This paper aims to evaluate the quality of yellow mombin fruit in different maturation stages from clones cultivated in Ceará - CE. For that 'Capuan', 'Lagoa Redonda', 'Genipabu' and 'Gereau' clones was harvested, at different maturation stages, being: 1 (green fruit), 2 (25% to 50% of yellow skin), 3 (75% of yellow skin) and 4 (100% of yellow skin). The fruits were transported to the laboratory of Chemistry of IFCE Campus Limoeiro do Norte - CE, and then were made a selection and the classification of maturity stages by skin color. The experiment was conducted with four treatments (maturation stages) with five replications each consisting of 10 fruits. It was evaluated soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, vitamin C and Ratio. To the physical parameters, was using only yellow mombin of 3rd stage, and was evaluated weight, length diameter of fruit. The clones presented differences physico-chemical. The 'Gereau' clone had the highest soluble solids. In the stage 4, independent of the clone, was verifying the higher soluble solids content and lower acidity, thus presenting, higher condition of acceptability by consumers and the industry, and the point of harvest more appropriate.

This paper aimed to investigate the factors of influencing milk consumers of Natal city, state of Rio Grande do Norte, in their buying decision. The methodology was a descriptive and exploratory type Survey, with 385 questionnaires applied on the four geographical areas of Natal city. Sample size was found according to the county inhabitant number, and survey was applied through questionnaire applied at randomized suburbs, streets and houses from four geographical city zones. The statistical analyses were: descriptive analysis, comparison test of means and Cluster analysis. Results were that milk quality had high average, in contrast with the price and brand which had the lowest ones. Milk quality and image of the store were the factors most stable for the consumer make its purchase decision, while price and brand were those of least importance. Comparisons among variables showed significance (P<0,05) except for price importance, visual appearance, no product on the market shelves, easy of buying and product status. As conclusion, milk quality is the main factor for consumers to make a decision to purchase milk, whereas price and brand were of least importance.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the Sitophilus zeamais development in maize seeds, under four lightning systems and to find a mathematical model that describes the growth of this insect under the ambient conditions. Four wood cabinets were built, one of them was a natural light and the other ones as it follow: mixed light, sodium steam light and anti-bugs incandescent light. Inside each chamber, there were 18 recipients containing approximately 250g of seeds infested with 25 weevils. After the chambers building, a timer system was built, so the lamps would stay turned on always on the same time, from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. to next day, consequently kept on for 12 hours. Every 21 days after the construction of the experiment 3 recipients from each chamber were taken off and weevils there were counted using the Belese funnel, and the seeds moisture was measured. It was not observed any influence on the bug development, who presented the maximum level of growing 84 days after the storage at all lightning systems tested. The humidity level kept constant itself until the 84th day and it had reduced significantly, indicating environmental changes during the procedure. The growth of S. zeamais can be described by a polynomial model.

Secondary metabolite produced in some plants can provoke alterations in the development of other plants or even other organisms. The aim of this paper was to identify possible allelopathic effects and biologic control of Achatina fulica Bowdich with aqueous extracts of Morus rubra L. leaves. For obtaining the aqueous extract, we used previously dried leaves in concentration of 1g 10 mL-1. Five concentrations of each aqueous extract were tested (10, 30, 50, 70 and 100%) and compared to control (0.0%), distilled water. The aqueous extracts of Morus rubra showed up allelopathic potentialities on the seed germination and in the growth of the shoot and the root system of the tested species, considering that the reduction in the germination and initial growth increased with the rising of the aqueous extracts concentrations used and, in the biologic control, only in the final mass of A. fulica. The results indicated the existence of allelopathic effect, but not molluscicide of M. rubra.

This paper aimed to verify the presence of black-fly of citrus in the state of Pernambuco in Brazil and wordwide. The material with symptoms were collected in the metropolitan area of Recife/PE and subsequently led to the identification in the Insect Biology Laboratory of the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco - UFRPE on February 4, 2011. The samples collected from the branches of citrus and bilocular, found the presence of eggs, nymphs, "pupae" and adults of Aleurocanthus woglumi, confirming its occurrence in the state of Pernambuco. The presence of blackfly of citrus had been detected in the city in the state of Pernambuco as Timbaúba, Bom Jardim, Macaparana, Axes, Orobo, São Vincent Farrer and Itambé in citrus plants. Before that had a suspect in the Valley Siriji/PE, now it is in the metropolitan area of Recife, therefore we can confirm that the material collected and identified in the metropolitan area of Pernambuco is A. woglumi.

The aim of this paper was to: a) verify if digital radiographic image measurements of G. biloba seeds could replace those obtained with a manual caliper; b) determine the degree of seed development through digitally measuring the air chamber of the seed and, c) make a radiographic pattern to characterize the seed species according to its anatomical and morphological structure, identify physical damage and characterize the species according to physical variables. In order to draw the radiographic patter, the seeds were submitted to different treatments: seed imbibition in rolled paper at 20 ºC for 48 hours; artificial damage by puncturing dry and imbibed seeds; artificial damage by fracturing dry and imbibed seeds. Seed anatomy structures were measured with a digital caliper and a manual caliper. The digital radiographic measurements could: a) replace the measurements taken with a manual caliper; b) obtain measurements that a manual caliper cannot supply; c) measure the air chamber in order to determine the level of seed filling; d) characterize the species by its anatomical and morphological structures, detect insect damage or fracture and make a radiographic pattern of G. biloba seeds.

The absence of fissure between palea and lemma of the husk rice grain, is an important character to avoid infestation by insect plague on storage. In the current paper 14 genotypes of upland rice were evaluated in three places of Pernambuco state; Palmares, Vitória de Santo Antão and Carpina counties. It was used randomized complete block design with four replications and the evaluations were made using 250 grains from each plot. The statistical analyses were made by software Genes and the average was compared by Tukey test with 5% of probability. The genotype x environment interaction was significant for the three places and the genotype BRSMG curinga was one of the most resistant and the PB 5 was one of most susceptive and, the difference on loss potential between both genotypes varies from 24.10 to 44.75% on tree places. Therefore there was variability among genotypes for resistance furthermore there was high difference on the loss potential in case infestation by insect plague during grain storage.

The present study aimed to use DNA markers to select plants for the first and second backcross (BC) of two distinct populations of common bean, carrying the QTL for resistance to white mold and RAPD and microsatellite markers to identify the plants of the BC population more similar to their recurrent parent. For this, it was used the lines G122 (resistant - P1) as donor parent and VC3 (susceptible - P2) as recurrent parent for generation of the population F1RC1-GV evaluated for resistance to white mold by means of the SCAR Phs and genotyped with RAPD primers. In the F1RC2-EM population were used the lines Ex Rico 23 (resistant) as donor parent and M20 (susceptible) as recurrent parent evaluated for resistance to white mold, by means of RAPD primers O12.1600 and O15.1800 and genotyped with microsatellite (SSR) primers. Genetic similarity (sgij) between each BC plant and the recurrent parent was estimated using the Sorensen-Dice coefficient. The proportion of the SSR alleles derived from the recurrent parent was also estimated and, simultaneously, genetic similarity and the proportion of SSR alleles were efficient for identifying plants more similar to the recurrent parent. It was found that marker assisted selection (MAS) contributes to reducing the number of BC in at least a generation.

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.

The actual paper was carried out aiming to evaluate the effects of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium on the growth and seeds production of castor bean (Ricinus communis L.), cultivar BRS Nordestina and BRS Paraguaçu. For each cultivar an experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, in Campina Grande, PB. Each experiment was conducted on a 2 x 2 x 2 factorial design completely randomized resulting 24 experimental units, subjected to the following levels of fertilization: nitrogen (200 and 300 kg ha-1), phosphorus (150 and 250 kg ha-1) and potassium (150 and 250 kg ha-1). Plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves and leaf area were measured at 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140 and 160 days after planting. At the end of the experiment the weight of seeds was measured. Nitrogen was the nutrient that promoted the highest growth and yield for both cultivars; the phosphorus and potassium application did not influence the stem diameter, leaf area and the yield of castor bean; the highest plant height was obtained with the treatment N1P1K1 (200-150-150 kg ha-1).