The objective of this research was to evaluate the behavior of thermal conductivity in the apparent surface in caatinga predominantly cactus, especially eunapolis [Pilosocereus gounellei (A. Weber ex K. Schum.)]. The study area was the river basin Taperoá, located in the region of Cariris Velhos in the State of Paraíba. Data were used for temperature and heat flux on the surface of vegetated soil. It used the law of heat conduction, who modeling time series of apparent thermal conductivity of the vegetation was made by Fourier methods, linear regression and polynomial. The results are partial, but antagonistic to literature, and they point out that the heat transfer by conduction in the caatinga has significance and should provide support for parameterization and incorporation of vegetation dynamics in the models are, hydrological, environmental or atmospheric circulation.

The objective of this work was to evaluate an aspirated psychrometer constructed under different thermocouple gauges. Were used three thermocouple copper-constantan gauge: 24 AWG (0.511 mm of diameter), 32 AWG (0.202 mm of diameter) and 40 AWG (0.080 mm of diameter). The thermocouples were placed into a single psychrometer and each one positioned side by side at a distance of approximately 30 mm each other. Hourly air temperature and humidity values obtained from each gauge were compared with the values obtained with a thermistor and capacitive hygrometer. The results showed that the thermocouple gauges used (24, 32 and 40 AWG) had high correlation and accuracy with values determined by the hygrometer (r2 > 0.97, RMSE P 3.91%).

The objective of this study was to characterize the level of mineral nutrients N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, Mo and B of twelve genotypes of grapevine: 'Italy', 'Ruby' , 'Patricia', 'Isabel', 'Redglobe', 'Roberta', 'Kyoho', 'Romana', 'Rosalinda', 'Moscatel de Hamburgo,' 'Niagara Rosada' and 'UFV 01' in the North Fluminense. Was held on pruning, followed by fertilization and conventional analysis of leaf blade in three moments of the reproductive cycle of the vine: in full bloom, berries and peas at the stage between half and beginning of berry ripening of berries (veraison). Following results were obtained for all moments sampled: normal levels of N, K, P, Mg, Fe, B and Zn and subnormal levels of Ca. The study demonstrated that the leaf blade sampled reflects the nutritional stage of grapevine enotypes.

Forage plants cultivated in consortium with crop corn, facilitating the weed control in farming and cattle raising ecosystem, interfering not only in your biological productivity, like in your potential of distribution and infestation in area. This experiment was realized with the aim to evaluate the weed suppress by Brachiaria decumbens in intercropping with corn (Zea mays L.). The even was composed by combination of four forage plant density (0, 10, 15 and 20 kg ha-1) and three weed species (Ipomoea grandifolia, Digitaria horizontalis and Cenchrus echinatus), planted intercropping with corn. It was constated that B. decumbens was efficient in weed infestation suppress, being the most effective control for D. horizontalis. The leaf area and dry phytomass of weeds were affected (P<0.05) by forage plant presence, with variation between the density curve of Brachiaria only for weed D. horizontalis and I. grandifolia.

The use of granular fertilizers as a vehicle for seeding forage species has become a simple and very useful operation. However, the data is contradictory about how much time the seeds can be mixed with urea without reducing the germination percentage. The aim was to study the effect of mixing periods of urea with seeds of Brachiaria ruziziensis on physiological quality. The treatments consisted of seed mixed times of B. ruziziensis (0; 4; 8; 16; 24; 48; 96 and 192 hours) with urea, besides control treatment. It was used a completely randomized design with four replications. Moreover, with the passage of time in contact with urea, water content and electrical conductivity of seed increased, while there was decrease in percentage of germination, first count, the emergence and emergence speed index. Thus, it is concluded as feasible to mix the seeds with urea, since the seeding is performed at intervals shorter than 8 hours, reducing damage to the seed physiological quality of forage.

This work aimed to evaluate the alimentary behavior of grazing lamps. Twenty-seven Santa Ines males, weighting 21.5 kg and 120 days old, were distributed in three different groups: no shade (NS), under shade (S) and under artificial shade (AS), receiving increasing levels of concentrate (0.0; 1.0 and 1.5% of corporal weight). It was observed no interaction between the studied factors. The variance analysis showed significant effect of supplementation in time for grazing by the animals which received 1.5% of corporal weight for supplementation. The resting time at AS was different (P<0.05) of the others p groups NS and S, which were similar between each other. Animals from NS looked for shade 2.3 times, differing (P<0.05) from AS group that looked for shade only 1.29 times. In conclusion, supplementation and use of shade systems affect the alimentary behavior and the performance of Santa Ines sheep grazing in the semiarid. The animals looked for more natural shade than for artificial shade, although, the total time that animals stayed under natural or artificial shade was the same, indicating the possible use of artificial shade systems to improve animals¿ thermal comfort in pastures with no shades.

The work was carried in a fragment of two hectares of hiperxerofila caatinga that it suffered clearcutting has 30 years and since then recovers without anthropic intervention at the Experimental Station of Embrapa Semiarido, Petrolina, PE. The objective was to evaluate the floristic composition and phytosociological structure, obtaining data to compare with other areas of caatinga (in different stages of succession) and then get subsidies to better understand the characterization of the successional environments of caatinga. The vegetation survey was carried out by the method of the plots, where 10 sample units of 8.0 x 40 m were plotted at random in the area. All individuals with DBH G 3 cm were inventoried, and the BHD are measured and total height of them. We recorded 16 species belonging to 13 genera and 8 families, a total of 436 individuals with AB = 7.28 m²/ha-1, and DA = 1350 ind/ha. The Shannon index of diversity (H') was 1.39 nat.ind.-1 and equability of Pielou (J '), equal to 0.50, both are considered low. The species with highest importance value (VI) and more prominent with respect to all parameters analyzed was Mimosa tenuiflora with 284 individuals distributed in all plots, DR = 65.5%, DoR = 69.6%, VC = 67.5% and VI = 49.8%. Thus, any attempt to characterize the structure of this community, have strong influence of the presence of indicator species of vegetation that is disturbed and the early stage of ecological succession.

In recent years an increase of 15 to 20% occurred in market share melons like Cantaloupes group, which present more attractive organoleptic characteristics and higher commercial value. However it needs more care in production due its higher sensitivity to soil salinity. Effects of soil and water salinity are among the main limiting factors to melon yield and quality at Rio Grande do Norte Sate, Brazil. This work was carried out with the objective of studying the effect of different irrigation water salinity levels on yield and quality of cantaloupe hybrid 'Sedna'. Experimental design was a randomized complete blocks with four replications. Treatments consisted of five salt concentrations in irrigation water (0.54; 1.48; 2.02; 3.03 and 3.9 dS m-1). Yield and quality characteristics evaluated were: number of marketable fruits per plant, yield of marketable fruits, mean weight of fruits, soluble solids content (SS) and pulp firmness. An increase on irrigation water salinity level negatively influenced yield of melon hybrid 'Sedna'. Yield loss in response to salinity was due to decrease in number of fruits per plant. Mean values of soluble solids and pulp firmness were not influenced by irrigation water salinity.

Black rot of pineapple, caused by Chalara paradoxa, is a postharvest disease responsible by high losses on fruits destined to the fresh market and to the processing industry. The work had as objective to evaluate influence of naturals extracts, fungicide and resistance inducer for C. paradoxa control, isolated from pineapple fruits. It was observed action of resistance inducer acibenzolar-S-metil, fungicide mancozeb and the natural extracts of Anadenanthera colubrine, Anacardium occidentale, Ocimum minimum and Momordica charantia, on inhibition of C. paradoxa growth in vitro. It was transferred 25 -L of each treatment for a hole on center of Petri dishes with PDA and was placed a fungus disk on it. Evaluations were carried out every 24 hours, for seven days. For evaluation of conidia production, 20 mL of distilled sterilized water were added in each Petri dish with fungus colony for obtaining conidia suspension and, concentration was verified in Neubauer chamber. Thirty five pineapple fruits, var. Smooth Cayenne were inoculated with C. paradoxa and incubated in humid chamber for 24 hours. The experimental design was completely randomized with averages compared by Tukey test at 5% of probability. The treatments were able to reduce mycelial growth and sporulation under the conditions studied. The minor effects of the disease on the fruits of pineapple were observed with the Ocimum minimum extract and mancozeb. The fungicide mancozeb and Ocimum minimum extract influenced the control of C. paradoxa.

"Caatinga", dominant vegetation in Brazilian semiarid, has suffered severe degradation process, triggered, among other reasons, by the traditional agricultural and extractive activities. The need to conserve the environment and natural resources in agricultural and forestry activities, led to search for alternatives to conventional production. In this context, agroforestry systems, that integrate trees with crops and livestock, are an alternative operating sustainably. With the aim of studying the potential for preservation tree species of the "Caatinga" in an agrosilvopasture system in semiarid, in Sobral-CE, was evaluated the relatives density, frequency and dominance, the importance value index and the Shannon e Wiener index, of the woody component of this system. It was found that the vegetation management practices of trees and shrubs used in the system decrease density, and interfered in height and diameter distribution of individuals in relation to the original vegetation of the Caatinga. However, these practices were effective in preserving the wealth of flora species of trees and shrubs, similar to the area of native vegetation reserve. Cordia oncocalyx was the species with the highest number of individuals in the system, also showing highest importance value, followed by Mimosa caesalpiniifolia. The family Leguminosae was the most representative. The Shannon index shows that this agrosilvopasture system has the potential to promote an intermediate level of conservation among the "Caatinga" vegetation remnants and disturbed areas in this biome.