The objective of this work was to evaluate the carrot crop recovery efficiency of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium from fertilizers. Two experiments were conducted in an experimental area in Rio Paranaiba - MG. The cultivar („Juliana‟) was sown during the summer period and the cultivar „Nayarit‟ during the winter period. In both experiments, the treatments consisted of six fertilization combinations of N, P 2 O, K 2 O (kg ha - 1 ): fertilization without N (0 - 500 - 450), without P (100 - 0 - 450), without K (100 - 500 - 0), standard (100 - 500 - 450), higher than standard (100 - 700 - 600) and lower than standard (100 - 300 - 300). The harvest was carried out when most of the roots presented commercial standard well accepted by the consumers. The fresh and dry matter of roots and leaves were quantified, and the yield was calculated based on the fresh matter. The analysis of N, P and K contents in leaves and roots were carried out by harvest time, and the nutrients absorption and exportation were determined based on these contents and on the dry matter of roots and leaves. N, P and K omissions reduced the yield of the cultivar „Juliana‟. For the cultivar „Nayarit‟, only P omission reduced and P and K fertilizations increased the yield. The cultivar „Nayarity‟, which is more productive than „Juliana”, absorbed more quantities of N, P and K. Carrot recovery efficiency of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is low.

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Seven biochemical descriptors were used to estimate the genotypic variability of peanut in response to moderate water stress. Six genotypes, constituted by four lines and two cultivars, were grown in pots, each containing two plants. At 15 days after emergence (DAE), the treatment differentiation was carried out: Control-plants maintained with daily watering, and Stress-plants submitted to water stress by complete suspension of watering for 15 days. The experimental design was completely randomized with factorial scheme 6 x 2 (genotype x water treatments), with five replications. The biochemical variables evaluated were: catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), guaiacol peroxidase (GPX), free proline, total carbohydrates, soluble proteins, and amino acids. Results obtained by biochemical analysis and estimation of genotypic variability indicated that proline is the most appropriate descriptor for selecting genotypes tolerant to water stress, which led to identification of L81V and L108V as promising lines for drought tolerance breeding program.

Water availability in the Brazilian semiarid is restricted and often the only water source available has high salt concentrations. Hydroponics allows using these waters for production of various crops, including vegetables, however, the water salinity can cause nutritional disorders. Thus, two experiments were conducted in a greenhouse at the Department of Agricultural Engineering of the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, to evaluate the effects of salinity on the mineral nutrition of crisphead lettuce, cultivar Taina, in a hydroponic system (Nutrient Film Technique), using brackish water in the nutrient solution, which was prepared by adding NaCl to the local water (0.2 dS m-1). A randomized blocks experimental design was used in both experiments. The treatments consisted of water of different salinity levels (0.2, 1.2, 2.2, 3.2, 4.2 and 5.2 dS m-1) with four replications, totaling 24 plots for each experiment. The water added to compensate for the water-depth loss due to evapotranspiration (WCET) was the brackish water of each treatment in Experiment I and the local water without modifications in Experiment II. The increase in the salinity of the water used for the nutrient solution preparation reduced the foliar phosphorus and potassium contents and increased the chloride and sodium contents, regardless of the WCET. Foliar nitrogen, calcium, magnesium and sulfur contents were not affected by increasing the water salinity used for the nutrient solution preparation.

Cucurbits have great economic, nutritional and social importance in the Brazilian semiarid region. In this region, many factors can result in reduced productivity of these crops, especially fungal and viral diseases. Therefore, knowledge of cucurbits is crucial for proper disease management. The objective of this work was to identify the major diseases of cucurbits grown in some municipalities in the Hinterland of the state of Pernambuco. Thus, plant samples were collected with symptoms in crops in the municipalities of Salgueiro, Serra Talhada, Floresta, Petrolândia, Ibimirim, Custódia and Inajá. A questionnaire was also applied to gather information about the production profile of producers. Seven fungal pathogens infecting cucurbits were identified: Pseudoperonospora cubensis, Colletotrichum sp., Podosphaera xanthii, Rhizoctonia solani, Didymella bryoniae, Fusarium sp. e Alternaria sp., and three viruses as well: Papaya ringspot virus - watermelon strain (PRSV-W), Watermelon mosaic virus (WMV), Zucchini yellow mosaic virus (ZYMV). It was found that in small crops, there is limited search for technical information om cropping, and these crops originate mostly from native seeds, in contrast to medium and large producers, who use improved cultivars. The melon and watermelon crops are the most commercially exploited, while pumpkins are used in subsistence agriculture. As for plant health problems, most respondents reported knowing the main diseases that occur in crops and perform disease control based on personal experience and / or through the help of the technical assistance provided by agricultural stores. In a few cases, in large farms, there was an agronomist to assist in this type of control.

Two experiments were conducted in Petrolina, State of Pernambuco (PE), Brazil, in order to evaluate the performance of mini tomato cultivars under the conditions of the Sub - Mid São Francisco Valley. One on crops of the second half of the year (SH) from August to December 2012, and other on crops of the first half of the year (FH) from March to July 2013. Six mini tomato cultivars were evaluated in both seasons: E5663 , Kada , F1170 , Tanzimech , E1275 and Abirú . A randomized block experimental design was used, with four replications, arranged in split plot, with the growing seasons in the plots and cultivars in the subplots. The total and commercial fruit yield, soluble solid contents, fruit yield per plant, number of fruits per plant, and fruit fresh weight were evaluated. The total yield was higher in the FH, regardless of the cultivar used. The cultivar E5663 presented yield of 40.3 Mg ha - 1 in the SH and 104.0 Mg ha - 1 in the FH. Commercial yield, soluble solid content and yield per plant followed the same trend. The number of fruits per plant ranged from 390.8 to 941.4 (FH) and from 80.5 to 315.4 (SH). The cultivar E5663 presented the best yield and soluble solid content responses, thus, it may be recommended for the conditions of Petrolina PE, and can be adopted for planting in both seasons evaluated.

Percolation columns constructed in the Laboratory can predict the degree of contamination in soil due to reject brine disposal and can be a tool for reducing environmental impacts. This study aim to evaluate the mobilization of ions in reject brine from desalination process by reverse osmosis. The mobilization of the contaminant ions in the saline waste was studied in glass percolation columns, which were filled with soil of contrasting textures (eutrophic CAMBISOL, typic dystrophic Red OXISOL, ENTISOL Quartzipsamment). Experiments ware repeated three times each, and the initial and final concentrations of the ion contaminants were analyzed. The pollution potential of this wastewater was determined by the retardation factor and dispersion-diffusion coefficient of K+, Cl- and Na+ for each studied soil. The differences in the displacement curves of the ions present in the saline waste among various soil types were analyzed. The Entisol Quartzipsamment showed a higher forward speed of the ions K+ and Cl- (greater retardation factor, i.e., greater power of the subsurface contamination for these ions). In typic dystrophic Red OXISOL, the ions move with greater ease and therefore produced greater groundwater contamination. In eutrophic CAMBISOL, the low coefficient of diffusion-dispersion in all ions was evaluated (i.e., reduced ion mobility is directly influenced by their exchangeable levels).

The potential insecticidal of oils from southwestern Amazon plants against Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) was investigated. Initial bioassays were performed with undiluted oils from 11 plant species. The efficacy of the oils was evaluated against eggs and third-instar caterpillars of S. frugiperda. The oils of Copaifera sp. (Leguminosae), Orbignya phalerata (Arecaceae), and Carapa guianensis (Meliaceae) displayed a high efficacy against the caterpillars and were used in subsequent concentration-response bioassays, at concentrations established through preliminary tests. The highest nonlethal concentrations of oils and the lowest lethal concentrations were calculated. A completely randomized design was adopted in both bioassays. The LC50 of the oils varied from 7.50 to 60.84% (v/v). Copaifera sp. oil had the highest toxicity and was 6.84-fold more toxic than O. phalerata oil and 8.11-fold more toxic than Carapa guianensis oil. In general, oils from Copaifera sp., O. phalerata, and Carapa guianensis were effective in controlling S. frugiperda caterpillars under laboratory conditions, and are good candidates for use in integrated management programs of corn pests.

Two experiments were performed for the purpose of determining the nutritional value and assess the performance and carcass traits in pigs fed on canola meal (Brassica napus). Experiment I consisted of a total digestibility trial conducted with 14 castrated commercial crossbred male pigs with 60.69 ± 4.26 kg initial live weight. The treatments consisted of a control diet based on maize and soybean meal and another diet containing canola meal (control + 25% canola meal). Each pig was an experimental unit, totalling seven experimental units per diet. The digestible energy and the metabolizable energy of canola meal used was 2,999 and 2,730 kcal.kg-1, respectively. These values were used to formulate the diets of the performance experiment. Experiment II included 50 crossbred pigs with an average initial live weight of 29.90 ± 1.16 kg and an average final live weight of 60.33 ± 3.38 kg during the growing phase, and an average initial live weight of 60.37 ± 1.6 kg and an average final live weight of 90.37 ± 3.19 kg during the finishing phase. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks, with four treatments (6, 12, 18, and 24% canola meal), 10 repetitions, and one pig per experimental unit. The control diet was formulated with 0% canola meal. The data were assessed using ANOVA test and the averages of the treatments were compared using Dunnett's test and regression analysis at a 5% probability level. The results suggest that it is possible to use up to 24% canola meal in the diets for pigs during the growing and finishing phases without affecting the performance and carcass traits.

Psidium guineense Sw , popularly known as araçá, is a fruit tree there is widely distributed in Brazil and belongs to the Myrtaceae family. In northeastern Brazil, araçá occurs along coast and in the Zona da Mata; its fruit looks like guava but is more acidic and has a stronger smell. There is a little information about this species, which increases the difficulty of conserving its genetic resources and exploiting araçá as an economic resource. The objective of this research was the evaluation of the genetic diversity and genetic structure of P. guineense from Pernambuco’s Zona da Mata. One hundred and fourteen individuals and 18 isozyme loci were evaluated, showing 28 alleles. The percentage of polymorphic loci ( ) and the average number of alleles per locus ( ) were 0.5 and 1.5, respectively, in this population. The expected heterozygosity , which corresponds to the genetic diversity, ranged from 0.22 to 0.23, a high value when considering that isozymes mark access from the functional genome. The differentiation index among the population was ( ) = 0.015; therefore, the populations were not different among the sampled places. The inbreeding values ( ) ranged from - 0.549 to - 0.794, indicating an absence of inbreeding and a greater - than - expected heterozygosity in all the studied populations. The estimated gene flow ( N m ) for a pair of this population ranged from 3.23 to 20.77, sufficient to avoid genetic differentiation among the population and in accordance with the values of genetic divergence found in this study.