The objective of that research is to observe the reproductive capacity of earthworms of the species Eisenia foétida in different substrate, as well as your importance in the agriculture. The work was accomplished in the Center of Agrarian Sciences of the Federal University of the Paraíba-Areia/PB. In that research the following treatments were used: T1 - Compost of homelike Garbage (50kg); T2 - Compost of homelike garbage and culture remains (25 + 25 Kg); T3 - Compost of homelike garbage, culture rest and manure (35+10+5 Kg); T4-compost of homelike garbage with manure biodigested (35+10+5Kg); T5-compost of garbage, rest of cultures and manure biodigested (35+10+5Kg); T6 - Humus coming from bovine manure (50kg); T7-soil (witness). During the first forty six days of composting the temperature was verified twice a day (9 A.M and 15:00 P.M). In this same period, it was controlled the humidity and the aeration twice a week, being turned over the whole material. All the treatments show that the earthworms are capable of reproduce in the most several substrate, although the T5-composed of garbage, rest of cultures and manure biodigested (35+10+5Kg) it has overcome the others.

The high incidence of the solar radiation and temperature and the high annual variability of the rainfall during the year in the region of semiarid Paraiba, contribute for the losses of CO2 of the soil. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the microbial activity according the emissions of C-CO2 in a micro basin which is in a process of environmental degradation in Paraíba semiarid, located in the "Fazenda Experimental Bacia Escola, CCA, UFPB" in São João do Cariri, PB, during a translation, in the years of 2003 to 2004. Five points of determination had been choosed in a toposequence where there vas evaluated the microbial activity by the C-CO2 production. In the rainy season the tax of losses of CO2 of the soil diminished independent of the position of determination in the toposequence. In the dry season, when there was some pluviometric precipitation, the tax of edaphic respiration, expressed in terms of losses of CO2 from the soil to the atmosphere, increased with the water availability of the soil.

The use of mine gypsum in reclamation of soils with high levels of exchangeable sodium is viable by its effectiveness, and although this product show others advantages as low price and easy applicability in field. The product is finding in great amount at the Araripe Highland, located across (between) the division of the Ceará and Pernambuco states. The aim of the research work is to evaluate the shoot dry biomass and Ca+2, Mg+2, K+, P and Na+ accumulation on cowpea plants grown in two saline sodic soils recently amended with gypsum. The experiment was carried out in a completely randomized factorial design with three replications, applying 6 levels of gypsum in two soils. The statistical calculations were achieved using the Program SAEG 9.0 and the standard deviations and the averages were compared by the Tukey test at probability P < 0.05. The effects of gypsum levels and the relationships between the variables were analyzed by the Pearson correlation test. Application of gypsum in different levels reduced sodium uptake and increased shoot dry biomass of cowpea plants grown in the Neossolo Flúvico Eutrófico Saline Sodic soil with medium texture. Higher levels of gypsum promoted reduction in phosphorus accumulation on cowpea plants grown in the Neossolo Fluvico Eutrófico saline sodic soil with medium texture.

The objective of this trial was to economically compare a sugarcane plus soybean meal diet with diets containing sugarcane supplemented with increasing levels of a 9:1 premix of urea and ammonium sulphate (0.4, 0.8% and 1.2%). Cows were maintained in tie stalls and were fed ad libitum twice a day. The forage to concentrate ratio in the beginning of the experiment was 55:45 supplemented with 1 kg/day of concentrate for each 2 kg of milk produced. Animals were blocked by days in milk and randomly assigned to treatments in three replicated 4 x 4 Latin squares. The average prices of feedstuffs in the state of Minas Gerais during the year of 2004 were used in the economical analyses. Supplementation of sugarcane with 1.2% of urea plus ammonium sulphate appears to be best the best economical compromise for lactating dairy cows producing up to 20 kg of milk per day.

The objective was to study the morphology of the fruits and seeds of marmelinho-do-campo. The botanical characteristics were descripted and the dimensions of the fruits and seeds were obtained. For the description of the embryo, the seeds were kept immersed in distillated water for 24 hours at room temperature. The fruits of this species are indehiscent, globulous and berry-shaped. They have a fleshy mesocarp and contain a large number of seeds. The seeds show an irregular shape, but their majority is angular with triangle-deltoid sides. Their color ranges from yellowgreen to light brown. The embryo is axial, continuous and spatulate. It has short, white, foliaceous and circular cotyledons showing discrete nervures. The seeds have abundant endosperm of rigid consistency.

This research avollue the efficiency of Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) plus other alternatives to control rot of melons. The trials were carried out at Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical located in Fortaleza, Ceara state, Brazil. Cantaloupe melons, hybrid 'Vera Cruz', were harvested from Dinamarca Indústria Agricola farm, located in the 304 BR km 38 - Nova Betânia - Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte State. Fruits were sorted for uniformity, rinsed with alcohol 70%, inoculated with Fusarium pallidoroseum, and assembled for treatments with 600ppb of 1-methyiciclopropene (1- MCP); 1, 2 or 3g of Potassium permanganate; Carnauba wax; and Funginat (a blend essential oil). Five fruits were placed per box, and each box taken as a repetition. Fruits were also divided into two lots: not packed and packed in Xtend. Vermiculite sachets impregnated with potassium permanganate (KMnO4) were distributed according to the weight of the fruits in each box. Upon treatments, fruits were stored under low temperature, 3 ± 2°C, and relative humidity of 85 ± 2% for 14 days. After that period, fruit packages and boxes were removed from storage, low temperature and room temperature (23 ± 2°C and 90 ± 2% RH), respectively. Evaluations were loss of mass and grading from 15th to 18th day of storage. The experimental design was completely randomized in a factorial system 5x2, being five treatments (1- MCP, KMnO4, Carnaúba wax, Funginat, and control fruits), and two modified atmospheres (with and without X-tend). Results on disease incidence were written in percentage per box, transformed into arc sine and degrees of quadrant. The analysis of variance was performed with the aid of the ESTAT - System for Statistics Analysis, version 1.0, UNESP. Results showed significant difference principally regarding the use of packaging, suggesting that the use of modified atmosphere affects the quality of melons by increasing fruit shelf life. It has been also concluded that association of modified atmosphere with other postharvest technologies may increase modified atmosphere efficiency.

The objective of evaluating the effect of salinity water irrigation of the for vegetative phase of castor culture, it was developed a greenhouse experiment in the Ciências Ambientais Department of UFERSA. The experimental delineating used was entirely randomized with six treatments and three replications. The soil utilized was eutrofic Redyellow Latossol and the treatment was six waters with different salinity levels (0,5; 1,0; 1,5; 2,0; 2,5; 3,0 dS·m-1). The cropping was carried out with the BRS 149-Nordestina variety. The variables evaluated were: chemical-physical characteristics of the soil (pH, Electrical Conductivity, Ca, Mg e Na), and in the plant, the plant height, stalk diameter, fresh and dry matter, and leaf area. It was observed that soil undergo had the influence of the waters utilized: the pH, Electrical Conductivity and changeable Na with the water salinity. With the increase of the salinity, the plant development decreased, with increased of salinity.

The work had as objective to evaluate the germination of seeds of sugar apple (Annona squamosa L.), submitted the treatments daily pre-germinative, under controlled conditions. One evaluated the percentage of germination and the index of germination speed (IVG), using the delineation entirely casualizado with four repetitions of 25 seeds, in factorial project 2x5, being the factor scarification mechanics in two levels (with and without scarification) and factor imbibition in five levels: water, Stimulate® the 20 mL L-1, acid giberélico 50 and 750 GA3 mg L-1, all absorbing for 12 hours, and a treatment without imbibition. The scarification mechanics was carried through with sandpaper for wood. The results had shown that the scarification mechanics separately, did not make possible the overcoming of the dormancy in seeds of sugar apple. Significant alterations with the use of the sandpaper had been verified with the embebição of seeds scarification in water and Stimulate®, with increases of 22 and 43 %, respectively. The scarification with sandpaper revealed unnecessary with the imbibitions of the seeds in 750 dosages of 50 and mg L- 1 of acid gibberellic, with percentage of germination varying of 83 and 98%. The Stimulate®, in the used concentration, was inferior to the GA3 use, providing, however, increase of 43 % in relation to the germination of scarification seeds, without imbibitions the biggest indices of germination speed had been verified in the treatments with GA3, observing itself rise of the values with the increase of the dosage of acid gibberellic, and also with the use of the sandpaper.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the urban waste compost on the yield and heavy metals concentrations in red beet plants (Beta vulgaris L.) in soils with different textures. The experiment was carried out in greenhouse in polyethylene recipients of 9 dm3. The experimental treatments resulted from a 3 x 4 factorial arrangement of a Red Yellow Latosol, sandy clay loam, (LVAfaa), a Red Yellow Latosol, loamy sand, (LVAfa) and a Quartzarenic Neosol, sand loam, (RQ), combined with the urban waste compost doses of 0, 30, 60 and 90 t/ha, in dry base. The experimental design was in randomized blocks with three replications of the treatments. Soil pH, fresh and dry matter weight and Zn, Cu, Cd, Pb and Ni concentrations in the soil and the leaf tissue were determined. Amongst heavy metals determined, Zn and Cu had been only influenced by the soil texture, being biggest concentrations in the soil with bigger amount of clay. The dry and fresh weights of the red beet root had increased with the increment of the doses of compost, having reached maximum values, inside of the experimental interval, with the 90 t.ha-1. Otherwise, the heavy metal content in red beet root decreased with the increase of the doses of compost. As much the Ni how much the Pb had presented content level in root above of the allowed maximum limits for the consumption, as values established for the Brazilian legislation.

The present research if developed in an area of 7 ha that it was divided in seven equal sub-parcels and it had as objective to evaluate the effect of itinerant agriculture by means of drill and forest fire of the lenhosa vegetation, with subsequente plantation of maize and beans, for up to two years followed of rest for up to five years on the edafic fauna. In the period of rest these areas had been used as area of maintenance of ten sheep matrices. To the side of these systems an established secondary bush has 50 years was used as control. Had been installed traps type "Pitfal" for the collects of the fauna of the soil in the period of abundant rain and the dry period. The forest fires carried through in the treatments cultivated with maize and beans, had contributed for a drastic reduction in the diversity of the soil fauna. The group's formicidae and coleopters had been gifts more abundantly in all the handling systems what it exactly shows its presences in caatinga in adverse conditions. The period of collects of the fauna of soil influenced in the evaluated biological attributes.