The production of jelly is an alternative to the use of fruits that did not meet the classification standard, helping to reduce post harvest losses of up to 40% of total production. This study aimed to evaluate the sensory quality of jelllies produced mixed with watermelon (Citrullus lanatus Schrad.) and tamarind (Tamarindus indica L.). Six jelly formulations were prepared using pulp from watermelon and tamarind in different proportions: F1 (100% watermelon pulp), F2 (87.5% watermelon pulp and 12.5% tamarind pulp), F3 (75% watermelon pulp and 25% tamarind pulp), F4 (12.5% tamarind pulp and 87.5% water), F5 (25% tamarind pulp and 75% water) and F6 (37.5% tamarind pulp and 62.5% water). All jellies containing pulp and sucrose in the ratio 1: 0.6 and the final soluble solids was 67 ºBrix. The attributes of color, texture, taste and preference of the jellies were evaluated by 50 untrained panelists using a hedonic scale of nine points (ranging from "like extremely" to "dislike extremely"). The worst consistency was found in F4 and the largest concentration of tamarind in jelly impaired color impacting negatively on the product acceptance. The jelly mixed F2 had the best score for taste and preference attributes that jelly F6.

The aim of this paper was to evaluate the effect of five nitrogen doses (50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 kg ha-1) on yield components and yield of watermelon cv. Crimson Sweet. The experiment was carried out under field conditions at Boa Vista, RR, on January to April 2010, under yellow oxisol. The experimental design was randomized blocks with four replications. The length of the stems and leaf number were significantly affected by treatments at, 45 days after emergence (DAE), affecting also the dry matter total in the end of cycle. The estimated maximum yield of watermelon (40.428 kg ha-1) was obtained with 144.7 kg N ha-1, while for fruit fresh mass was 9.45 kg with the application of 248,5 kg ha-1 N. The pH of the fruits were not affected by treatments, while the sugar content of the watermelon, measured in degrees Brix, was affected by the depths of nitrogen.

The aim of this paper was to study the decomposition velocity of the sugar cane leaf in the own plantation in the Chã de Jardim Farm, belonging to Agrarian Sciences Center/UFPB-Areia, PB. It was used 10 g of dry leaves in litter bags measuring 30 cm x 20 cm, being these deposited in the soil superficial and in the depth of 15 cm, with biweekly collections during three months. A subplot design was used with 2 depths, 5 collection times and 3 repetitions. The largest decomposition rates happened in the subsuperficial treatment, mainly in the first 15 days, when it was lost 24.5% of the material, happening a stabilization soon after in the rate of disappearance of the biomass starting from the 30 days. The decomposition in the superficial and subsuperficial treatment followed a standard logarithmic with high correlation coefficient. In the surface, the decomposition rate was slower, having a decomposition peak to the 45 days with 24% of material loss and showing stability starting from 60 days. The superficial decomposition at the end of the experiment was the same percentile reached in the subsuperficial treatment before the 30 days, evidencing, therefore slower decomposition process and nutrients liberation for the soil in larger period.

Water is a limiting factor for crop yields, for example yellow passion fruit, requiring from use of irrigation due to limitation of surface waters. This study aimed to evaluate irrigation levels and fruits quality in yellow passion fruit production in Semiarid conditions, thus an experiment was carried out. The seedlings were grown in greenhouse and transplanted in the field spacing 4 m x 2 m. The treatments studied were five water levels: 60; 80; 100; 120 and 140% from ETo, applied through drip irrigation with 4 repetition. The parameters evaluated were average fruit weight (g), yield (t ha-1), the pulp yield with seed (%), juice yield (%)and skin percentage (%). The results obtained in the experiment showed that the highest yield of hybrid passion fruit with average weight over 150 g, and the highest yield was obtained with the blade of 120% ETo. The yield of pulp with seeds was negatively affected by increased volumes of water for irrigation. Can use plant 120% ETo for the irrigation of yellow passion fruit 'IAC 273/277¿ to optimize production and improve fruit quality in semiarid conditions.

In order to evaluate foliar production of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) was accomplished in an experiment under greenhouse conditions. The study was conducted in a completely randomized design with six treatments: T1 - tap water; T2, T3, and T4 mixture of wastewater and tap water (25-75%; 50-50% and 75-25%, respectively), T5 - wastewater only, and T6 - tap water + mineral fertilization, and four replications. The results showed that increasing the proportion of wastewater in the treatments T2 to T5 there was a simultaneous increase in dry mater production of root, stem and leaf. In the absence of mineral fertilization, soils irrigated with treated wastewater were able to attend nutritional requirements of the tested plant, proving wastewater to be a viable source of water and nutrients for plants.

This work had the objective of checking the echophysiological behavior of cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] cv. BRS Xique-xique cultivated under different levels of hydric deficit. The plants were cultivated in vases with capacity for 10L, containing one substratum composed by: 88,45% sand, 3,71% of clay, 7,84 % of silte. The experimental design was entirely randomized with three treatments (TO- reposition of 100% of lost water by evapotranspiration, T1- reposition of 50% and T2- reposition of 25%) and five repelicates. Previously, T1 and T2 suffered a period of stress and were later rehydrated. In the day of the assessment, the plants of T1 had been undergone to stress for three days, while the plants T2 for 5 days. The variables analyzed were: leaf water potential, net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration, internal CO2 concentration and foliar temperature. The fewest availability of water caused reductions in the net photosynthesis rates, stomatal conductance and transpiration in T1 and T2 when they were compared to T0. The internal CO2 concentration in T2 was the greater among analyzed treatments. The reposition of 50 % of the lost water hasn´t caused any damage in the net photosynthesis.

The objective of that work was to evaluate the influence of different soil mulching and doses of organic compost in the culture of the rocket. The experimental design was used in randomized blocks, in splitplot arrangement with four replications. The plot corresponded to the soil mulching (no-tillage with living mulch of Arachis pintoi, living mulch of native weed, straw mulch of native weed and conventional tillage without mulching). The plots represent the doses of organic compost (10, 20 and 30 t ha-1 in the dry compost). The variables analyzed were yield, commercial fresh matter, and dry matter of the aerial part. The dose of 30 t ha-1 provided the largest yield values and commercial fresh mass for the conventional system and straw mulch. The dose 20.49 t ha-1 increased yield and commercial fresh mass for A. pintoi mulch. The dose 20.85 t ha-1 showed greater increase in yield and commercial fresh mass for the live native weed. The tillage and straw mulch presented higher yield values for all the studied doses. The dose of 23.1 t ha-1 it promoted the largest dry mass of the aerial part. The tillage and no-tillage with straw mulch it contributed with the largest dry matter of the aerial part.

This work carried out a floristic-taxonomic survey of the family Verbenaceae sensu lato in a stretch at the Ecological Station Raso da Catarina, Bahia State, Brazil. Four genera and six species were recorded: Aegiphila, with one species (A. sellowiana Cham.); Lantana, with one species (L. fucata Lindl.); Lippia, with three species (L. gracilis Schauer, Lippia cf. schomburgkiana Schauer and L. thymoides Mart. & Schauer) and Stachytarpheta, with one species (S. caatingensis S. Atkins). A key for recognition of the species, descriptions and illustrations, beyond data about flowering and fruiting, geographical distribution and habitat are provided.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of different pre-treatments on the germination of the seeds as well as the emergence velocity of the seedlings of Erythrina velutina and Erythrina falcata. The treatments utilized for the evaluation of germination were intact seeds (control); mechanical scarification with sandpaper number 120 in the opposite side of the embryo; and immersion in water at room temperature for 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours. Four replications of 25 seeds each were used per treatment and the experimental design was completely randomized, and the comparison among the averages was made using the Tukey test at 5% of probability. The percentage of germination, the emergence velocity index and the relative frequency of germination were calculated 31 days after sowing. For both species, better percentages of germination and values of emergence velocity were obtained with the mechanical scarification of seeds. That treatment was efficient in the uniformization and anticipation of the germination process. However, the tests done with seed immersion in water at room temperature for up to 48 hours do not increase the percentage of germination of E. velutina and E. falcata seeds.

The accelerated process of environmental degradation in the São Francisco Drainage Basin (BHSF) has generated a high demand for seeds destined to the production of plant propagules. However there is no information about the commercial value of the diaspores of forest species which occur in the BHSF. The objective of this study is to propose a system to evaluate the worthiness of the kilogram of seeds for 22 plant species of the Caatinga, based in the following parameters: geographic distribution, endemism, level of threat, functional group, processing, collection effort, classification of seeds and number of seeds per kilogram. Field studies were conducted in five municipalities of the the region of the central valley of the São Francisco River and on five islands located in the main channel of the São Francisco River, from August 2007 to September 2008. The prices calculated using our system varied from R$ 10.00 for Syagrus coronata Mart. Becc. (Arecaceae) and R$ 44.15 for Handroanthus spongiosus (Rizzini) S.O.Grose (Bignoniaceae). From a 50% cut percentage in a cluster multivariate analysis we identified the occurrence of three groups: a group with seeds of lesser commercial value (average value of R$ 18.80.Kg-1), a second group with intermediate commercial value (R$ 28.21.Kg-1) and a third group with seeds of higher commercial value (R$ 32.85.Kg-1). We hope that this study will contribute to the process of conservation and ecological restoration of Caatinga, and also to the improvement of the socio-economic conditions of the local population from the commercialization of these seeds.