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.

The cultivation of sweet herb of great economic importance for small farmers in the micro and Agrest Swamp of Paraíba and also in the state of Pernambuco. Among the natural enemies, the scissors Euborellia annulipes proves to be a voracious predator, that is, with high ability to attack and feed on different prey, particularly of eggs and immature stages of insects of Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, Coleoptera and Diptera. The objective of this research was to study the biological aspects of E. annulipes on H. foeniculi laboratory. The study was conducted at the Entomology Laboratory, Department of Plant Protection at the UFPB in a climatic chamber, at 25 ± 1 ºC, relative humidity of 70 ± 10% RH and 12 hours. Scissors were selected in adulthood from rearing on artificial diet in the laboratory. From these insects have made observations of posture, viability and morphology of eggs of E. annulipes. Fifty nymphs were selected for each stage of development (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) of the scissors and fed separately with aphids (1st-2nd, 3rd and 4th instar). There has been evaluation regarding the number and duration of instars. There are five instars to the nymphal stage of E. annulipes, the average incubation period was 12.9 days, pre-oviposition period of 18.2 days and 46.75 eggs per clutch, there was an increase of nymphal E. annulipes in that it offered up more aphids developed.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the production of Freshwater Angelfish (Pterophyllum scalare) in different stocking densities in cages polycultured with Amazon River Prawn (Macrobrachium amazonicum). Four treatments were evaluated (1; 2; 3 and 4 fish.10 L-1) using two ponds and 24 experimental units. Water quality parameter reached adequate levels for the species. Production data were submitted to ANOVA. Fish produced in the lowest density showed higher values of final weight and standard length, and lower total biomass in comparison with the others treatments. Feed conversion rate, survival, batch uniformity and body factor were not significant different among treatments. The highest density tested produced more fish and gross yield than the others treatments. The density 20 fish.10L-1 is recommended to produce Freshwater Angelfish in cages polycultured with Amazon River Prawn.

The purpose of this research was to make a floristic survey of the shrubby-arboreous stratum in three contiguous areas of Caatinga in the Cariri of Paraiba. The survey was accomplished in the "Estação Experimental Bacia Escola/UFPB", municipality of São João do Cariri, PB Brazilian Northeast. The experiment consisted of three areas of 3.2 ha, where three parallel transects had been established, in a distance of 20 m from each other, and there were marked ten parcels with equidistant systematic distribution (10 m x 10 m), having been sampled 30 parcels from each area. The floristic survey was carried through by the method of parcels. There was fulfilled a grouping analysis using the index of similarity of Jaccard. The number of parcels showed was enough to reflect the plantdiversity of the studied places; the families with highest number of species in the arboreous-shrubby stratum were Cactaceae and Euphorbiaceae; the species that had been common in the three areas, , were: Aspidosperma pyrifolium, Croton blanchetianus, Poincianella pyramidalis, Jatropha mollisssima, Malva sp., Pilosocereus gounellei, Spondias tuberosa and Opuntia palmadora. The arboreous habitat presented seven species, being higher to the shrubby component that was presented with five species. The more conspicuous arboreous elements had been: Poincianella pyramidalis (Caesalpiniaceae) and Aspidosperma pyrifolium (Apocynaceae). The most important shrubs were: Croton blanchetianus and Jatropha mollisssima (Euphorbiaceae). The analysis made by the index of floristic similarity indicated that the similarity was considered high by the three area, because they presented a Jaccard index higher than 0.25.

The thermo-reflective and black screens was used for shading for plants and they has private properties that improve the microclimate conditions, it was aimed to evaluate the growth and yields in hydroponic lettuce production (Lactuca sativa L, cv. Olinda), under effect of the thermo-reflective with different percentages of attenuation of the solar radiation. The treatments were and thermo black screens 50% with four different percentages of attenuation of the solar radiation, being meshes 40, 50, 60 and 70%. It was observed significant differences in function of the treatments for all the analyzed characteristics number of leaf, diameter of stem, fresh and dry matter biomass, leaf area and distances of internodes. The meshes thermo-reflective 40 and 50%, it had provided better development for lettuce, in relation to expression of the economical characteristics, being suitable to supply shading in greenhouse conditions at Northeastern semi-arid areas. However, it's improved the most control of the solar radiation, temperature and relative humidity, with micro weather conditions the best for growth and yields of Lettuce.

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 Brazil, the production of watermelon with seeds is highly representative. However, available information about fruit quality of different varieties grown in the same environment is still rare, which makes it necessary to carry out trials that can fill this gap. Thus, the present study aimed to evaluate the postharvest quality of different varieties of watermelon (Crimson Sweet, Charleston Gray, Sugar Baby, Fairfax and Tendersweet), grown under conventional conditions in Mossoró - RN. The experiment was carried out from September to November 2008 in the experimental field of the Federal Rural University of the Semiarid (UFERSA). The data for the fruit quality were recorded in the Laboratory of Postharvest of UFERSA. The experiment was set under a completely randomized design with six replications and each replication consisted of a fruit. The quality characteristics were analyzed: fruit fresh mass (kg), fruit dimensions (greater length and width), overall appearance, pulp yield in percentage, seed characteristics, pH, acidity, vitamin C, soluble solids and SS/TA ratio. The physical determinations showed variations for fruit fresh mass (4.2 to 9.7 kg), pulp yield (42.0 to 58.5%), rind thickness (1.1 to 2.5 cm), as well as to the number and mass of seeds. In the physical-chemical determinations it was observed phenotypic uniformity among the varieties for almost all variables and, although all of them favorable to consumption, this result indicates narrowing of the genetic basis of varieties, which makes it necessary the evaluation of other genotypes.

This work aimed to evaluate the effect of the use of calcium nitrate on the reduction of stress in the melon plants exposed to excess salt in the irrigation water. The experiment was carried out at the Centro de Ciências e Tecnologia Agroalimentar (CCTA/UFCG), Pombal-PB, from 09/19/2009 to 11/20/2009, using the hybrid melon 'Hales Best Jumbo'. The treatments consisted of the use of two levels of salinity of the irrigation water (0.3 and 5.0 dS m-1) versus rates of N in the form of calcium nitrate (5.5; 6.25; 7.0; 8.5 g N per plant). The experimental design was in randomized blocks, in factorial scheme 2x4, with four repetitions. The highest rates of photosynthesis, stomatic conductivity, transpiration, leaf area, total dry mass and the fruit yield per plant were observed in melon plants irrigated with water of low salinity (0.3 dS m-1) compared to the ones with the saline water (5.0 dS m-1), and for the rates of N between 6.10 and 8.5g of N per plant for both levels of salinity. The suply of N in the form of calcium nitrate was effective on reducing the stress in melon plant the caused by the salinity of the irrigation water up to the rates of 6.20g of N per plant. In absolute terms we can affirm that the best performance of the melon plant was achieved with the dose of 6.25g of N per plant when irrigated with water of low salinity.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of diazotrophic bacteria inoculation and nitrogen fertilization on grain yield and nitrogen accumulation in rice plants. We used seeds of rice cultivars IR42 and IAC4440, which were inoculated with peat containing the strains ZAE94 (BR 11417 - Herbaspirillum seropedicae) and M130 (BR 11340 - Burkholderia sp.). We used the first 20 cm of an Albaqualf Ecological Series. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with four replications and four plants per pot. We applied three levels of nitrogen (0, 50 and 100 kg N ha--1) and evaluated the parameters of shoot dry weight, nitrogen accumulation in shoots and grains, in addition to grain yield and the quantification of population of diazotrophic plants. Positive effects of inoculation were observed in both cultivars studied in all parameters evaluated, mainly in the accumulation of nitrogen in plants and grains.