The aim of this study was evaluate the agronomic p erformance of common bean cultivars ac- cording to phosphate fertilizing in the south of To cantins State. The experimental design was randomiz ed blocks with four replications. The treatments were constituted by 19 common bean cultivars submitted t o low and high levels of phosphorus in the soil (20 and 1 20 kg ha -1 of P 2 O 5 at planting, respectively). The increase of phosphorus promoted an addition in average of plant height, height of insertion of the first pod, stem diameter, number of pods per plant, number of grains per pod, number of grains per plant, weight of hundreds gra in and grains yield an cultivars IAC-Centauro, IAC-Galante , IPR-Juriti and IPR-Eldorado . The cultivars IAC-U na and IPR-Siriri present higher grains yield when sub mitted to the application of 120 kg ha -1 of P 2 O 5 .

The study aimed to examine the response of cowpea Vinegar cultivarwith inoculation of rhizobia and Trichoderma spp. at cerrado environment in Gurupi – TO, in the years of 2011 and 2012. The experiment was conducted under field conditions and experimental design of randomized blocks, corresponding to the treatments: inoculation with rhizobia and Trichoderma spp. in the seed; the seed inoculation with rhizobia and Trichoderma spp. in the soil; the seed inoculation with rhizobia and Trichoderma spp. in the seed and soil; only inoculation with rhizobia; fertilized with nitrogen; and control non-inoculated and non-fertilized with nitrogen. Inoculation was performed with the rhizobia strains INPA 03-11B and UFLA 03-84. For treatments with Trichoderma spp. was used to inoculate commercial Trichoplus JCO powder formulation. The results indicated that the potential for nitrogen fixation of rhizobia strains tested, and the Trichoderma bioprotection was of fundamental importance for biomass, production, nodulation and yield, which may be related with the effective capacity to supply nitrogen and protection against pathogens. Generallythe inoculation with rhizobia and Trichoderma in the seed and soil, provided better results on the variables analyzed for both season, with higher productivity than other treatments

For applications in water management, estimation of evapotranspiration is a critical term in the water balance, to establish a sustainable development of activities that requires such action. So it is necessary to more accurately estimate the reference evapotranspiration (ETo). The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of daily ETo values obtained for 12 empirical methods by comparing them with the Penman- Monteith FAO. The meteorological data used for the empirical models were measured in the National Institute of Meteorology automatic meteorological station installed at the experimental station in Rafael Fernandes, Federal Rural University of Semi-Arid, Mossoró, RN. Even with some methods presenting divergences from the standard method in the months of the highest water demand with an absolute error of approximately 0.99 to 1.67, it could infer that the most suitable methods based on the performance index greater than 0.76 were: Benevides and Lopez (1970), Linacre (1983), Bruin (1979), Jensen and Hayse (1963) and Priestley and Taylor (1972), in that order, thus it may represent satisfactorily the ETo. The methods that require fewer climatic elements such as Benevides and Lopez (c = 0.85) and Linacre (c = 0.79) performed better than more complex to estimate ETo in daily periods at any time of year.

The process of production of Biodiesel Directly Seed (PDS) of oil using a catalyst based on NaOH in the transesterification reaction. The primary byproduct of this process is the pie PDS, this presents considerable levels of sodium in their composition, which can be limiting in the activity of microorganisms during mineralization. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mineralization rate of castor bean cake pro- duced from the direct process of the seed (PDS), added to soil samples collected at a depth of 0 - 20 cm of a Typic Eutrophic (CXbe) located in the area of the Apodi Plateau, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. The castor bean used were from the Experimental Station of Biodiesel (UEB - 2), Research Center Leopoldo Americo Miguez de Mello, Guamaré, RN. For the study was used castor bean in fresh state and treated with distilled water to re- move the Na + . The material was incubated in increasing leaves of castor bean PDS 0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 mg ha - 1 for a period of 32 days. Was evaluated the decomposition of the material through the evolution of CO 2 . The mineralization rate of the pie PDS castor in a Cambisol is not influenced by sodium levels present in in natura and treated pie. The treatment with pie PDS water is effective in reducing the levels of total and ex- changeable sodium, but as a result there are losses of N and K.

The “araçá” (Psidium spp) is a wild plant with potential for direct and indirect use, and it is found spontaneously in the Semiarid region of the State of Bahia. Thus, the aim of this work was to character- ize and evaluate the genetic diversity for rescuing of 37 accessions of “araça” from the counties of Campo For- moso, Senhor do Bonfim, Jacobina, Morro do Chapéu and Uauá using botanical, morphological and physic- chemical descriptors in plants of different phenological phases. Size of plant, trunk shape, leaf color, floral morphology, fruit transversal diameter, rind color of fruit, fruit mass, fruit longitudinal diameter, fruit shape, soluble solids, titratable acidity, maturation index and C vitamin were the descriptors used. The diversity among the accessions of “araçá” was estimated using the method of Tocher as well as the inverted Tocher start- ing of the integration of data. Three species were determined (P. schenckianum, P. guineense e P. grandi- folium) and it was found great variation for all descriptors used and it was also found plants of the same size of guava plants. Using Tocher and inverted Tocher it was found variation within the same species, among differ- ent species as well as among accessions of different counties and within counties. The descriptors that gave the major contribution were C vitamin (70,88%) and fruit mass (25,66%). The variation found for the descriptors used show that there is genetic diversity among the “araçá” accessions from the five counties of the Semiarid of the State of Bahia and they present potential to be conserved and for future uses.

The fall armyworm is a pest that feeds on various botanies species. The objective of this experi- ment was to study the biology of this pest in corn and cassava leaves. Caterpillars were collected in area under cultivation with cassava and maintained on artificial diet for two generations. Under controlled conditions in a climatic chamber (B.O.D) in the laboratory (25 ºC, 60 ± 10% RH and photophase 14 hours) were evaluated daily 50 caterpillars in corn treatments and 50 in cassava, where duration and viability of the larval phase and pupal, weight of pupas were observed after 24 hours, deformation percentage of pupas and adults, longevity, fecundity and total life cycle. The viability of larvae fed on leaves of maize and cassava was 74% and 60%, respectively. The larval period of the insects was shorter in maize 16.89 days (seven instars) and cassava 20.08 days (six instars). The pupal phase lasted 11.42 days in cassava treatment and 10.87 in the maize. The pupal weight of females and males was higher in corn 204.91 mg and 198.97 mg, respectively. The biological cycle varied depending on the ingested food. Adult longevity lasted 9.88 days for insects fed on cassava leaves. Therefore, cassava affected the development of S. frugiperda.

Combretum leprosum Mart. is a tree species native of the Caatinga, used in the restoration of degraded areas and in folk medicine. Thus, this research aimed to evaluate the germination and vigor of the seeds subjecting them to different pre-germinative treatments, temperatures and substrates. In the first experi- ment, we tested the pre-germinative treatments: mechanical scarification with sandpaper, chemical scarification with H2SO4 for 1, 5, 10 and 20 minutes, immersion in water at 80 oC and imbibition in distilled water for 24 hours, beyond of the control. In the second experiment, after treatment of imbibition in water for 24 hours, the experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial 5 x 4 (five substrates: into paper, sand, coconut fiber, vermiculite and paper towel organized in the form of rolls; and four temperatures: 25, 30, 35 and 20-30 oC). The following parameters were evalueted: seed moisture content, germination, germination speed index, first germination count and seedling length and dry matter weight. The seeds of Combretum leprosum have not coat dormancy. However, pre-germinative treatments of mechanical scarification with sandpaper and imbibi- tion in water for 24 hours allows better expression of seeds vigor. The paper towel and the temperatures of 25, 30 and 20-30 oC provide adequate conditions for evaluating the germination of Combretum leprosum seeds.

Macroptilium martii Benth. is a native grass species of the Caatinga, used in the feeding of cattle and goats during dry periods. This study aimed to characterize the fruit and seeds, as well as evaluating the germination of the seeds of M. martii subjected to different methods of scarification. For the characterization of the seeds was carried out using biometrics a random sample of 100 seeds and 100 fruits. Mass, length, width and thickness of fruits and seeds, and number of seeds per fruit were evaluated. With and without lopping: monitoring the soaking curve using two treatments: with and without lopping. Twelve pregerminative to assess seed dormancy treatments were used: control, coating, soaking for 12, 24 and 48 hours, warm to 80 °C for 3, 6 and 12 minutes and sulfuric acid (H2SO4) for 3, 6 water 12 minutes. The seeds were germinated as substrate type germitest paper towel. The design was completely randomized with four replications of 25 seeds each. The data were submitted to Tukey test at 5% probability. The seeds of M. martii have low variation for biometric features. Furthermore, seeds respond to standard soaking phase, being verified by the dormancy coating impermeable. The most appropriate method for breaking dormancy is blunt on the side opposite the micropyle, it provides the best conditions for seed germination.

To evaluate different organic sources as substrates for the production of rootstocks of Tamarin- dus indica L., we conducted an experiment in a greenhouse nursery located on the campus of Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA) in the period from October 2007 to February 2008. We tested the substrates: soil, manure, goat manure, sheep manure and humus, and combinations thereof, totaling twelve treatments. The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design, with 12 treatments (substrates), four replicates and 10 plants per treatment, totaling 480 plants. The conclusion that the combination of soil with animal manure, in various ratios studied, show satisfactory results in the production of the tamarind rootstock was reached. The treatment not only composed of soil provided suitable for production of rootstocks results of tamarind.

Considering that milk is susceptible to fraud, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of sodium citrate and fortifier in density and freezing point of milk. The addition of citrate in 0.1%, the maximum regulated by Brazilian legislation, was sufficient to decrease the average freezing point for 0.021 °H and increase the density average in 0.0008 g cm - 3 . In these samples was possible to add up to 5.6% water without exceeding the Brazilian standards density and freezing point. The fortifier added to milk in con- centrations higher than 0.05% decreased the average freezing point 0.0024°H compared to the control treat- ment. The average density difference only in the group with addition of 0.44% of tonic, an increase of 0.0034 g cm - 3 compared to the control treatment. However, the dilution recommended by the manufacturer (0.007%) not changed density and freezing point average of milk. The results showed that the addition of citrate in percent- ages permitted by Brazilians law was able to change the freezing point and the density of milk. It should be pointed that in direct UHT process the evaporation of water excess from milk with 0.1% of citrate is based on - 0.530 o H, it is possible that the removal of the incorporated water in UHT process could be incomplete, and can be present in percentages higher than 5%. Thus, the manufacturer recommended concentration of fortifier did not change the density and the freezing point of milk.