The caatinga vegetation has many physiognomies and in a general way is degraded by human pressure, so it is important to characterize phytosociologically its various facies. This study aimed to characterize the composition and structure of the woody component of a relatively homogeneous remnant of caatinga vegetation in semiarid region of Paraiba, in a region locally called as Seridó. We sampled all shrub-tree species, alive or dead, still foot, with basal circumference > 10 cm (at 30 cm from the base) and total height > 1m. Ten plots of 20 x 20 m were allocated, randomly distributed across the study area. The total density was 1622.5 ind./ha, distributed in 21 species, 21 genera and 11 botanical families. The main species, according to the index of importance value were Poincianella pyramidalis (Tul.) L.P. Queiroz, Aspidosperma pyrifolium Mart., Commiphora leptophloeos (Mart.) J.B. Gillett and Anadenanthera colubrina (Vell.) Brenan. Despite being an area that is considered well preserved within the region, the studied community has a high density of individuals with small diameter shafts (D0,3 ¿ 6 cm) (63%). The Shannon index (3.38) may be considered medium and the Pielou equability (0.85) indicates floristic heterogeneity of the shrub-arboreal component. The floristic composition and species richness are similar to those found in other studied areas of the region, except by the high abundance of Commiphora leptophloeos and Amburana cearensis (Allemão) A.C. Sm.

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.

Agave sisalana Perrine ex Engelm is an important specie to economy of the semiarid region of Brazil because of it is an efficient source for production of fibers. Information about the anatomy can contribute greatly to plant production, however, there are few papers on the structural anatomy of this specie. The current paper aimed at describing the anatomy of the leaves, roots and rhizomes of Agave sisalana. Adult plants were collected in experimental plots at the Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia, in Bahia State, Brazil. The samples were processed using standardized plant anatomy techniques. Histochemical tests using Sudan Red and Sudan Black were performed to identify lipophilic substances. A number of characteristics typical of plants adapted to dry environments were observed, including a thick cuticle on both leaf faces. The leaves were phystomatic and had tetracitic stomata, long sub-stomatal chambers, isobilateral mesophyll, unistratified epi-dermis, papilla, cuticular flanges, and alternate collateral vascular bundles accompanied by fibrous sheaths. The roots had a velamen, a cortex with large rounded cells, and three layers of sclerids adjacent to the uniseriate endodermis. The rhizome was of the atactostele type and had no endodermis. OuvirLer foneticamente.

The fertilization of the castor bean plant (Ricinus communis L.) is few studies in the Northeast, where soils are generally poor in nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P). This work aimed to define the doses of N and P2O5 associated with maximum economic production of castor beans cultivar BRS Energia and critical levels of N and P in castor bean leaf and the critical level of P available in an Oxisols. The experimental design was a randomized block in factorial 4 x 4 with four replicates, combining four N rates (0, 45, 70 and 120 kg ha-1) with four P2O5 rates (0, 30, 60 and 120 kg ha-1). The castor bean plant was planted at a spacing of 0,90 x 0,50 m under rainfed conditions with supplementary irrigation. At the end of the experiment, was evaluated the overall productivity and productivity racemes primary, secondary and other. The higher net income was estimated to productivity of 2.304 kg ha-1 grain, obtained by applying the doses of 120 kg ha-1 of N + 120 kg ha-1 of P2O5. The critical levels of N and P in the leaf were 37,5 g kg-1 and 2,4 g kg-1, respectively, and the critical level of available P in soil by Mehlich-1 extractor was 7,0 mg dm-3.

The family Nymphaeaceae is represented by aquatic rhizomatic herbs, rooted in the substrate, with floating long petiolate leaves. Its flowers are solitary, and anthesis can be nocturnal and diurnal, pollinated by beetles. The family has six genus, of which Nymphaea and Victoria occurs in the neotropical region. Victoria predominates in the Brazilian Amazon and Pantanal and the Nymphaea is represented by 18 species distributed throughout the country. The floristic study included the analysis of specimens collected on expeditions and materials deposited in Herbariums, in a total of 69 specimens. The identification was made by consulting specific bibliography. The information obtained enabled the preparation of an identification key, illustrations of important morphological characters, significant as evidence Taxonomy, commentaries on the geographical distribution and discussion of relevant issues to taxons identification. For the state of Ceará were found six species: N. amazonum, N. pulchella, N. Jamesoniana, N. lasiophylla, N. lingulata, N. rudgeana and N. tenerinervia. The last two populations presented only in coastal environments. N. lingulata, N. pulchella and N. Jamesoniana presented records in the arid region, in interior of the State. N. amazonum and N. lasiophylla have a wide distribution, being present in the coastal zone to the interior. N. lasiophylla was the most frequent species. Knowledge about the Flora of the State of Ceará contribute to future projects for the conservation and management of temporary and permanent aquatic environments that occur in the Brazilian semiarid.

This paper evaluated the effect of different herbicides applied isolated and mixed on two species of dayflower (Commelina benghalensis and Commelina villosa). Both species were grown under pot conditions with a capacity of 14 L. Three stems with 10 cm were planted per pot. The herbicides application was made using a stationary spray system, to provide a spray volume of 200 L ha-1, with spray tip XR 110.02VS, when the plants were with dimensions of 25-35 cm for C. benghalensis and 30-35 cm for C. villosa. The mixture saflufenacil more effective control of C. benghalensis were saflufenacil + glyphosate (48 + 720 g ha-1) and, saflufenacil + (glyphosate + imazethapyr) with and without the addition of ammonium sulfate (24 + 623 g ha-1). The combination of carfentrazone + glyphosate (20 + 720 g ha-1) were also effective in the C. benghalensis control. The saflufenacil mixture allowed plant control of C. villosa, where saflufenacil + glyphosate (24 + 720 g ha-1) with the addition of ammonium sulfate, showed a good visually control of this species. The application of 2,4-D (720 g ha-1) and 2,4-D + glyphosate (720 + 720 g ha-1) provided the best visual controls of C. benghalensis e C. villosa. All chemical treatment regardless of Commelina species reduced the dry mass of dayflower.

The objective of this research was to evaluate the color of tomatoes coated with different concentrations of pectin during storage at room temperature. Were used tomatoes with color greenish-pink divided into four lots: uncoated tomatoes (CT) and covered with biofilms with 2% (P2), 5% (P5) and 8% (P8) of solution of pectin. Initially it was evaluated the rind of tomatoes, then these were cut in half and it was evaluated the pulp (fleshy part), subsequently the two parts of tomatoes were processed in a blender to yield the processed pulp, which also was evaluated. Evaluations were done at 0, 2, 4, 7, 11 and 16 days storage with analysis of luminosity (L*), intensity of red (+a*) and intensity of yellow (+b*) in portable spectrophotometer. It was observed in all treatments that the rind and the fleshy and processed pulp showed a reduction in the values of L*. At the end of the storage, the treatment CT showed the highest values +a* for the rind and the fleshy and processed pulp, followed of the treatments P2, P5 and P8, respectively. The values of +b* decreased in the rind and in processed pulp of the CT and P2 treatments, but increased in the P5 and P8 treatments. It is concluded that the use of edible coatings pectin is effective to retard development of coloration typical of ripe tomato, results to be associated with the evaluation of physical and chemical parameters for a respect to retardation of the ripening.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the chemical composition and microbial of biofertilizers at different decompositions times. For this, we used biofertilizers two. The experimental designused was entirely randomized in factorial scheme 2x7 two sources of manure (cattle and chicken) and seven times of decomposition (0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 days), with three replications. We evaluated the chemical parameters (pH, CE, dry mass, N, P, K, Ca and Mg) and microbiological (bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes total). The chicken manure gave significant increase of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, dry mass and electrical conductivity. The highest concentration was within 15 to 20 days of decomposition, with the exception of nitrogen, with the highest concentration on the preparation of biofertilizer. In the microbiological analysis, the chicken manure resulted in higher total population of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes total) compared to beef. The decomposition periods of biofertilizers influence on nutrient levels, diversity and populations of microorganisms.

The aim of this paper was to evaluate biochemical activities related to promotion of plant growth of isolates of the genus Bacillus originated from areas under maize cultivation, and to evaluate the genetic similarity among the isolates using PCR-based RAPD markers. Several strains of the genera Bacillus were isolated from twenty distinct maize production areas of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Forty isolates were obtained and characterized as antagonistic to plant pathogenic fungi, production of auxin (IAA), phosphate solubilization in vitro and root colonization. The potential for phosphate solubilization was not identified in any of the isolates. In addition, the majority of the isolates did not show any antagonistic effect against Fusarium oxysporum and Colletotrichum truncatum. Based on root colonization, six Bacillus isolates were selected to evaluate their growth-promotion activities in maize. All the six isolates increased root growth, while only one isolate did not promoted shoot growth and nutrient uptake in plants when compared to control. Low genetic similarity among the selected isolates was detected by RAPD analysis using eleven primers. Our results showed the utility of the in vitro selection criteria used in this study for screening of Bacillus sp. with plant growth-promoting activity, as they may reduce the number of Bacillus isolates required at the final screening stage in field.

Banana crop is one of the most cultivated fruit in the Northeast of Brazil, but it requires a considerable amount of water during its cycle making it essential the appropriate management of irrigation in order to optimize the water use. Thus, aimed to study the effect of water levels on growth, productivity and water use efficiency of banana cv. Nanicão in the second cycle. The research was carried out at the Campus IV of Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, located in Catolé do Rocha, PB, under field conditions, in a block randomized design with five irrigation levels (55%, 77.5%, 100%, 122.5% and 145% ETo) and four replications. Four plants were used per plot, spaced of 3 m x 3 m and irrigated by a drip system. Height, stem diameter and leaf area were evaluated every two weeks. It was determined in the harvest, the bunch weight, number of hands, fruits per bunch, weight and number of fruits of the second hand, length and diameter of three median fruits of the second hand and the productivity and water use efficiency were also estimated. Irrigation based on 145% of ETo provided higher increase on growth and productivity, but did not different significantly from results obtained when was applied 122,5% of ETo. Maximum water use efficiency was obtained with application of the lower water level.