B. gasipaes, which were disinfected with NaOCl 0.63, 1.25 and 1.88% (v/v), for 10, 20 and 30 minutes. After that, shoot tips were removed and inoculated in MS medium with factorial combinations of the growth regulators 2,4-D (0.0; 5.0; 10.0; 20.0 and 40.0 mg.L-1) and BA (0.0; 3.0 and 6.0 mg.L-1). The experimental design was entirely randomized, replicated three times with ten tubes containing one explant per plot. The disinfection was efficient for 20 minutes of immersion in NaOCl 1.25%, which resulted in 90% of explants without contamination and low oxidation. The greater callogenesis percentage was of 60%, reached at 10.0 mg.L-1 2,4-D and 3.0 mg.L-1 BA combination.

Today there is still a search for substrates economical, easy to use, available in large quantities and good characteristics for the production of seedlings, so are many substrates available. Thus, an experiment was conducted using different substrates for the production of yellow passion fruit seedlings at the University Vale do Rio Doce in Governador Valadares - MG, from November 2007 to January 2008. The objective was to evaluate different commercial substrates and a substrate used by small farmers in the region, associated with different rates of mineral fertilizer 8-28-16 (0, 21.4 and 42.8 g / plant) on the initial growth of two new cultivars (FB100 and FB200). We evaluated the physiological characteristics of seedlings. It was found that the cultivar FB 200 had the best vegetative growth, the substrate manure + soil was the best for cultivar FB 200, together with the plantmax® was superior to coconut fiber in the initial growth of cultivar FB 100 and the increasing rates of fertilizer stimulated the growth of seedlings.

This study was carried out at the Department of Plant Production, Sector Horticulture, São Paulo State University-UNESP, Botucatu Campus, São Paulo State, Brazil in order to evaluate the effect of sources and increasing doses of potassium in roots of eggplant. The experimental design was randomized blocks in factorial scheme 2 x 4 (two sources of potassium: KCl and K2SO4 and four doses of K2O, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 kg ha-1) and three replications. For the experiment, we used Oxisol medium texture (615 g of sand, 45 g of silt and 340 g of clay per kg soil). The soil passed through sieve of 5 mm and packed in plastic pots with a capacity of 32 liters of soil where plants were grown. The pots were distributed with a spacing of 0,63 m between plants and 1,0 m between rows each pot being grown with a plant. The evaluated characteristics were: root dry mass and volume of the root. It was concluded that sources and excessive doses of mineral K2O induces stress in eggplants and affect the roots being less harmful K2SO4 source.