The research was lead in two experiments with the objective of to identify methods to superation of dormancy in seeds of Leucaena leucocephala, Cunningham variety, and to verify the effect of light and temperatures in germination of this species. In first the seeds were submitted the nine methods to superation of dormancy: immersion in water under ambient temperature during 24, 48 and 72 hours, immersion in hot water under temperatures of 60, 80 and 100oC, immersion in sulfuric acid per 5 and 10 minutes, beyond of the witness. In second experiment, after treatment with sulfuric acid for 10 minutes, the seeds were sowed in tabledoch paper type Germitest and put to germinate under ten combinations: continue light and constant temperature of 20, 25, 30 and 35oC; dark continue and constant temperature of 20, 25, 30 and 35oC; alternated temperature of 20-30 and 25-35, both with fotoperiod of eight hours. Conclusion the specie Leucaena leucocephala presents seeds dormancy, detach-itself the sulfuric acid as efficient method to the superation of dormancy; the seeds of leucena are insensitive to the light and your germination was not influenced by the temperatures useds.

Jatropha curcas crop is raising attention as an alternative crop for oil and biodiesel production. Despite the knowledge about their nutritional demand is essential for fertilizer recommendation, few research has been made on this issue, mainly on the use de zinc and copper. In order to measures these elements concentration in leaves and stems of Jatropha curcas plant two experiments were carried out in a greenhouse, in Campina Grande, Paraiba State, Brazil, from July to December 2007. The substrate for the pot plants was a 5 mm-sieved surface soil(Neossolo Quartzarênico). The experimental design was a completely randomized with three replications. The treatments of first and second experiment were composed of five levels of Zn (0; 2; 4; 6 and 8 mg dm-3) and five levels of Cu (0; 1; 2; 3; and 4 mg dm-3) which were applied at the time of planting. One plant of Jatropha curcas was grown per pot after thinning and was irrigated whenever necessary. At 80, 100 and 120 days after planting were collected the 4 th. leaves of each plant; at the end of the experimental period, all the leaves and stems were collected separately and in any plant material were determined the levels of zinc and copper. Under conditions that the experiments were carried out the treatments Zn influenced the content of the element found in the fourth leaf of the plant, collected at 100 days after sowing, and they deemed appropriate. The treatments with copper influenced in a positive manner the content of the element found in the fourth leaf collected 80, 100 and 120 DAS, however, the levels of the element at all times and in all parts of the plants were very low.

Different tillage systems cause changes in the chemical, physical and biological attributes of soil, requiring modifications in the requirements of fertilization and liming. The aim of this work was to assess the effects of tillage systems on chemical of a Yellow Latosol (Oxisols) Cohesive Dystrophic soil, cultivated with soybean in a single and intercropped system with Brachiaria decumbens. The experiment was conducted at the Center of Agricultural Sciences Federal University of Alagoas for five consecutive years. The treatments utilized were: conventional tillage of the soil, minimum cultivation and no-tillage. The systems of soil preparation not exerted influence on the pH at depths of 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm. Variables pH, OM, K, Ca + Mg and V% showed significant reduction of their average in terms of increased depth of sampling. The consortium soybean vs. B. decumbens causes significant increases in levels of potassium in layers at 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm.

This experiment aimed to objective evaluate the appearance of the fruits and taste of waterde-coconut during the storage. Were harvested fruit cultivar Green Dwarf with six months of age, from the municipality of Rio do Fogo-RN then were transported to the laboratory Agriculture of UFERSA, which were previously assessed on the appearance of the fruits and taste of water. Part of the fruit has been coated with paraffin, and the other part remained untreated. Then, the fruits were stored in cold with temperature of 12±1ºC e 90±2% UR. Where they remained for 28; 35; 42; 49; 56 e 63 days. In each period the fruits were evaluated on their appearance and taste of the water using a hedonic scale of nine points, ranging from extremely liked and disliked. The experimental design was completely randomized, factorial arrangement 2x6, two types of coating fruits (fruits with and without paraffin), six times the storage of fruits (28, 35, 42, 49, 56 e 63 dias) with three replicates of 05 fruits, was used to test Friedman average of a 5% probability. The coating with paraffin kept good appearance of the fruits for a longer period of time in relation to fruit without paraffin. The taste of the water, practically, did not differ with the coating fruits.

The objective in this study was to evaluate the effects of replacing concentrate by flor-de-seda hay under the levels of 0; 15; 30; 45 and 60 % on the fatty acids profile of goat milk. Five multiparus goats of the alpine origin were used with 106 days on lactation at the beginning of the trial, being milked twice daily (06:00 and 16:00 hs). The goats were allotted into a 5 x 5 Latin Square, consisted of five periods of 13 days which, in which the first 10 days were for adaptation of the animals to the new diet and the other three days used to collect the milk from the animals. It was identified the presence of 13 fatty acids, being 8 saturated, small, medium and large chain (C6 to C20), 3 monounsaturated of medium and long chain (C14 to C18) and 2 polyunsaturated of long chain (C18:2 and C18:3). There was not detected any significant difference (P>0.05) on the variables evaluated but on miristoleic acid (P<0.05). The presence of CLA (linoleic conjugated acid) was not evident, although its precursors (C18:2 and C18:3) were identified. It could be concluded that flor-de-seda hay can be included in the diet up to the level of 60% without causing a depression on milk content of essential fatty acids.

The maniçoba (Manihot glaziovii) owns good qualities as forage for the herds. The goal of this work was to evaluate forms for superation of numbness in maniçoba seeds. The research was developed in the Labotatório de Sementes-CCA/UFPB. It was used delineation entirely casualised, with four repetitions of 25 seeds. The treatments were: witness (without treatment) - escarification mechanical (SANDPAPER) - T2; escarification mechanical + immersion in water for 24 hours (SANDPAPER+24h) - T3; escarification mechanical + immersion in water for 48 hours (SANDPAPER+48h) - T4; immersion in hot water to 80ºC for 2' (80th+2min)- T5; immersion in hot water to 90ºC for 2' (90th+2min) - T6; immersion in hot water to 100ºC for 2' (100th+2min) - T7. The seeds, after treated, were sown in plastic arts trays contend sand and done daily countings for IVE's Determination, emergency first counting and percentage. The comparison of the averages was by Tukey's Test to 5% of probability. That the treatments T2 was observed and T3 were the ones that obtained best results of Emergency Velocity Indice (IVE), not differentiating to each other, however, in the treatments T5, T6 and T7 the emergency was null. For the first-rate results counting the treatment T3 was what it obtained better answer. Already for the results of emergency percentage T2 was what it introduced better result, ending up introducing 70% of emergency, followed by the treatments T3, T4, T1 respectively.

With the objective of evaluating the growth of three cultivates of carrot, it was done an experiment, from June until September, 2006, in the Vegetable garden of the "Departamento de Ciências Vegetais" of UFERSA, Mossoró-RN. This work was delineated in factorial scheme 8x3 in randomized blocks, with four repetitions. The first factor constituted by the times of collections of plants was: 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49 and 56 days after polish, and the second for the cultivars: Brasília, Alvorada and Esplanada. The used spacing was 20cm among arrays and 4cm among plants. The characteristics evaluates were: number of leaves; dry mass root, leaves and total, foliate area, foliate area index (FAI), foliate area reason( FAR), relation part air/root and for the rates of relative growth (RRG) and absolute (RAG). The number of leaves, the foliate area, the dry mass root, leaves and total, RAG and FAI increased while FAR, relation part air/root and RRG refused, in the experimental period, for all the cultivates evaluated. The cultivates presented similar behavior with the relation to the characteristics: number of leaves, foliate area, dry mass leaves FAI, RRG and RAG. The mass accumulation of dry mass root it went superior for cultivars Alvorada and Brasília in relation to the Esplanada, for occasion of the harvest, in the 56 days after polish.

In sight of scarcity of references and information on the atemóia, this work considered to evaluate some chemical and physical analyses in intention to characterize two maturation stages. The used fruits in the experiment had been gotten in the Agropólo Mossoró-Assú, in the state of the Great River of the North. For this, the following analyses had been carried through: length and diameter of the fruit, total firmness of the pulp, soluble solids, pH, titulável total acidity and vitamin level C total. Differences between stadiums of maturation with degradation of the cellular components and the reserves of the fruits had been observed, thus reducing the firmness of the pulp and liberating simple sugars, respectively. It occurred increment in the acidity and consequence decrease in the value of pH. The vitamin C level didn't suffer significant alterations between such stages.

It had the aim to evaluate chemical composition functioning of two systems, three planting densities and four height of plant. It had been used randomized blocks an sub-divided parcels of factoring 2x3x4 with 5 repetition being two soil management (with/without camalhao) three densities of planting (6666; 3333 and 2500 plants/ha) and sub-parcels four planting cutting (5, 15, 30 and 45 cm). Studied variable were: crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), non-fibrous carbohydrates e total, (NFC) (CT). Management system and others did not influence (P>0.05), CP mean with medium value of 11%, NDF and ADF were affected (P<0.01) only by soil management and cutting height. System linking and other had influenced (P<0.01) CNF mean. Soil management system as planting density did not influence (P>0.05). CHOT mean with medium value of 78.0%.

Maniçoba is a native forage species of the semi-arid region of NE Brazil that is widely used in animal rations. The seeds of this plant demonstrate dormancy, with slow and irregular germination, making propagation problematic. The present work examined methods to overcome seed dormancy in three species of maniçoba (Manihot glaziovii, M. pseudoglaziovii, and M. piauhyensis) that were stored in paper and plastic sacks. Seeds derived from different localities (Areia and Barra de Santa Rosa - PB; Araripina and Petrolina - PE) were mixed together, packed into paper or plastic sacks and stored for five months. Each month during the five-month experiment, samples of the seeds were either submitted to stratification, or not, followed by scarification, and then examined for emergence and vigor. Statistical analyses were made of a 2x2x5 factorial scheme (seeds that were and were not treated to overcome dormancy; packing material used; and storage periods) making all of the possible combinations, with four replicates of 25 seeds each. Of the seeds analyzed, those from Barra de Santa Rosa that had been treated to overcome dormancy exhibited the best physiological quality, independent of the packing material used during storage.