The human specie has always been developing and improving its ways of exploring the natural resources. Among these ways, farming stands out for including various activities which are moving according to the time and space where they are implemented, which makes necessary to consider and study farming as a system. In this work, the concept of farming system was set up, showing that it is formed of several parts that interact with each others and with external components, generating a dynamic. To facilitate the comprehension of the current farming systems in the semi-arid northeast of Brazil, a revision of the evolutionary paths of these systems was done, considering livestock like a subsystem of the sugarmills, and of its importance in the economy and culture of the northeast. Observations about the fragmentation of the land and the appearance of systems of family production were also conducted. This study draws the conclusion that besides the physical characteristics of the area, some socio-political and economical factors have influenced a lot the way in which the farming systems were constituted in the semi-arid northeast.

A synopsis of the species of Euphorbiaceae from the National Park Serra of the Itabaiana, state of Sergipe is presented here with information about their geographic distribution, key of identification, synonyms, and habitats. The family in the Park is represented by 24 species distributed among 11 genera.

Erosivity is the potential ability of rain to cause erosion on somewhere. With the objective of mapping the rainfall erosivity in the entire State of Pernambuco, the average monthly values of the EI30 index with were correlated with Fournier rainfall coefficient and the average monthly precipitation, as well as the yearly values of the index EI with average yearly precipitation values. Data from 11 localities representative of their distinct climatic regions were utilized. From the best regression equations found for each region, the average yearly values of the EI30 index were calculated ( Factor R of Universal Soil Loss Equation - USLE) for 96 localities in the State, based on periods of 14 to 75 years of rainfall records. The values of erosivity found varied from 1,500 to 10,000 (Mj mm ha-1 h-1 year-1), where the Zona da Mata, Agreste and Sertão regions presented a moderate erosive potential, with values from 1,500 to 3,500 (Mj mm ha-1 h-1 year-1). The litoral region, was characterized by high erosivity, with annual average values of the index EI bethween 5.500 to 10.000 (Mj mm ha-1 h-1 year-1).

Metarhizium anisopliae var. anisopliae and Metarhizium flavoviride var. flavoviride are entomopathogenic fungi with proved action against several species of insects. In this work, the behavior and cytology of the M. anisopliae var. anisopliae (PL43) and M. flavoviride var. flavoviride (CG291) were evaluated after the passage in eggs, larvae and adults Chrysomya albiceps, an important causer of secondary myiais. The experiment was carried out under an acclimatized environment's humidity and temperature of 60 ± 10% and 28 ± 1oC. The most expressive results of the biological parameters studied (percentage of germination, quantity of conidia, quantity and diameter of colonies) were reached from re-isolated fungi of larvae. No significant differences were observed in the cytological aspects of the life cycle of the fungi post-passage in eggs, larvae and adults. These results suggest the possibility of the use of the fungi in the control of C. albiceps fly.

A field experiment was carried out at the UFCG/CSTR Experimental Station NUPEARIDO in order to evaluate the influence of organic and mineral fertilization on pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) production. After plot demarcation, macassar bean was sown and incorporated in the soil in the respective plots after x days of plant development. Treatments were control, green manure, NPK, cattle manure or goat manure, with four replications, totaling 20 plots, each one with 8 m2 of net inner area. Pear millet plants were grown in a 0.8 x 0.4 m2 grid. Cattle or goat manure was applied at a rate of 3.4 kg m-2, green manure at a rate of 12.5 kg plot-1, and the mineral source consisted of 25.2 g m-2 of ammonium sulphate, 22.2 g m-2 of single superphosphate and 3.3 g m-2 of potassium chloride. Plants were cut 60 days after seeding to evaluate N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Fe, Cu, Mn, and Zn accumulation. Fertilization with cattle or goat manure promoted more nutrient accumulation pearl millet plants.

This experiment aimed to objective evaluate the appearance of the fruits and taste of waterde-coconut during the storage. Were harvested fruit cultivar Green Dwarf with six months of age, from the municipality of Rio do Fogo-RN then were transported to the laboratory Agriculture of UFERSA, which were previously assessed on the appearance of the fruits and taste of water. Part of the fruit has been coated with paraffin, and the other part remained untreated. Then, the fruits were stored in cold with temperature of 12±1ºC e 90±2% UR. Where they remained for 28; 35; 42; 49; 56 e 63 days. In each period the fruits were evaluated on their appearance and taste of the water using a hedonic scale of nine points, ranging from extremely liked and disliked. The experimental design was completely randomized, factorial arrangement 2x6, two types of coating fruits (fruits with and without paraffin), six times the storage of fruits (28, 35, 42, 49, 56 e 63 dias) with three replicates of 05 fruits, was used to test Friedman average of a 5% probability. The coating with paraffin kept good appearance of the fruits for a longer period of time in relation to fruit without paraffin. The taste of the water, practically, did not differ with the coating fruits.

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of two doses of organic material in the nutrition of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), cv Santa Cruz, grown in pots in an Oxisol Ultisol Distrocoeso the municipality of Rio Largo - AL. The design was in randomized blocks in factorial 2 X 4 (two and four fertilizer doses) with 5 replicates. The experimental unit consisted of a vessel with capacity for 12 dm3 containing 15 kg of soil. The fertilizer materials were: 1 fertilizer - manure from corral + chicken manure + fertilizer and the filter cake of 2 - to corral manure + chicken manure + sugar cane bagasse, in doses 0, 5, 10 and 15 t ha-1. The applications were split in the following way: 10% at the time of transplantation, and 15% at 20, 34, 48, 62, 76 and 90 days after transplanting (DAT) in coverage. The seedlings were produced in the tomato seed, on March 10, 2008, in polystyrene trays with 128 cells, after transplantation and were selected for the vessel on April 02, 2008, leaving two plants per pot . The plants were conducted in mentoring and single stem, and where, therefore, all cultural and treatment plant. There was a collection of leaves 4 + from the apex of the plant, to assess nutritional status at the beginning of flowering. Among the nutrients, the nitrogen was absorbed the most, followed by: potassium, calcium, sulfur, magnesium and phosphorus, whereas among the micronutrients, in increasing order of absorption was the following: boron, zinc, copper, manganese and iron. According to analysis of variance and regression analysis of the fertilizer did not affect the levels of nutrients in the plant, with only difference between the doses.

The present work had as objective uses a model of lineal programming algorithm to optimize the use of the water in the District of Irrigation Baixo Acaraú-CE proposing the "best" combination of crop types and areas established of 8,0 ha. The model aim maximize the net benefit of small farmer, incorporating the constraints in water and land availability, and constraints on the market. Considering crop types and the constraints, the study lead to the following conclusions: 1. The water availability in the District was not a limiting resources, while all available land was assigned in six of the seven cultivation plans analyzed. Furthermore, water availability was a restrictive factor as compared with land only when its availability was made to reduce to 60% of its actual value; 2. The combination of soursop and melon plants was the one that presented the largest net benefit, corresponding to R$ 5,250.00/ha/yr. The planting area for each crop made up to 50% of the area of the plot; 3. The plan that suggests the substitution of the cultivation of the soursop, since a decrease in annual net revenue of 5.87%. However, the plan that contemplates the simultaneous substitution of both soursop and melon produced the lowest liquid revenue, with reduction of 33.8%.

This work was accomplished with the objective of establishing a technique for the control of the oxidation, in the micropropagation in vitro of the Aloysia virgata. The experimental design utilized was the completely randomized one, with 5 treatments and 20 replications. Being the treatments: T1: control (without activated coal, sun), T2 (coal, sun), T3 (darkness, without coal), T4 (wash, control), T5 (darkness, coal). The characteristics evaluated were the oxidation levels, the percentage of contamination (fungus, bacterium) and the development (height, number of leaves). Before the presented results it can be concluded that the Aloysia virgata presents oxidation easiness. The wash in water favors the spread of fungus and bacterium. The dark ambient and the middle with activated coal were efficient in the control of the oxidation.

It has been recorded that alternative techniques used to keep the product on and control plagues countwith a concept that is getting better day by day. It is a chilling process of grains. Therefore, a freezing unit was used in order to cool the environmental air before injecting it into the aeration system of the structure that stores the product. This is an strategy applied to reduce the grains¿ temperature to such low values that it can inhibit or even avoid the bugs¿ development, also despite the climatic conditions.. This trial was carried out in a storing Plant from a cooperative named CONTRIGUAÇU, in Palotina-PR, from November, 28th to December, 23th , 2003. Three experimental silos were used. The first one with 5,000 tons static capacity, while the others capacity was of 2,500 tons each. The concluding results showed that the layers reached a final chilling temperature in sequence, which means that, when the first one got into this point the same happened to the next ones. This result points out the existence of a chilling zone that takes part of the inner part of the grains as time passes by due to the temperature gradient among the temperature of the product, the chilling air temperature and the flow of air supplied by the equipment. The specific consume of energy was of 5.12 kW.h/ton of wheat to the first silo and of 4.48 kW.h/ton of wheat the the other ones. It was also recorded the chilling cost, which was of R$ 0.53/ton of chilled wheat.