Agave sisalana Perrine ex Engelm is an important specie to economy of the semiarid region of Brazil because of it is an efficient source for production of fibers. Information about the anatomy can contribute greatly to plant production, however, there are few papers on the structural anatomy of this specie. The current paper aimed at describing the anatomy of the leaves, roots and rhizomes of Agave sisalana. Adult plants were collected in experimental plots at the Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia, in Bahia State, Brazil. The samples were processed using standardized plant anatomy techniques. Histochemical tests using Sudan Red and Sudan Black were performed to identify lipophilic substances. A number of characteristics typical of plants adapted to dry environments were observed, including a thick cuticle on both leaf faces. The leaves were phystomatic and had tetracitic stomata, long sub-stomatal chambers, isobilateral mesophyll, unistratified epi-dermis, papilla, cuticular flanges, and alternate collateral vascular bundles accompanied by fibrous sheaths. The roots had a velamen, a cortex with large rounded cells, and three layers of sclerids adjacent to the uniseriate endodermis. The rhizome was of the atactostele type and had no endodermis. OuvirLer foneticamente.

The sustainable management of savanna reduces the devastation of semiarid and aims based agricultural guided by systematic principles of agroecology. In that connection we evaluated the effects of cropping systems and management of savanna through the analysis of chemical indicators of soil quality in agricultural production in Apodi, RN. . The systems were evaluated: 1 - management area of savanna with 5 (five) years (MAS5), 2 - management area of savanna with 7 (seven) years (MAS7), 3 - conventional system (CSA) and 4 - native forest (NF). The chemical analysis revealed that the management of savanna for five to seven years is a beneficial way contributed to conservation of soil.

Studies on the floristic diversity including climbers and also research directed to survey of these species are rare in Northeastern Brazil. With the aim of contributing to the knowledge of this component in the Northeast region and provide data on the flora of Rio Grande do Norte, a floristic study was carried out in a fragment of the Semideciduous Seasonal Forest in the municipality of Parnamirim and an identification key was created for the species. 20 species were registered belonging to 19 genera and 11 families. Eight of these species are new records for the state. The richest families in species were Fabaceae (05), Dilleniaceae (03), Bignoniaceae (02), Convolvulaceae (02) and Passifloraceae (02). The sum of the representatives of these families corresponded to 60% of the total number of species recorded. Comparative analysis suggests that studies be conducted focusing the diversity of climbing in northeastern Brazil, especially because these indicate the state of conservation of forests.

The cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is one of the most cultivated leguminous in the world. In spite of being a very studied species, there are theoretical models for the development for different habits of culture. The concept of thermal time, replacing the chronological time, has been used frequently, with the advantage to be independent of location and time of sowing. Considering the relevance of the activity for the State of Piauí, this work had the purpose of describing fenology of the variety BR 17 - Gurguéia, relating the number of day-degrees necessary to the development of each fenological state. An experiment was realized in the Departamento de Fitotecnia of Centro de Ciências Agrárias of Universidade Federal do Píauí, Teresina- Piauí. It was found that the number of vegetative stages is indefinite and that the variety shows at least six reproductive stages. The vegetative stage V1 (2º in the main branch with leaflets fully open) was the longest and from the stadium V10 (11º in the main branch with leaflets fully open) was overlap of vegetative and reproductive stages. The cultivar BR 17 - Gurguéia in rainfed crop, requires 818.2 degree-days from sowing until the early reproductive stage and 1103.5 degree days from planting to the end of the reproductive cycle, with wide adaptability for the State of Piauí; the cultivar BR 17 - Gurguéia presents six reproductive stages, LV the stadium is the longest among the vegetative and reproductive stages, individually, need a greater number of degree- days that the vegetation

This paper aimed to evaluate the use of cactus pear as the main substrate for the production of amiloglucosidase by solid state fermentation with the aid of the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger. The experiments were conducted at the Laboratory of Agro-industrial wastes at the State University of Southwest Bahia - UESB. The cactus pear was dried up to about 2% moisture. The variables in the fermentation process were water activity (0.891, 0.964, 0.976 and 0.983) and fermentation time (24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 96 h and 120 h). The results showed high enzyme production by the third day of fermentation, irrespective of water activity in all trials, after the fermentation time reduction of enzyme activity was observed, with the highest activity was 60.32 U/g in 72 hours and the water activity of 0.891. During the fermentation process the fungus synthesized and excreted the enzyme without the need for any other inducer addition to forage cactus and water, thus demonstrating the viability of using the palm as raw materials for bioprocesses.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the chemical composition and microbial of biofertilizers at different decompositions times. For this, we used biofertilizers two. The experimental designused was entirely randomized in factorial scheme 2x7 two sources of manure (cattle and chicken) and seven times of decomposition (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 days), with three replications. We evaluated the chemical parameters (pH, CE, dry mass, N, P, K, Ca and Mg) and microbiological (bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes total). The chicken manure gave significant increase of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, dry mass and electrical conductivity. The highest concentration was within 15 to 20 days of decomposition, with the exception of nitrogen, with the highest concentration on the preparation of biofertilizer. In the microbiological analysis, the chicken manure resulted in higher total population of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes total) compared to beef. The decomposition periods of biofertilizers influence on nutrient levels, diversity and populations of microorganisms.

This paper aimed to characterize the main agricultural productive systems of the county of Ibimirim in the semi-arid region of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil, in order to obtain data that can serve as subsidy to the implementation of agroforestry systems. Different productive unities were characterized through semi-structured interviews with local agriculturists selected through a stratified sampling. Each layer was composed by the main activity executed by the family which correspondent to: group 1: irrigated agricultural systems; group 2: traditional systems and forest extractivism; group 3: apiculture; group 4: handicraft fishing. The sample was composed by 5% of the small agriculturist in the groups 1, 2 and 3 and 2% in the group 4, due to this group being more homogeneous. The irrigated agriculture stood out in economic terms, althought it has demonstrated limited autonomy due to external raw materials dependence in addition to contribute to soil and hydric resource degradation. The traditional systems high adaptability and the apiculture conservationist character have generated a low impact under the local ecosystems. Fishing, forest extractivism and forest management are activities that allow the agriculturist maintenance in the rural environment and constitute a source of revenue during the dry season. The activities diversification and the integration of different productive systems has been a concrete possibility for income generation and improvement in the life quality of the families in the region. This way, the agroforestry systems of multiple use must be priority in rural development programs for the region sustainability.

In order to determine the effect of organic fertilizer on growth of seedlings of melon inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), an experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions. The experimental design adopted was a completely randomized design with four treatments and four replications. Treatments consisted of melon plants cultivated on sterile and non sterile soil in the presence or absence of organic compost. The melon seeds were germinated in trays containing substrate formed by 70% of Soil + 30% of green coconut powder, and the mycorrhizal inoculation used a mixture of the species Glomus clarum and Glomus intraradices, applied at the time of sowing. The seedlings with the first definitive sheet were transplanted into pots with sterile or non sterile soil, fertilized or not with organic compost. After 30 days from transplanting plants were harvested for determining the weight of fresh and dry shoot, stem diameter, arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization and content of macro and micronutrients. Organic compost addition did not influence arbuscular mycorrhizal activity and also increased shoot dry weight. AMF colonization of roots showed influence on macro (N, P and Ca) and micronutrients (Fe and Mn) shoot content on soil sterile with organic compost.

This current paper aimed to evaluate the use of increasing levels of hydrolyzed feather meal (0, 2, 4, 6, 8%), feeding broiler females 21 to 42 days old. Cobb 480 pullets were used with 21 days of age an average weight of 938 grams, distributed in 30 experimental plots in a randomized block design with five treatments and six replicates of 16 birds each. Five experimental diets isonitrogenous and isoenergetic based on digestible amino acids for stages 21 to 35 days and 36 to 42 days. The birds were weighed for uniformity of the plots at 21 days and every seven days to assess the weight and feed consumption. The average values for weight gain, feed consumption and feed conversion, respectively, 1.398 ± 59 g, 3.068 ± 130 g and 2.194 ± 0.36. The average weights of carcass, breast, thigh, drumsticks, abdominal fat, heart, liver and gizzard were, respectively, 1671 ± 81 g, 569 ± 38 g, 218 ± 13 g, 275 ± 13 g, 49.3 ± 7 g, 9.7 ± 1 g, 36.8 and 27.2 ± 2 g. The conclusion was that for each 1% inclusion of FPH was observed a decrease in carcass weight of 16.6 g in weight of the wings of 1.26 g and 1.73 g increase in abdominal fat.

The aim was to evaluate the selectivity of insecticides used to control the fall armyworm to epigeic occurring on the soil of a crop of millet. The research was conducted in field in the town of Dourados. The experiment consists of randomized blocks with eight treatments and four replications. Sampling of natural enemies in observable by traps "pitfall modified." The Belt 480 SC insecticide, was not selective family Tachinidae, but was slightly toxic to Formicidae and selective Araneidae and Calossoma granulatum. The insecticide Gallaxy 100 CE, the mortality rate obtained with 63% in the first (DAA) for Araneidae and Tachinidae families, and was selective to a DAA for C. granulatum predator. The insecticide Tracer 480 SC, was not selective to the spiders, Formicidae and Tachinidae. The insecticide Match 50 EC was the most toxic C. granulatum predator and the Spiders in the assessment a DAA, which obtained a mortality rate of 100% and 67% respectively. The effect of the insecticide Karate SC 250, had a mortality rate of families Araneidae and Formicidae, 89 and 60% mortality. The Lannate 215 S to a DAA, its mortality rate for C. granulatum and families Araneidae, Formicidae and Tachinidae 100, 78, 60 and 50%, and selectivity to Tachinidae. The insecticide Talstar 100 EC, was toxic to the Family Formicidae, Araneidae and Tachinidae in the assessment a DAA, which obtained a mortality rate of 80%, 78% and 75% and preserved population of C. granulatum predator.