Mixed infections in cucurbits are frequently observed in natural conditions between viruses from the Potyvirus genus and Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), which significantly decreases productivity. The objectives of the present study was to compare the host range of PRSV - W, WMV, and ZYMV isolates and evaluate the effects of mixed infections with CMV in zucchini plants ( Cucurbita pepo L.). Host range studies comprising 23 plant species confirmed some similarities and biological differences among the isolates of PRSV - W, ZYMV, and WMV. RT - PCR confirmed the amplification of DNA fragments of the PRSV - W, WMV, and ZYMV coat protein gene ( cp ) and cytoplasm inclusion gene ( ci ). The virus interaction studies in zucchini Caserta plants indicated synergistic interactions, particularly among species from the Potyvirus genus, and some CMV interference with some virus combinations.

The aim of this study was to assess the organic matter changes in quantity and quality, particularly of the humic fraction in the surface layer (0–20 cm), of a Typic Plinthustalf soil under different management of plant mixtures used as green manure for mango (Mangifera indica L.) crops. The plant mixtures, which were seeded between rows of mango trees, were formed by two groups of leguminous and non-leguminous plants. Prior to sowing, seeds were combined in different proportions and compositions constituting the following treatments: 100% non-leguminous species (NL); 100% leguminous species (L); 75% L and 25% NL; 50% L and 50% NL; 25% L and 75% NL; and 100% spontaneous vegetation, considered a control. The plant mixtures that grew between rows of mango trees caused changes in the chemical composition of the soil organic matter, especially for the treatments 50% L and 50% NL and 25% L and 75% NL, which increased the content of humic substances in the soil organic matter. However, the treatment 25% L and 75% NL was best at minimising loss of total organic carbon from the soil. The humic acids studied have mostly aliphatic characteristics, showing large amounts of carboxylic and nitrogen groups and indicating that most of the organic carbon was formed by humic substances, with fulvic acid dominating among the alkali soluble fractions.

Pigeon pea is an important protein source grown in several tropical and sub - tropical countries, and is considered a multi - purpose plant that is resistant to the conditions of the Brazilian Cerrado. Among the possible uses for cowpea, its use as a green manure, increasing soil nitrogen content through the association with diazotrophic bacteria, generically known as rhizobia, is noteworthy. The present work aimed to evaluate the efficiency of Rhizobium strains isolated from cowpea plants in the development of pigeon peas cultured in Red Latosol. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, using a completely randomized design with seven treatments and four replications. Treatments consisted of inoculation with four Rhizobium strains (MT8, MT15, MT16, and MT23) and one commercial inoculant comprising Bradyrhizobium spp. strains BR 2801 and BR 2003. There were two controls, one absolute (without inoculation or nitrogen fertilization) and the other with nitrogen fertilization. Each experimental plot consisted of an 8 - dm 3 vase containing three plants. Analyzed variables included plant height, SPAD index, number and dry weight of nodules, and shoot and root dry masses. Pigeon peas responded significantly to inoculation treatment, since all the plants inoculated with Rhizobium strains isolated from cowpea strains showed results similar to plants in the nitrogen control and commercial inoculant treatments. This demonstrates a favorable plant – bacteria interaction, which can be utilized as an alternative nitrogen source for pigeon peas.

Nitrogen (N) is one of the nutrients that have the most significant effect on corn grain productivity increase. In order to evaluate the effect of sources of N topdressing and doses in the grown corn culture, in a conventional till system, it was installed an experiment in the city of Urutaí, Goiás, in the 2012/13 crop, in clayey textured Red Latosol. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with four replications, with the treatments arranged in a factorial 3 x 5, consisting of three sources (coated urea, urea and ammonium sulfate) and five doses (0, 60, 120, 180 and 240 kg ha - 1 ) of N, topdressing, applied in the surface and in a single dose, when the corn plants were in V 4 stage. The hybrid used was the P3646H. We evaluated the following characters: stem diameter, plant height, height of ear insertion, leaf N, number of ears per plant, ear length, number of rows per ear, number of grains per row, 100 grains mass and grain productivity. All characters have a response to nitrogen fertilization and only the height of ear insertion showed no significant difference between sources. The source coated urea showed the best results, indicating that its use may be compensatory, especially in favorable conditions for the NH 3 volatilization, as the application of high doses of N in the surface.

Cupuaçu ( Theobroma grandiflorum Schum.) is an exotic fruit with a promising economic potential, particularly due to its strong aroma and creamy texture. This study aimed to produce sweetened cupuaçu puree and evaluate the effects of packaging corrosion on its sensory properties and shelf - life in tinplated cans. After 240 days of storage, the commercially sterile product had average sensory analysis scores of 5.89 ± 0.21, 5.39 ± 0.30, 5.45 ± 0.21 and 5.49 ± 0.25, for appearance, aroma, flavor and overall appreciation, respectively. Sensory acceptance scores did not change during storage (p>0.05). Corrosion potential and low tin and iron levels in the product, which are parameters used to evaluate food - packaging interaction, demonstrated the product remained food - safe throughout its shelf - life. Tinplate is a promising packaging material for sweetened cupuaçu puree due to its mechanical and protective properties. Furthermore, tin plating is an economically viable food technology to extend the shelf - life of cupuaçu products and expand its domestic and international markets.

As fuel costs increase, it is essential to take measures involving planning and control on any activities with high consumption. Thus, the main aim of this work was modeling the fuel consumption of forest road transportation by truck. We collected data about time, driving distance, average speed, fuel consumption and the load carried by the vehicle for loaded trips, unloaded trips, and the total cycle of forest transport in regions between the municipality of Campo do Tenente (forest site) and Piên (factory) located in Paraná state, Brazil. The Pearson’s correlation was used to determine the relationship between variables, while the Stepwise procedure was used to generate regression equations to estimate fuel consumption. The highest correlations were found between fuel consumption and driving distance, average speed and liquid weight of the load; also, there was a significant correlation between driving distance and average speed. Adjusted equations were statistically adequate to estimate fuel consumption based on driving distance, liquid weight of the load, average speed and duration time for loaded trips, unloaded trips and the total forest road transportation cycle.

The cultivation of Litopenaeus vannamei has increased in inland areas by using low salinity waters. Cultivation techniques in coastal waters are well developed, however, studies for low salinity conditions are needed, especially regarding the ideal ionic composition of water and its effects on the zootechnical indices. Brazil has adopted this strategy and the semiarid region showed great potential due to its favorable climate and water conditions. Thus, experimental cultivations were conducted in Serra Talhada, State of Pernambuco, in order to evaluate the influence of two feeding strategies (with and without feeding) and three cultivation densities (5, 10 and 15 shrimps m-2), on the production variables of this species. Three ponds of 280 m2 were built, in which six nursery nets of 20 m2 were installed. The cultivation was performed with juvenile shrimps of 8.53 g and lasted 50 days. The animals were fed twice a day with commercial feed containing 25% of crude protein. The water quality (salinity ~1.0 g L-1, temperature ~28.09°C, pH ~8.48) and the shrimp growth were monitored with weekly biometry during the cultivation. A significant difference was found only in the treatment without feeding with 15 shrimps m-2, the average final weight of all treatments ranged from 13.16±1.33 g to 15.50±1.66 g. The survival rates were high in the treatments with feeding and its variation between treatments was 60.56±6.76% and 83.00±4.00%.

The Mangalarga Marchador breed accounts for the largest horse herd in Brazil and has been experiencing national and international expansion. Nevertheless, there is little scientific production on the evolution of this breed and there are no studies on the morphometric transformations that took place during its formation. In this context, the present study aimed to assess the evolution in morphometric measures of the Mangalarga Marchador breed between 1970 and 2010. The research used information archived at the Brazilian Association of Mangalarga Marchador Breeders from 23,148 males and 92,980 females in a completely randomized experimental design. The six treatments consisted of the animals measured between 1970 and 1979, 1980 and 1989, 1990 and 1994, 1995 and 1999, 2000 and 2004, and 2005 and 2010, respectively. The measures assessed were: height at withers and croup, length of the head, neck, back, croup, shoulder, and body, width of the head and croup, thoracic circumference, and cannon circumference Over the period analyzed, males and females experienced a reduction in thoracic circumference, in the lengths of the head, back, croup, and shoulder, and in the widths of the head and croup. In the males, neck length and cannon circumference also decreased, while body length increased in females. Over time, breed selection led to smaller head, higher stature, and shorter trunk length. However, important measures for the breed’s functionality, such as shoulder length and thoracic circumference, decreased.

The great diversity of plants in the Brazilian Semiarid environment represents a vital natural resource for the human populations of these areas. Many of these plants have been subject to extractivism and among these, the species of the genus Stylosanthes , which have occurrence in this region, show great potential, however, studies on this topic are limited, and little is known about the existing variability among these plants. Therefore, further study is necessary, to facilitate the development of cultivars. This might reduce the scarcity of fodder supply in this region, but to commence a plant breeding programme, it is essential to identify genetic variability. Therefore, this study evaluated 25 accessions of Stylosanthes spp., to identify the most suitable candidates to be parents in a plant breeding programme for the semiarid region of the state of Bahia. Two experiments were carried out in different sites in an experimental design of randomized blocks with four replicates, with a spacing of 3.0 × 8.0 m. A large amount of genetic diversity was observed among accessions and the genotypes BGF 08 - 007, BGF 08 - 016, BGF 08 - 015 and BGF 08 - 021 were the most divergent in the overall evaluation. For the structuring of segregating populations, it is recommended to combine the genotypes BGF 08 - 016, BGF 08 - 015, BGF 08 - 007 and BGF 08 - 006, and for the interspecific crosses, a hybrid from the accession BGF - 024 with the accessions BGF 08 - 016 or BGF 08 - 015. This might generate superior individuals for mass descriptors, which are the most important for animal forage breeding.

The aim of this study was to evaluate different organic substrates and phosphorus doses on the growth and leaf content of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in rootstocks of Tamarindus indica L. The experiment was performed in a greenhouse nursery located on the campus of the Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), from March to October 2013. The treatments consisted of three organic sources at a concentration of 40% (v/v) (bovine manure, goat manure and a commercial organic compound) and four doses of simple superphosphate (0, 0 kg m-3, 2.5 kg m-3, 5.0 kg m-3 and 7.5 kg m-3). The experiment was conducted in a randomized block design (RBD), with 12 treatments (substrates), four replications and 10 plants per plot, totaling 480 plants. The goat manure and the organic compound were the most suitable treatments for the production of rootstocks of the tamarind tree. The maximum dose of 7.5 g kg-1 of simple superphosphate caused the highest levels of phosphorus and potassium in the dry mass of shoots. The nutrients in the dry matter of shoots accumulated in the following order: N > K > P.