The bromeliads are hardy plants with exotic beauty, appreciated by consumers worldwide. The species Ananas porteanus Hort ex C. Veitch Koch, in particular, shows great potential for floriculture. These plants acclimate easily to adverse environmental conditions like those found in semi-arid areas. To assess the salinity tolerance of A. porteanus there were two treatments, one without the addition of NaCl (control) and the other with 80 mmol L-1 NaCl. The experiment lasted 90 days and were evaluated in the shoot: shoot dry matter, chloride, sodium and potassium contents, Na + / K + rate, proline content, total soluble carbohydrates, total soluble proteins, total phenols, peroxidase activity, levels of chlorophyll "a" and "b" and membrane damage. Plants of A. porteanus treated with sodium chloride were able to maintain the integrity of the membrane at levels similar to those found in control plants and the maintenance of membrane integrity result in part from increased activity of peroxidase. The increase in proline and protein content also appears to be one of the strategies of this species to cope with damage caused by the excess of NaCl as well as the increase in levels of chlorophyll. Soluble carbohydrates are not used to adjust the osmotic potential in plants subjected to 80 mmol L-1 NaCl. The metabolic changes occurring in plants of A. porteanus treated with sodium chloride led to a new homeostasis that resulted in the plant tolerance to salt stress imposed.

Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) (jurema preta) is a xerophytic species of the shrub-arboreal habit, indicative of secondary succession stage of recovery or progressive, widely disseminated by different caatinga physiognomies of northeastern Brazil, bringing great potential. For the few studies that address their environmental performance, this study aimed to investigate structural and ecological aspects of its population, based data in diameter and height, and characterize the spatial distribution pattern of this species in the study areas. The phytosociological survey was conducted in two areas with 2 and 80 hectares of caatinga at the Experimental Station of Embrapa Semiarid, Petrolina - PE. 10 units were plotted on a random sample measuring 8.0 x 40m, and included all individuals living in diameter at soil level K 3 cm, and measured the total height of the same. Were sampled 283 and 61 individuals in 100 and 80% of plots in areas I and II respectively, inserted mostly in the first diameter classes (3.0 - 6.0 cm and 6.1 - 9.0 cm) and height (2.0 - 3.0 m and 3.1 - 4 m), without trend to standard reverse-J-shape in areas. The spatial distribution, measured by the Payandeh index, reached a value of 2.4 in area I and 7.8 in area II, indicating that the species has a aggregated distribution in both areas. The calculated values for the of Liocourt quotient in areas I and II respectively, got an average of 0.67 and 1.12 with great variation, showing unbalance, despite being in progressive process of natural regeneration.

Sewage sludge, waste from the stations of wastewater treatment, has high contents of organic matter and nutrients and, when stabilized, it presents enormous potential for agricultural use. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of doses of sewage sludge on growth and yield of castor bean. The experiment was conducted in Cambisol, using the cultivar Guarany AL 2002. The treatments in a randomized block design with four replicates, corresponding to a treatment with chemical fertilizer (90 kg ha-1 of P2O5 and 30 kg ha-1 K2O at planting and 40 kg.ha-1 N, 40 days after planting), and five doses of dry sewage sludge (0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 t ha-1). At the end of the cycle, the assessments were made of stem diameter, plant height and productivity. The productivity of seeds and the biometric characteristics of castor bean increased with increasing doses of sewage sludge applied to soil, and the dose from 15 t ha-1 is sufficient for replacement of mineral fertilization of culture without the risk of soil contamination with heavy metals.

In order to evaluated the impact of the high salinity reject brine from reverse osmosis desalination on hydroponics lettuce cultivated in greenhouse an investigation was carried out in Mossoro, Northeast of Brazil (5º11'S, 37º20'O and 18m above sea). Two lettuce cultivars ('Verônica' and 'Babá de verão') were cultivated with a basic nutrient solution with 1.1 dS m-1 (control) during the crop cycle (1-28 days after transplanting - DAT) - T0 and with basic nutrient solution containing 50% of the reject water from desalinization with 4.8 dS m-1 exposed during 1-7, 21-28, 7-14 e 1-28 DAT (T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively). The addition of 50% of brine reject from desalination into the hydroponic nutrient solution allows grow only 'Verônica' lettuce with no reduction in fresh biomass. This lettuce cultivar shows to be more tolerant to salinity for all exposure time with reject brine in the nutrition solution, despite the fact that 'Babá de Verão' cultivar is more productive.

The net radiation is of great importance in studies related to energy and mass exchanges between the land surface and atmosphere, although it is not measured routinely in a meteorological network. In this sense, the use of satellite images over the last decade has been increasingly used for its determination. The present study aimed at determining the radiation balance in the Irrigated São Gonçalo Project - PISG and surrounding areas based on satellite images and a few meteorological data measured within the PISG. Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper images available in 2008 and procedures of SEBAL - Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land were used for mapping albedo and net radiation. Three selected areas into the study scene were used to discuss the behavior of different components of the radiation balance under different soil cover types. It was observed that the waters of São Gonçalo dam presented albedo in the range of 3.3 to 7,5%, while in the soil with low vegetation cover the albedo ranged between 32 and 38,7% over the studied period. In the irrigated coconut orchard the albedo ranged between 15.0 to 18.7%, while the net radiation values over the dam and the coconut orchard were consistently higher than those in other areas. It was concluded that the irrigated areas have lower albedo and surface temperature and thus increased net radiation, contributing to reduce the air temperature locally.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar a uniformidade de aplicação de efluente de três sistemas de irrigação abastecidos com diferentes características de esgoto doméstico do condomínio residencial Bosque Acamari, em Viçosa-MG. O experimento foi realizado em área de pesquisa da Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), em Viçosa-MG. Montaram-se três sistemas de irrigação por gotejamento, abastecidos com esgoto doméstico preliminar (EDP), esgoto de tratamento secundário (EDS) e esgoto de tratamento terciário (EDT). Cada sistema de irrigação foi composto por filtro de discos e gotejadores não autocompensantes com vazão nominal de 1,7 L h-1. A uniformidade de aplicação de efluente foi obtida a cada 100 h, totalizando 500 h de operação, com os Coeficientes de Uniformidade de Distribuição (CUD) e de Uniformidade Estatística (Us). Foram realizadas determinações físico-químicas e microbiológicas nos esgotos domésticos. Conclui-se que as características ferro total e coliformes totais representam risco severo de obstrução para gotejadores abastecidos com EDP, EDS e EDT, enquanto para as características manganês total, magnésio e cálcio tal risco é baixo. A formação de biofilme de sólidos suspensos e bactérias foi a principal causa de obstrução de gotejadores. Os valores de CUD e Us apresentaram, após 500 h de operação, redução de 61 e 54%; 27 e 24%; e 57 e 59%, respectivamente, para os sistemas de irrigação abastecidos com EDP, EDS e EDT.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the wood natural resistance of Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. of phenotypes (plants) with and without prickles to subterranean termite (Nasutitermes corniger Motsch.) in forced feeding and feeding preference assays, under laboratory conditions. Wood test samples measuring 2.54 x 1.50 x 0.64 cm (forced feeding) and 10.00 x 1.50 x 0.64 cm (feeding preference), with the largest measurement in the fiber direction, were obtained from three positions from pith to bark direction. The samples were exposed for 28 days (forced feeding) and 45 days (feeding preference) to Nasutitermes corniger Motsch. termites. In forced feeding assay the termites caused superficial attack in wood and lived during 8 to 10 days, thus the wood was classified as resistant. In forced feeding assay more mass loss and attack in wood of external positions to both phenotypes was observed. To the waste and survival time of termites were similar to both types. In feeding preference a larger mass loss and waste to inner position in both phenotypes was observed. In general, the plants with prickles lost more mass than the one without prickles. Therefore, the wood of plants without prickles is more suitable to be use in construction of fences, sheepfolds and other similar uses where the wood shall be subject to attack by termites.

With the aim of determining the concentration of potassium (K+) and electrical conductivity (EC) in water drainage in the cultivation of sweet pepper (Maximos F1), and to evaluate the possible risk of contamination of groundwater was conducted a experiment on a battery of 40 drainage lysimeters, whose experimental plot consisted of three plants in each lysimeter, located at campus of the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco (UFRPE), Recife, PE, in a completely randomized factorial scheme 5 x 2, with four replications, being five irrigation depth (80, 90, 100, 110 and 120% of ETc) and two levels of potassium (80 and 120 kg ha-1 of K2O), applied parceled according to phenological phase, through a drip irrigation system, with selfcompensable emitters. Throughout the cycle proceeded to the measurement of volumes generated from natural drainage and the fortnightly water balances in the lysimeters, and collection of samples for tests to determine the K+ and EC. The K+ content and the EC showed significant linear adjustments in all phases of the cycle, whose mean values were 9.79 mg L-1 and 0.35 dS m-1, respectively. The drained volume showed increases in certain events of water balance due to the high rainfall during the period, leaching more potassium ions. It was observed that with the application of higher blade and the higher dose losses were higher K2O, an average 60.10 kg ha-1.

This paper aimed to analyze the flow rate drippers of three sets supplied with different qualities of domestic sewage from condominium Bosque Acamari in Viçosa-MG. The experiment was accomplished in experimental area of the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), Viçosa-MG. Three sets of drip irrigation were mounted and supplied with preliminary sewage (EDP), secondary sewage (EDS) and tertiary sewage (EDT). Each irrigation set consisted of filter discs and non self-compensating emitters with nominal flow of 1.7 L h-1. The flow rate of drippers was obtained in 100 hours, totaling 500 hours of operation. Were accomplished physico- chemical and microbiological analysis in domestic sewage. Conclude that the presence of total coliforms and iron in domestic sewage confer severe risk of clogging the emitters. The chemical characteristics manganese, magnesium and calcium represent low risk of clogging the emitters. The EDP and EDT sewage caused high reductions in the emitter discharge in relation to EDS, due to higher concentration of suspended solids that interacted with the bacterial slimes.

The aim of this paper was to evaluate economical viability and steers performance in grazing receiving supplements with increasing levels of crude protein in the rainy season and its correlation with the pasture's composition. The test animals were 21 not castrated steers supplemented with mineral supplement and multiple supplements with 20% and 40% of crude protein and heavy at the beginning and the end of the experiment, after being submitted to fasting from liquids and solids for 14 hours. For analysis of the economic viability was used the difference between the Total Revenue and Total Cost. The protein supplementation didn't influence of the animals performance in grazing. The average daily gain of animals was 0.849 kg. The content of crude protein in the cell wall was negatively correlated with animal performance, and the structural characteristics of the pasture just the mass of forage showed a strong and positive correlation. This activity in the studied period presented economic viability when considered return on capital of 8% a year.