O mandacaru (Cereus jamacaru P. DC.) é uma cactaceae nativa da caatinga, possuindo grande importância para a sustentabilidade e conservação da biodiversidade deste bioma. Objetivou-se com este trabalho desinfestar e promover a germinação de sementes de mandacaru, variando os fatores concentração de hipoclorito de sódio e concentração de sacarose. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, em esquema fatorial 5x5, com cinco repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram de cinco concentrações de hipoclorito de sódio (0,0; 0,5; 1,0; 1,5 e 2,0% de cloro ativo ) e cinco concentrações de sacarose (0,0; 2,5; 5,0; 7,5 e 10,0% ). Foram avaliados o número de contaminações, germinações e tamanho da planta por semente cultivada. Houve interação significativa, apenas para a variável germinação, sendo a concentração de 2,5% de sacarose a mais eficiente dentro das quatro concentrações de cloro ativo. Verificou-se que a concentração de cloro ativo a partir de 0,5% é efetiva na desinfestação das sementes, sendo a concentração de 1,0% o melhor tratamento. Com relação à característica comprimento de plântula não houve diferenças significativas para os dois fatores analisados.

The use of different practical vegetal coverings and cultural seems to act directly on soil mesofauna. The objective of this work was to evaluate the variations of the groups of soil mesofauna n different systems of handling of the ground. The treatments had consisted of three areas: castor bean (Ricinus communis L.), pasture (Brachiaria decumbens) and native woods. In each area 21 samples had been removed, seven for treatments, three times. The soil mesofauna extracted using a modified Berlese-Tullgren apparatus. In the evaluation of the ecological behavior ofmesofauna, the total number of individuals was mensured and had been made comparisons of the communities using: the Shannon index and the Pielou index. Pertaining ones to filo Arthropoda had been identified to 13 taxonomics groupsin the three areas in study, being all. In the area and castor bean lesser diversity in the structure of the community of arthropods was verified, evidencing the influence of the culture systems on the population of soil mesofauna, diminishing its density and diversity in relation to the native woods area.

Seed hydration is considered the most important external factor interfering on germination. This study evaluated the tolerance of Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Steud seeds to water and salt stresses during germination. Seed germination was observed in four 100-seed replications, in polyethylene glycol (PEG-6000) or sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions with four osmotic potentials levels (0; -0.5; -1.0 and -2.0 MPa), arranged according to a completely random design, simulating water and salt stresses, respectively, using four replications of 100 seeds. The germination percentage and germination velocity index were estimated. Percentage germination of the control seeds averaged 94%, and reduced to 77.6% and 44.3% in -1.0 MPa NaCl and PEG solutions, respectively. No germination was observed in -2.0 MPa. Germination velocity index showed the same trend. Gliricidia sepium seeds showed less tolerance to water than to salt stress, and in this condition they are not tolerate to osmotic stress up to -0,5 MPa.

This work was carried out in an area covered by the caatinga (savanna-like) vegetation in order to study insect-plant interactions, with emphasis on the pollination agents of the Apoideae superfamily. The study site is situated in the municipality of Caturité, Paraíba, Northeast Brazil (7o 25' 12" S; 36 o 1' 37" W). Plant species visited by bees were identified, as well as the Hymenopterans considered as their visitors. Sixteen Angiospermae species from nine families were identified as being associated to bees in the woody and herbaceous strata. The most visited plant families were Fabaceae (50%) and Anacardiaceae (12.5%). Anandenanthera macrocarpa (Benth) and Senna spectabillis had the greatest numbers of visitors (85% and 57% respectively). Among the pollinating bees, the one which visited more plant species was Trigona spinipes (Fabricius). It was found visiting 81.25% of the plant species under study.

This study was carried out in order to evaluate the production and nutritional status yellow passion fruit plants, cultivar IAC 273/277+275 in functions of the water depths irrigation and plants number by cave. The experiment was developed in randomized blocks, using split plot with three replications. The water depths irrigation of 5.3; 7.9; 10.5 and 13.1 mm were the plots and the plants number per hole 1, 2, 3 and 4 were the subplots. The water depths irrigation and plants number by cave exercise significant effect on fruits production but without effect on mineral composition in dry matter of plant leaves. The number of plants increased the production of fruits by cave but it decreased the unitary production by plant. In treatments with four plants per hole were cropped 150 fruits. The supply of water at level of 10.61 mm day-1 induced more production by yellow passion fruits in treatments with four plants per hole.

With base in the context, the objective of the present work was to study the effect of the fertirrigation of the vinasse and to accompany the decomposition of the same incorporate to the soil, in evolution terms and liberation of CO2. They were appraised effects of the application with in nature vinasse on the soil, where the same was treated with three vinhaça levels: 200, 400 and 600m3.ha-1), with humidity maintained around 70% of the capacity of retention of water. For the liberation of CO2 they were made precipitations and titulation with HCl to 1N. Considering by base the appraised levels, the study lead to the following conclusions: 1. After the in nature vinasse addition they didn't detect significant differences in the amount of CO2 liberated by the microorganisms to the 30 and 90 days of incubation; 2. The analyses of the results for 60 days of incubation had significant alterations, where it was verified that there was a reduction in the amount of liberated CO2 of 51 and 42,5% in the respective levels of 200 and 400 m3.ha-1, an increment of 63% was also detected for the level of 600 m3.ha-1; 3. However for 120 days of incubation the in nature vinasse addition provoked significant alterations with increment in the liberation of CO2 78,3; 38,7 and 72,6% for 200, 400 and 600m3.ha-1 respectively.

In food analysis, it is of utmost importance the determination of a specific component of the food as it is the case of the determination of the centesimal composition. Are procedures carried through with the purpose to supply information on the chemical composition, physicist-chemistry and, or, physics of a food. It can have different purposes, as: nutritional evaluation of a product; quality control of the food; development of new products and the monitoration of the legislation. In such a way, this work was carried through with intention to -chemical evaluate physicist the quality of pulps congealed with regard to the effective norms of the product. It was verified that, in a generalized manner, the pulps had taken care of the Brazilian legislation, excepting the values of pH and soluble solids (ºBrix) of the cashew pulp.

With the objective of evaluating the growth of three cultivates of carrot, it was done an experiment, from June until September, 2006, in the Vegetable garden of the "Departamento de Ciências Vegetais" of UFERSA, Mossoró-RN. This work was delineated in factorial scheme 8x3 in randomized blocks, with four repetitions. The first factor constituted by the times of collections of plants was: 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49 and 56 days after polish, and the second for the cultivars: Brasília, Alvorada and Esplanada. The used spacing was 20cm among arrays and 4cm among plants. The characteristics evaluates were: number of leaves; dry mass root, leaves and total, foliate area, foliate area index (FAI), foliate area reason( FAR), relation part air/root and for the rates of relative growth (RRG) and absolute (RAG). The number of leaves, the foliate area, the dry mass root, leaves and total, RAG and FAI increased while FAR, relation part air/root and RRG refused, in the experimental period, for all the cultivates evaluated. The cultivates presented similar behavior with the relation to the characteristics: number of leaves, foliate area, dry mass leaves FAI, RRG and RAG. The mass accumulation of dry mass root it went superior for cultivars Alvorada and Brasília in relation to the Esplanada, for occasion of the harvest, in the 56 days after polish.

The fungi entomopathogenic are actually objects of works according to their importance in the ecological system. This work analysed the persistence of Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae and M. anisopliae var. acridum, under different conditions of temperature and humidity, in the period of September to December. After inoculation on soil the fungi were submitted to four different treatments: environment temperature and 25% of humidity; environment temperature and 75% of humidity; 28º C and 25% of humidity; 28º C and 75% of humidity, during 120 days. The results show that M. anisiopliac var. anisopliae presented the most recuperation in the treatment at 28º C and 75% of humidity (P > 0,05) in 30 days and maintained a positive conditions on soil for 120 days of experiment. The same did not happen to M. anisopliae var. acridum that, during the whole process of observation and controll the colonies recuperation avoiding its persistence on soil, during the 120 days of experiment.

Cordia oncocalyx is abundant among the woody community, nevertheless it presents low density on the soil seed bank. Our hypothesis is that C. oncocalyx presents higher fruit density in areas with higher adult density, once it¿s fruit, although proper for wind dispersal, but not being dispersed though long distances. The low density, result of unproper sample size and methodology used during analyses. To test these hypothesis, a caatinga area was selected in the end of the dry season a hectare was chosen and in it¿s inside thirty 100 m2 squares were selected to count the adult trees and thirty 1m2 squares to count the fruit bank among the leaf litter. Our results showed a fruit density of 67,5 ± 90,17 fruits/m2 and 2 ± 2 trees/100m2. The predation rate was 20%, value similar to the ones found in arid and semiarid systems. A positive correlation was found between the adult tree density and i) the fruit density (rs = 0,5836, p < 0,05) and ii) the proportion of predated fruits (rs = 0,3665 , p < 0,05). The seed density was higher than the ones found in previous studies. Nevertheless, these results agregad dispersal and seed density estimate method.