The quality of coffee can be defined as a set of physical, chemical, sensory and security attributes that meet what the consumers want. The objective of this work was to evaluate and to compare the final quality of coffee produced by using the dry-process, using several procedures such as complete drying on cement terrace, suspended terrace, or their combination with mechanical horizontal rotary type driers. There was no significant change in the coffee quality obtained from any of the drying methods, however, it is known that the high percentage of cherry fruit, up from 90%, determined the high standard of quality of the drink and that this is influenced by the unripe fruits present in the product that cause undesirable fermentations and generate off-flavor.

This work presents a simple classification method to describe and evaluate the Caatinga vegetation, one of the most fascinating biosystems of the Brazilian landscape, which has been intensively explored since colonial times. Associated to remote sensing techniques, this classification will be able to contribute as a method of reference of terrestrial control, facilitating the interpretation of space images in the inventory of vegetative cover, in studies associated with environmental monitoring and management. For a given biome of Caatinga, the Woody Vegetation Biomass Index (WVBI) is the product of the Height Index (HI) by Cover Index (CI) of vegetation. For a condition of maximum preservation the WVBI is equal to 1. By determining of a reference volume the Woody Vegetation Biomass Volume (WVBV) will be able to be estimated.

This study was conducted to evaluate the yield of two maize varieties cropped with organic and mineral fertilizations either associated or unassociated. The randomized experimental design was used under a factorial scheme 2 x 3 x 2, with four replicates. The first factor corresponds to two maize varieties (Nitrodent and Nitroflint), whereas the second one represents three levels of mineral fertilization: without mineral fertilizer; 300 kg/ha of 4-14-8 + 100 kg/ha ammonium sulfate (S.A.); and 600 kg/ha of 4-14-8 + 200 kg/ha S.A. The third factor represents two organic fertilization levels: without organic fertilizer; and 40 m3/ha organic compound. The experimental plot consisted of eight plant rows with 8m length each one and 1m spacing from each others, so totaling 64 m2 area. The yield of the maize grains by plot were evaluated, and the data were subjected to variance analysis (test ¿ 5%). The averages were compared by Tukey test at 5% probability level. Both varieties Nitrodent and Nitroflint only cropped under the organic system reached more than 6.500 kg/ha. The exclusive organic cropping system provided higher yields of maize grains, compared to the conventional system. No significant differences were found between the exclusive organic system and the combination of both organic and conventional systems upon the grain yield of the Nitrodent variety.

In environmental studies is important to know the adsorption process of heavy metals in clay minerals, since they are able to immobilize these metals. Knowing the cations adsorption is influenced for several factors, the objective of this research was to study the zinc adsorption process by bentonite clay and to evaluate the particle size of clay and pH influence on this process. In order to quantify the adsorbed zinc, 2 g of bentonite clay, dried at room temperature and sieved at 0.5 and 2-mm-mesh, were equilibrated for 24 hours with 20 mL of water containing different quantities of zinc (10, 15, 20, 30, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg L-1) as background solutions of pH values 4 and 6. Langmuir's adsorption equation in its linearized form was applied and the values of the maximum capacity and those of the constant related to the bonding energy were obtained. The results showed that Langmuir equation was adequate to describe zinc adsorption at different pH values and particle size of bentonite clay. Zinc adsorption in bentonite clay depended on pH and particle size, decreasing as they increased. The maximum retention capacity, 3.24 mg g-1, was obtained in pH 4 using particle size of bentonite clay < 0,5 mm.

The work was developed in a greenhouse, with the objective to evaluate the behavior of Sudan sorghum in one normal and another saline-sodic soil treated with increasing concentration solutions of calcium chloride. Two samples of Alluvial Soil proceeding from the half-barren part of Paraíba, Brazil, with salinity and sodicity problems had been used. The physical and chemical characterization of soil samples was carried and was mounted an experiment in randomized block type, at 2 x 6 factorial arrangement, being two soils and six solutions of calcium chloride with increasing concentrations, in three replicates. The soil had been conditioned in polyethylene vases with 5,0 kg of capacity, being submitted to the ticket of the solutions during sixty days, being then made a sampling for determination of the exchangeable sodium and the calculation of ESP. After this period, was planted one sorghum tolerant cultivar to salinity, being continued the ticket of the solutions under daily irrigation. At 60 days of application of calcium chloride solutions, it was observed that it had a reduction of the ESP, which continued being reduced until the 120 days, mainly for the saline-sodic soil, correcting the sodicity partially. The effect of the salinity had been evident in sorghum cultivated in saline-sodic soil, with problems since the germination in the treatments of lesser calcium chloride concentration, with improvement in the growth of the plants in the intermediate levels and decrease in the last level, probably, for the raised saline concentration, reflecting in the height of the plants and the production of dry matter.

The pineapple in Paraíba, the fruitful of larger economical importance is considered, with an area planted with more 11.000 there are, and with one of the best productivities at national level, about 23 t/ha. This research was developed in six producing municipal districts in the State, located in the area of the Swamp and Zone of the Forest, in the months of May, June and July of 2006, with the objective to diagnose the process of production of the culture of the pineapple. The data were obtained through a structured questionnaire, approaching information on the productive and socioeconomic process of the culture, being 10 questionnaires for municipal district, which were maybe distributed to the and applied in a direct and individual way, approaching from the big to the small producer. The data were submitted to the analysis of frequency distribution and descriptive. It was verified that the pineapple of cultivating 'Pérola' was the favorite for the producing of small and big load, and most of the pineapple produced in the State he/she feels in the small production, the crop is made in a handmade way, and most of the time without application of powder-crop techniques. Good part of the producers doesn't receive technical attendance it publishes, nor matter.

In order to investigate the influence of baited-trap color on fruit fly attraction, two McPhail trap models were used to monitor the insect in peach trees. One of the models was constructed of clear plastic, while the other had a clear top and a yellow bottom (base). The traps were installed in pairs, on five plants spaced 30 m apart. Traps were monitored twice a week from 12/20/2005 to 01/13/2006, with trap rotation at each evaluation, switching trap position in the tree. The yellow-bottomed McPhail traps were not superior to the clear ones during the evaluations, and no fruit fly capture increases were observed due to the yellow color.

Soil salinity is a abiotic factor that can harmful of Rhizobium-legumes symbiosis, reducing plant nodulation and growth. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of saline stress on nodulation of cowpea inoculated with strain of Bradyrhizobium sp. The study was conduced out using plastic pots containing 5 kg of a Neossolo Quartzarênico typical órtico. The experimental design was randomized and the treatments consisted of five levels of salinity of irrigation water (0, 1, 2, 4 and 8 dS m-1). The seeds inoculation was made using inoculant containing Bradyrhizobium sp, strain BR 2001. The evaluations were made at 35 days after plant emergence, being determined the nodule number and dry mass and shoot mass. The analysis of variance showed that there was significant effect for salinity levels on all variables. The regression analysis showed negative linear and quadratic responses for the nodule number and dry mass, respectively. In relation to the dry mass was observed negative linear response. Nodulation of cowpea was reduced by the salinity levels showing a sensibility of symbiosis to saline stress.

The objective of this study was to economically compare a corn silage diet supplemented with 1.3 kg/day of concentrate with sugarcane diets supplemented with a 9:1 mixture of urea plus ammonium sulphate and increasing levels o concentrate (1.3, 2.0, or 2.7 kg/day). Twelve Holstein and eight Brown Swiss dairy heifers averaging 176 kg of body weight (BW) in the beginning of the trial were blocked by breed and BW, and within each block, randomly assigned to treatments. Each experimental period lasted 28 days with 21 days for diet adaptation and seven days for data and sample collections. The average prices of feedstuffs in the state of Minas Gerais during the year of 2004 were used in the economical analyses. The sugarcane diet with greatest proportion of concentrate or, forage to concentrate ratio of 45:55 (dry matter basis), can replace corn silage in dairy production systems that plan heifer's birth age close to 24 months of age .

The State of Rio Grande do Norte is the largest exporter of muskmelons in Brazil and producers, in general, use irrigation water of different levels of salinity (ECw). However, in the region there is little information available on the effect of salinity of the water on the absorption of nutrients by the melon crop. Therefore, objective of this research was to study the extraction and accumulation of nutrients to in two varieties of melon (Orange Flesh and Goldex), irrigated with water of low (0.80 dS m-1) and high (3.02 dS m-1) salinity. The study was conducted from October to December, 2003, in Red Latosol of medium texture at the Fazenda Santa Julia (Latitude 5o 02' 0,0" S, Longitude 37o 22" 33,6" WGr.), in the municipality of Mossoró, RN, Brazil. The experimental design adapted was in random blocks with four replications. Largest accumulation of dry matter was found in the fruit in the aerial part after 63 days of sowing, representing 59.17% and 74.53 (Orange Flesh and Goldex) in the condition of low electrical conductivity (0.80 dS m-1) and 70.50 and 67.27% in cultivars Orange Flesh and Goldex, respectively, for high electrical conductivity (3.02 dS m-1). The application of saline water (3.02 dS m-1) reduces the content of potassium in cultivar Goldex by 39%.