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.

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.

The abusive use of pesticides results in contamination of the environment, food and people. The aim of this research was to evaluate the use of silicon in the integrated management of Diamondback moth, as a physical barrier, reducing the use of pesticides. Agrosilício was the source of silicon used in the research. This product has 23% of silicon. Discs of cabbage were sunk in water (control) and on four solutions containing 3, 6, 9 e 12 kg.ha-1 of silicon, in 10 replicates. The discs were offered to 2o instar larvae, reared in laboratory, and morphological and behavior responses were recorded in the first 24 hours. Feeding preference, mortality and jaw damage were evaluated. Treatments had a significant effect in all variables. Larvae were more attracted and mortality was high in treatment with 12 kg.ha-1 of silicon. Silicon damaged larvae jaw, limiting ingestion and causing high mortality. Silicon in the integrated management of diamondback moth may contribute to reduction of pesticides use.

The objective was to evaluate the effect of the biochar as a substrate conditioner for the production of eucalyptus seedlings. The work was lead in nursery and the experimental design was randomized blocks arranged in factorial 5 x 2, being the factors composed of five concentrations of biochar (0; 7.5; 15; 30 and 60% v/v) added to the Germinar® commercial substrate and two species of eucalyptus (Eucalyptus citriodora and Eucalyptus urophylla), with four repetitions. At 75, 90 and 120 days after sowing (DAS) evaluated the stem diameter and plant height and at the end of the experiment (120 DAS) assessed fresh biomass of shoot and root, dry mass of shoot and root morphological parameters relative the plant height/stem diameter, dry mass of shoot/dry mass of roots and index of quality of Dickson. In general, the substrates that was added 7.5% of biochar promoted greater growth of seedlings, especially E. citriodora showed the best results for the evaluated characteristics. Evaluating the morphological parameters that act as key components in the quality of seedlings E. citriodora was superiors than E. urophylla. Concentrations of biochar above 30% harm the development of seedlings.

The aim of this paper was to determine resistance types of snap beans genotypes under infestation of bruchins Zabrotes subfasciatus (Bohemann, 1833) of Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say, 1831) in a no choice and free choice tests. The treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design with four and five replications, respectively. In no choice test, it was evaluated the total number of viable and unviable eggs, dry weight of the consumed food, percentage of emerged insects, weight of insects, longevity of adults and biological cycle of egg to adult. In a free choice test, the number of attracted insects for each genotype and total number of eggs were evaluated. The genotype ARFVI047 presents oviposition non-preference resistance type to Z. subfasciatus. The genotype ARFVI008 presents resistance type of the antibiosis to Z. subfasciatus. The genotypes ARFVI006, ARFVI008 and ARFVI029 present resistance of non-preference for oviposition type to Z. subfasciatus and the genotype HAV 56 black seed presents resistance of non-preference type for feeding of A. obtectus.

The spreading of umbuzeiro (Spondias tuberosa Arruda Câmara) occurs sexual and asexual forms, with little information about the propagation by cuttings. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the effects of concentrations of indole butyric acid (IBA), length and timing of collection of propagules in propagating of umbuzeiro. The experimental design was randomized blocks in factorial scheme 5 (IBA concentrations: 0, 1500, 3000, 4500, 6000 mg.L-1) x 2 (length of cuttings: 10 and 20 cm) x 2 (times of collection of cuttings: march and september) with three replications of twenty cuttings per experimental unit. The cuttings were immersed in IBA solution for the time of 10 seconds and placed in polyethylene bags containing substrate composed of sand, clay and vermicompost (3:1:1 v / v), which were packed and kept for 90 days under nursery, mesh that allowed the passage of 25% brightness. After this period the following variables were analyzed: percentage of rooted cuttings and shoots, number average root cuttings, and the mass of the fresh matter roots and shoots. The most rooting percentage was obtained in the stakes of umbuzeiro 20 cm inlength treated with IBA (6000 mg.L-1), planted in march. The smallest roots of umbuzeiro in September was probably because the plant was starting the process of flowering.

This paper aimed to evaluate the effects of herbicides on the biomass and nodulation ofcowpea. The experiment was conducted in greenhouse, in experimental design with randomized blocks, in factorial arrangement 4x2 + 2, corresponding applications of the herbicide bentazon, clethodim, fomesafen and smetolachlor, the recommended dose (RD) and recommended twice (RDA) in four periods of development of cowpea (20, 30, 45 and 55 days after planting, DAP). An inoculated control treatment without herbicide application and a control without inoculation, no application of herbicide and nitrogen fertilizer were included. Inoculation was performed with the strains INPA UFLA 03-11B and 03-84. The results showed for the experiment in a greenhouse that bentazon and clethodim, both at the recommended dose and double dose, provide low phytotoxicity to cowpea and has little influence on nodulation and crop biomass. The herbicide smetalochlor presents high degree of phytotoxicity in cowpea, completely inhibits the vegetative growth when applied at twice the recommended dose.

This paper aimed to investigate the dynamic of energy balance components over Orós reservoir and neighboring areas using Surface Energy Balance Algorithm for Land (SEBAL) and TM-Landsat 5 images. Also, the relation among albedo, NDVI, net radiation, sensible and latent heats and soil heat flux were analysed. The studied land uses were: Dense vegetation, irrigation fields and degraded areas (human activities). Eight images of 217/64, orbital/point, for the following data: 08/24/1992, 08/14/1994, 07/02/1996, 07/11/1999, 08/17/2001, 07/06/2003, 07/14/2006 e 08/20/2008 were used. The images were processed using the software Erdas IMAGINE using 9.0IMAGE. The SEBAL algorithm was applied to quantify the latent heat flux from the surface energy balance, which is composed of net radiation (Rn), soil heat flux (G) and sensible heat flux (H). The energy in form of sensible and latent heat showed similar tendencies for irrigated fields and dense native vegetation. The highest increase of sensible heat was registered on the degraded areas (human activities) in the last three years. All of the components of the energy balance presented distinct tendencies over the studied land use, expressing that the energy balance can be used to identify the changes on the land use pattern.

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.

In the Brazilian northeastern, goat and sheep are a complementary income for family farmers, mainly through the production of leather skin and/or meat. The aim of this work was to characterize sheep and goat's production systems practiced by local farmers in Jussara and Valente - Bahia (Brazil) through the analyses of nutrition, sanitary and reproductive practices. Data on 46 producers were collected through a structuralized script and later analyzed through descriptive statistical techniques. There was greater frequencies and medium from sheep than goat. The sheep breed Saint Ines and goat breed Anglo-Nubiano predominate in the crossbreeding with local breeds. The nutritional management was based on caatinga vegetation with supplements. The sanitary management was deficient, mainly in relation to worms. The reproductive management, although the general situation of traditional systems, showed better indices. Thus, the systems studied are family- based, diversified among stages of production. Although presentations for own consumption or subsistence systems, particularly the sheep production have a tendency of expansion and specialization.