The objective of this research was to know the species and the population fluctuation of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) in a commercial mango (Mangifera indica L.) orchard in the coast of Ceará State. The study was developed from July of 2005 to July of 2007, in the municipality of Beberibe (CE). The capture of the fruit flies was performed using McPhail traps with 5% corn protein hydrolyzed solution as attractant. Weekly, the captured insects were sorted, the fruit flies were maintained in 70% alcohol solution and subsequently identified. The population fluctuation was estimated using the FTD (Fly/Trap/Day) index. During the research, six fruit flies species were captured: Anastrepha obliqua (Macquart) (63%), A. zenildae Zucchi (7%), A. sororcula Zucchi (5%), A. fraterculus (Wied.) (2%), A. distincta Greene (2%) and Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) (21%). The Anastrepha spp. and C. capitata population peaked was between April and July, in both years of study.

The trial was carried out at Santana da Vargem, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, from September to November 2003, with the objective of evaluating the productivity and nutritional state of lettuce cultivars in function of the Si addition. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with four replicates, in factorial arrengement with additional treatments: 3 x 4 +3, composed by three lettuce cultivars: Raider (group crisphead); Regina (group loosensmooth) and Vera (group loosen crisped) and four Silifértil® rates (0, 1, 2 and 4 t ha-1). The additional treatments were composed by the application of 3.5 t.ha-1 of Limestone for the three cultivars. The nutritional status of lettuce was evaluated by Diagnosis and Integrated Recommendation System. The application of Si in the form of Silifértil® do not increase the yield of the lettuce Rider, Regina and Vera. The fertilization with Silifértil® do not increase the silicon concentration in the aerial part of the lettuce, increase the DRIS indice for Si, but do not change the concentrations of most of the nutrients analyzed, except for the concentration of the K and Zn. The concentration of K decreased in function inverse polinomial, with low point in 1,89 t ha-1 of Silifértil®, and without adjusting, a regression curve, the tenor of Zn, decreased with the increase of the rate of Silifértil®. The fertlization with Silifértil® do not promote one better nutritional status for lettuce crops.

The availability of nitrogen interferes in the dry matter quantity produced by the common bean crop, carrying on earlier or later closure of row spacings. Thus, the objective this study was to evaluate the response of common bean in three plants population (200, 240 and 300,000 plants per ha) in winter, to the nitrogen application at sowing (10 or 20 kg ha-1) and nitrogen rates at sidedressing (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 kg ha-1). The experimental design was a randomized block with four replicates in a factorial arrangement 3x2x5. According to the results obtained it was concluded that: a smaller plants population provided significant increase on productivity. Nitrogen rates at sowing (10 or 20 kg ha-1) did not alter the common bean productivity. The application of increasing nitrogen rates proposed significant increment of productivity and the fertilization with 100 kg ha-1 at sidedressing increased in 20% the grain productivity compared with the control.

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.

The present work aimed to estimate the litterfall rate accumulation in stands of Parkia pendula Benth., Caesalpinia ferrea var. ferrea Mart. ex Tul., Caesalpinia echinatta Lam., Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. and in the native forest in Nísia Floresta National Forest, in the Municipality of Nísia Floresta-RN. The biomass was collected with a metallic frame accomplished in 10 points of each stand in dry and rainy season of 2003. The material was separated in leaves, branches and miscellany fractions, washed, dried at 65ºC for 48 hours and after weighted. Larger biomass accumulation was observed in the Parkia pendula stand with 15.49 Mg.ha-1 and the smallest in Caesalpinia echinatta with 9.52 Mg.ha-1. It was verified in all the stands more leaf biomass production with high amount for Caesalpinia ferrea and Mimosa caesalpiniifolia, accumulating 10.38 and 10.25 Mg.ha-1, respectively. The branches+bark production was larger in the Parkia pendula plot with 4.95 Mg.ha-1 and in the native forest with 3.19 Mg.ha-1. The litterfall accumulation in the pure plantations was larger in the dry period, reaching 33% more than in the rainy season. The cluster analysis classified the forest typologies in two blocks, being the first formed by Caesalpinia ferrea, Mimosa caesalpiniifolia and Parkia pendula, and the second by Caesalpinia echinatta and native forest, with the leaf fraction being the main discriminatory variable.

Knowledge of the speed of infiltration of water into the soil is of fundamental importance to define the methods of soil conservation, planning and design of irrigation systems and drainage. In order to study the speed of infiltration of water into a OxiLatossoil, before the system management tillage applying different empirical models, this work was conducted Centro de Ciências Agrárias, at the Federal University of Alagoas (CECA - UFAL), in order to evaluate the behavior of the equations of Kostiakov, Kostiakov-Lewis and Horton which Were used to estimate the Water infiltration rate in studied soil by using simple the soil under study, using a simple ring to evaluate the infiltration of water in the field. It was then that the system on the equation that more fit the model of the simple ring infiltrometer was to Kostiakov followed the model of Horton.

Despite the mineral fertilization is an important factor for increasing castor beans yield, few researches has been made on this issue, mainly on the use de zinc and copper. In order to evaluate the effects of these elements on the nutritional status of castor bean plant two experiments were carried out in a greenhouse. 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 composed of five levels of Zn (0; 2; 4; 6 and 8 mg dm-3) and second experiment were composed of five levels of Cu (0; 1; 2; 3; and 4 mg dm-3) which were applied at the time of planting. One plant of castor bean, cultivar BRS 188 - Paraguaçu, was grown per pot after thinning and was irrigated whenever necessary. At 90, 110, and 130 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. The Zn levels used affect the Zn level found in the leaves and stem, and this level is considered adequate. Cu treatments affect the Cu level found in the 4 th. leaves collected at 90 and 130 DAP, however, the Cu level in all periods and all parts of plants is low.