Foliar nutrient contents are evaluated in several fruit trees with many objectives. Leaf analysis constitutes a way of evaluating the nutritional requirements of crops. Due to the positive impact that fertilizers have on crop yields, researchers frequently try to evaluate the correlations between yield and foliar nutrient contents. This work's objective was to present fruit yields from the 4th to the 6th cropping seasons, evaluate foliar nutrient contents (on the 5th cropping season), and estimate the correlations between these two groups of traits for 20 half-sibling custard apple tree progenies. The progenies were evaluated in a random block design with five replicates and four plants per plot. One hundred leaves were collected from the middle third of the canopy (in height) of each of four plants in each plot. The leaves were collected haphazardly, i.e., in a random manner, but without using a drawing mechanism. In the analysis of variance, the nutrient concentrations in the leaves from plants of each plot were represented by the average of four plants in the plot. Fruit yield in the various progenies did not depend on cropping season; progeny A4 was the most productive. No Spearman correlation was found between leaf nutrient concentrations and fruit yield. Increased nutrient concentrations in the leaves were progeny-dependent, i.e., with regard to Na (progenies FE5 and JG1), Ca (progeny A4), Mg (progeny SM7), N (progeny A3), P (progeny M), and K contents (progeny JG3). Spearman's correlation was negative between Na-Mg, Na-Ca, and Mg-P contents, and positive between Mg-Ca and N-K contents.

An experiment in greenhouse with maize culture was carried through to evaluate the performance of Acithiobacillus inoculated in biofertilizer, with natural fosfato and sulphur. The biofertilizer was used as phosphorus fertilization in one argisoil degraded. The plants had been fertilized with four concentration of the biofertilizer during 50 days in two successive cultive. The soil fertility was evaluated, after the cultive as well as nutrition and development of the plants. The increase in the concentration of P-soluble in soil induced for the fertilization with the biofertilizer occurred in the second cultive. The application of the biofertilizer did not promote acidification of the soil however it increased the sulphur concentration. The rate of application of the biofertilizer for supply of 160 kg of P ha-1 revealed as of better performance in the supply of phosphorus and development of the plant.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of artificial cooling associated with the use of diatomaceous earth to control insects in grains of wheat stored in concrete silos. We used two concrete silos, with a static capacity of 2.500 t (Silo A) and the other with static capacity of 5.000 t (Silo B). The surface of the grain silos were treated with diatom earth with a commercial assay (1.0 kg / t of product). For the cooling of the grains, cold air was blown through the aeration system silos until the grains reach a temperature of 17 ° C between the layers. After cooling, it is the retention period of five months. The monitoring of insects in the Silo A was accomplished by collecting infested grain and / or insects with probes. In Silo B, the monitoring was done through the capture of insects with traps of the type calador. In The Silo, were not detected representative quantities of insects in grain up to 120 days, when the collections were made with probes in the layer below the grain treated with diatomaceous earth. In Silo B, where the collection of insects was performed with traps of the type calador, increased population of insects of the species O. surinamensis and R. dominica with the extension of storage. This increase in the number of insects was greater after 60 days of the early experiments. This is happening due to the presence of insects in grain mass before cooling. The use of cooling associated with the inert powder has an effective control of insects in grain mass.

This work was carried in commercial areas cultivate with muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.), variety AF- 646, in the municipal district of Acaraú, state of Ceará, Brazil. The investigation was split in four treatments: hand cross pollination, open pollination in presence of the honey bee hives, open pollination and resricted pollination. The observed variables were: rate of fruit set, fruit weight and seed number of fruits. The hand cross pollination showed the best effect to number of fruit set, fruit weight and seed number of fruits, following to open pollination in presence of the honey bee hives, open pollination and resricted pollination, without fruit set. Considering the melon cultivated at open fields and during the dry season in NE Brazil, it is possible to conclude that it depends on biotic pollinators and that honeybees promote efficientily the pollination.

The experiment was carried out at a greenhouse of Plant Science Department of the Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), Mossoró-RN, with the objective of determing the effect green manuring with scarlet starglory incorporated to with soil on radish production. A completely randomized desing with six treatments and four replications. The treatments consist of: T1 (scarlet starglory incorporated 0 days ; T2 (scarlet starglory incorporated 7 days); T3 (scarlet starglory incorporated 14 days); T4 (scarlet starglory incorporated 21 days); T5 (scarlet starglory incorporated 28 days); T6 - Control (no fertilized soil). The evaluated traits were: plant height, Horizontal and vertical diameter of the root (mm), shoot fresh and dry mass (g); roots fresh and dry mass (g). The decomposition times of seven days was what provided the best height, and the other characteristics oscillated among 21 to 28 days.

The domain geographical ecology of the caatinga occupies an area of about 750.000 Km² and it includes parts of the territories the states of Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Pernambuco, Paraíba, Alagoas, Sergipe, Bahia and part of Minas Gerais. Its area corresponds at 54% of the Northeast and 11% of the brazilian territory and it constitutes it calling Polygon of the Droughts. The use of the caatinga as extensive pasture comes causing strong degradations and for irreversible times in that ecosystem. They are already found extensive areas whose vegetation already meets very impoverished; having lost the diversification vegetation that is it typical. Even so, the regeneration cannot almost always happen because of the intense and constant human pressure. This, once ceased, it would allow, the medium or long term, that the vegetation if it reconstituted. So that that was possible it would be precise to take in bill the factors such geographical ecology as: location, soil types, rock-mother, indexes precipitation and duration of the station evaporates. Of what concisely was exposed, it can be ended that the degrading activities as, especially the extensive cattle creation, contributed to structural alterations of the caatinga and that these they are reflected in its polymorphism, but they are not the only factors. However that was the purpose of that work of presenting a vision geographical ecology of the caatinga submitted to the human, special activity the cattle creation, and the consequences impacts for the vegetable covering in the semi-arid brazilian.

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.

The current work had the objective to evaluate the effect of Hydropriming about the germination and emergence of seeds of cucumber, ordering improve the velocity and informing of this. The tests was conduced in the laboratory of Analysis of Seeds and Didactic Garden of Department of Plant Sciences of Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido - UFERSA, in the period of September to October at 2009. For this, it was utilized seeds of cucumber cultivate Aodai, with four replications for next treatment (demonstration, Hydropriming and Hydropriming + drying). The seeds was hydroconditioned in towel-paper, in 20 ºC, until culminate 42,8% of humidity. Later were drying in ambient temperature of laboratory (28-30 ºC) and 45-55% of relative humidity, until hit moisture of 7,3%. The seeds was evaluated for tests of germination, velocity index of germination, first count of germination, aerial part length of seedling and aerial part dry matter mass. The statistical analysis was effectuated separately for next feature evaluated, determining the effects of treatments in completely randomized design, being the comparison of means out Tukey test in level of 1% of probability. Though the Hydropriming with or out drying promote benefit effects about the emergence of seedlings, aspect relationship of establish of stand, the technical needs of improvement for specie, given in necessity of adaptation of methodology of priming.

Despite the mineral fertilization is an important factor for increasing castor beans yield, few researches has been made on this issue, mainly on the use de zinc and copper. In order to evaluate the effects of these elements on the nutritional status of castor bean plant two experiments were carried out in a greenhouse. The substrate for the pot plants was a 5 mm-sieved surface soil (Neossolo Quartzarênico). The experimental design was a completely randomized with three replications. The treatments of first composed of five levels of Zn (0; 2; 4; 6 and 8 mg dm-3) and second experiment were composed of five levels of Cu (0; 1; 2; 3; and 4 mg dm-3) which were applied at the time of planting. One plant of castor bean, cultivar BRS 188 - Paraguaçu, was grown per pot after thinning and was irrigated whenever necessary. At 90, 110, and 130 days after planting were collected the 4 th. leaves of each plant; at the end of the experimental period, all the leaves and stems were collected separately and in any plant material were determined the levels of zinc and copper. The Zn levels used affect the Zn level found in the leaves and stem, and this level is considered adequate. Cu treatments affect the Cu level found in the 4 th. leaves collected at 90 and 130 DAP, however, the Cu level in all periods and all parts of plants is low.

This paper was developed on partnerships between association of milk producers in Catingueira, Paraiba States to characterize the socioeconomic profile theses farmers. Interview with 11 farmers using semi-structure questionnaires showed 72.7% were farmer with lesser areas 100 ha, low educational level and utilizing labor family and 18.2% not had veterinary assistance. The majority farmers not did forage storage and not did utilization of mineral salt to diet animals. All farmers had PRONAF credit but not systematical technical assistance to definition of strategical program of intervention.