The objective of this work was to assess the agronomic performance and plant morphological traits of eight lima-bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.) accessions in the edafoclimatic conditions of Mossoró, RN, Brazil. A randomized complete blocks design with eight treatments and four replications was used. The treatments consisted of the BSF 01, BSF 02, BSF 04, BSF 07, BSF 08, BSF 08A, BSF 12 and BSF 15 lima-bean accessions. The following traits were evaluated: growth habit, mean time of blooming, pod length and width, number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, weight of 100 seeds and seed yield. It was observed that all lima-bean accessions were of indeterminate growth habit, except for BSF 07B and BSF 12 that show determinate growth habit. BSF 12 and BSF 15 accessions were, respectively, the earliest and the largest seed size. They was not distinction between the lima-bean accessions for pod length, but significant differences were observed on pod width, with BSF 12 and BSF 02 accessions showing the highest and the less width. The accession BSF 01 can be the best alternative for Mossoró country growers because this material had higher number of pods per plant and higher seed yield. The accessions BSF 04, BSF 07B and BSF08 are potentially useful for lima-bean because these materials had higher number of pods per plant, higher seed yield and characteristics of pods satisfactory.

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the effect of five nitrogen doses (50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 kg ha-1) on yield components and yield of watermelon cv. Crimson Sweet. The experiment was carried out under field conditions at Boa Vista, RR, on January to April 2010, under yellow oxisol. The experimental design was randomized blocks with four replications. The length of the stems and leaf number were significantly affected by treatments at, 45 days after emergence (DAE), affecting also the dry matter total in the end of cycle. The estimated maximum yield of watermelon (40.428 kg ha-1) was obtained with 144.7 kg N ha-1, while for fruit fresh mass was 9.45 kg with the application of 248,5 kg ha-1 N. The pH of the fruits were not affected by treatments, while the sugar content of the watermelon, measured in degrees Brix, was affected by the depths of nitrogen.

Trichogramma species are found naturally parasitizing eggs of several lepidopteran species. Among the Trichogramma species, however, there is preference for certain lepidopteran species as host. Therefore, to succeed in a biological control program using Trichogramma is recommended to seek for more related parasitoid species to the target lepidopteran pests. Four species of the parasitoid were studied: Trichogramma acacioi Brun, Moraes & Soares, Trichogramma atopovirilia Oatman & Planter, Trichogramma exiguum Pinto & Planter and Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae).Thus, this study investigated three methods of evaluating Trichogramma species parasitizing Plutella xylostella Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae): parasitism within 24 h period, daily parasitism rate during adult stage, and fertility life table. The parasitism within 24 h-period and the daily parasitism rate showed that T. atopovirilia and T. pretiosum. Otherwise, the fertility life table parameters showed the better performance of T. atopovirilia. Therefore, the parasitism within 24 h-period can be considered the most efficacious selection methods because requiring less time to achieve the results, however with limitations when compared with daily parasitism rate during adult stage, and fertility life table.

The aim of this research was to investigate the similarity of water quality in space and time in the upland of Salgado watershed, Ceará, Brazil. Multivariate analysis/Cluster Analysis was used for this investigation. Water samples were took in nine stations, spread out along the rivers during March, May, July, August and September, 2005, totalizing 45 samples. The water quality attributes analyzed were: electrical conductivity (EC), chloride (Cl-), sulphate (SO4-2), soluble orthophosphate (OPS), nitrate (NO3-), dissolved oxygen (DO), bicarbonate alkalinity (BA), total coliforms (TC) and turbidity (T). Four homogeneous groups were identified. The water samples collected at rainfall season defined the dissimilarity of group 1 in relation to the others. This group showed the best water quality due to the dilution of salts. Water samples collected during the end of rain-fall season and began of dry season formed group 2. Waters sampled at dry season in stations located down of discharge point of effluents defined group 3. These stations presented the highest concentrations of Cl-, EC, SO4-2 and TC. The values of NO3- and TC defined the similarity of group 4. Although Cl-, SO4-2, DO, and TC influenced the cluster definition, the most important variables were EC and NO3-. The water quality similarity was defined by two factors: punctual pollution and climatic seasonality.

Due the fast growing in flowers and ornamental plants production and their high export potential, it is important to identify the insects species associated with Alpinia purpurata (Vieill.) K. Schum crops and to establish their role in this agroecosystem/production system The insects were collected from A. purpurata cv. Pink Ginger and Red Ginger plants cultivated in two farmswith different agroecological characteristics, located in two recognized tropical flower production areas/regions, Maceió and Río Largo cities/localities, Alagoas state, during one year. They were identified and its frequency analyzed according with a numerical scale. According to the results was collected 790 insects of which 69 were identified to specific level, belonging to 59 families of 9 ordens. Results showed Hymenoptera individuals as the most frequent, mainly predator ants and/or associated with phytophagous insects (sucking), besides natural enemies, followed by Hemiptera and Lepidoptera orders, which involved recognized agricultural pests. Insects belonging to the order Odonata and Orthoptera were found less frequently.

In Brazil, postharvest diseases caused by pathogenic microorganisms are a major problem that causes damage to around 80% of the total fruit production. In the lower middle São Francisco river valley numerous studies on identification and control of fungal diseases during postharvest of grapes are needed, in order to minimize losses in this step. In this context, bunches of seedless varieties 'Crimson', 'Sonaka'; 'Superior' and 'Thompson' were collected from July to November 2009, in order to identify and quantify the incidence of pathogenic fungi. The grapes were collected on five farms which specialize in the production of table grapes for export, all located in Juazeiro - BA and Petrolina - PE. During this period, 10 samples were taken. In the fruit farm five plants were used for sampling, and removal of two bunches of grapes per plant, totaling 10 bunches per variety. Subsequently, they were sent to the laboratory of Plant Pathology at UNEB/DTCS where they were placed separately in a moist chamber for 48 hours at an average temperature of 23 ºC. After this period, isolations of berries and stems in Petri plates containing PDA - potato-dextrose-agar were carried out with 10 repetitions, which were placed on benches under laboratory conditions. From the 8th day on, the presence of Aspergillus niger, Alternaria alternata, Cladosporium herbarum, Lasiodiploidia theobromae was observed, which presented the highest incidence, as well as Rhizopus stolonifer, Penicillium expansum.

This research aimed at evaluating the effect of the semiarid climatic conditions on the physiological behavior of F1 Saanen x Boer crossbred goats, created at an intensive system. The experiment was carried out in the Health and Rural Technology Center, in the Federal University of Campina Grande, in the town of Patos, Paraiba. Twenty-four animals were used, with ages varying between three and four months, being 12 females and 12 males, weaned and prevented against worms, receiving ad libitum water and controlled concentrate and roughage. The environmental variables were checked inside and outside the experiment place, as well as the physiological variables of all animals. Except for the humid bulb temperature, the variance analysis revealed shift effect (P<0.05) for all environmental variables. There was merely shift effect (P<0.05) for Cardiac Frequency and Rectal Temperature, and the averages of both, in the afternoon, overcame those observed in the morning. The obtained results based on the studied physiological and environmental variables conclude that crossbred goats, resulting of Boer (paternal) and Saanen (maternal), present a good resistance to heat, permitting their indication for the meat production in confinement on semiarid conditions.

We analyzed the viability and effectiveness of restricted-use protected areas aiming to identify gaps in the definition of priorities to protect wild regions from Ceará. Based on the creation of legal documents and interviews with managers of protected areas, we analyzed the size, we verified the existence of the management plan, monitoring activities and the criteria used in selecting the area. We found that in eight of the sixteen protected areas had not followed technical-scientific criteria, nor had carried through previous studies of the resources when they had chosen the areas to be transformed into completely protected areas. Fifteen do not possess management plans and 13 do not have environmental monitoring activities. Eleven protected areas have less than 10,000 ha, and insufficient studies that accurately ascertain the extent appropriate to maintain the biodiversity of the ecosystems of Ceará. It is necessary to deploy tools for maintaining these forests to protect the wildlife and the environmental services provided by these areas.

Basil is a medicinal aromatic plant of the Lamiaceae family, it is rich in essential oils with high industrial interest. The present work to verify the production of basil plants, from different sources and combinations of substrates. The study was conducted in greenhouse Sector, Department of Soil Environmental Science, Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid (UFERSA) in May 2010. Basil seedlings were grown from seeds from plants on the campus of UFERSA. The experimental design was randomized blocks representing five treatments and four replicates of 10 seedlings per plot. The treatments employed arisco, sand, cattle manure and earthworm castings in different combinations. Features diameter, leaf number, shoot length and root dry mass of shoots and roots were evaluated thirty days after sowing. It was found that adding cattle manure in the compositions of the substrates was increased growth and development of seedlings. In the production of seedlings of basil is recommended mixture of substrates containing cattle manure, sand and arisco in the ratio 1:1:1.

We studied the spatial distribution of a galling insect species that induces galls on the leaf veins of Caryocar brasiliense Camb. (Caryocaraceae) trees. Galls/leaflet predominantly occurred at the northern (1.06) tree slope, with decreasing number at the western (0.92), eastern (0.65), and southern (0.60) slopes. Higher number of galls/leaflet were found in the interior of the tree crown, i.e., on the proximal region (1.99) of the stems compared to the terminal portion (1.26). On the other hand, the average number of vein galls/leaflet did not differ statistically among the three leaflets of C. brasiliense (right = 0.79, central = 0.78, left = 0.84). Galls/leaflet were most abundant on the distal (0.46) and median (0.52) regions compared to the proximal (0.24) longitudinal region of the leaflet. This gall/leaflet insect was most frequent on the central (1.01) portion than in the leaf margin (0.05) or near mid vein (0.14) on transversal regions of a leaflet. Keywords: Savanna. Insect distribution. Leaf galls. Brazil.We studied the spatial distribution of a galling insect species that induces galls on the leaf veins of Caryocar brasiliense Camb. (Caryocaraceae) trees. Galls/leaflet predominantly occurred at the northern (1.06) tree slope, with decreasing number at the western (0.92), eastern (0.65), and southern (0.60) slopes. Higher number of galls/leaflet were found in the interior of the tree crown, i.e., on the proximal region (1.99) of the stems compared to the terminal portion (1.26). On the other hand, the average number of vein galls/leaflet did not differ statistically among the three leaflets of C. brasiliense (right = 0.79, central = 0.78, left = 0.84). Galls/leaflet were most abundant on the distal (0.46) and median (0.52) regions compared to the proximal (0.24) longitudinal region of the leaflet. This gall/leaflet insect was most frequent on the central (1.01) portion than in the leaf margin (0.05) or near mid vein (0.14) on transversal regions of a leaflet. Keywords: Savanna. Insect distribution. Leaf galls. Brazil.We studied the spatial distribution of a galling insect species that induces galls on the leaf veins of Caryocar brasiliense Camb. (Caryocaraceae) trees. Galls/leaflet predominantly occurred at the northern (1.06) tree slope, with decreasing number at the western (0.92), eastern (0.65), and southern (0.60) slopes. Higher number of galls/leaflet were found in the interior of the tree crown, i.e., on the proximal region (1.99) of the stems compared to the terminal portion (1.26). On the other hand, the average number of vein galls/leaflet did not differ statistically among the three leaflets of C. brasiliense (right = 0.79, central = 0.78, left = 0.84). Galls/leaflet were most abundant on the distal (0.46) and median (0.52) regions compared to the proximal (0.24) longitudinal region of the leaflet. This gall/leaflet insect was most frequent on the central (1.01) portion than in the leaf margin (0.05) or near mid vein (0.14) on transversal regions of a leaflet.