Considering soil acidity importance under tropical conditions and the existence of several limingrequirement evaluation methods, this work aimed to evaluate liming requirement methods in use in Brazil. Experimental units were plastic cups with 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 t ha-1 of CaCO3, in a factorial arrangement with three soil classes, under a block design with five replicates. pH readings were obtained each seven days for eight weeks. Regression analysis and model selection was done for pH, Al3+ and Ca2++Mg2+, considering CaCO3 levels as independent variables, for each soil. Obtained equations were used to estimate pH, Al3+ and Ca2++Mg2+ which would be obtained if liming was conducted according to the liming requirement methods. Data estimated for each soil was submitted to analysis of variance, with each soil being a replicate. Base saturation, exchangeable aluminum neutralization, or exchangeable calcium and magnesium content increase had the best results for pH. These methods achieved liming goals, while the remaining resulted in pH below desirable.

In order to evaluate the response of Nitrogen and Simple super phosphate fertilization in the growth of yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarpa Deneger) seedling an experiment was carried out at shady chamber (50%) at Agricultural Department of Universidad Federal de Lavras (UFLA). A randomized block design was used with factorial scheme 4x4, with four replications and five plants by plot. It was used 4 doses of Nitrogen (0; 800; 1600 and 3200 mg N dm-3 of substrate) and 4 SS doses (0; 2,5; 5,0; and 10,0 kg m-3 of substrate. It was evaluated the characteristics: high of plants ( cm), root length (cm) number of leaves/plants, dry matter of aerial part and root (g/plant). ). It was verified that the nitrogen fertilization in cover warranty best quality in production of plants of yellow passion fruit. The simple super phosphate not showed good results substrate formulation to formation of seedlings of yellow passion fruit.

With the objective of evaluating the effectiveness, in natura, of the plants: melon of São Caetano (Momordica charantia), purgative potato (Operculina hamiltonii) and pumpkin seeds (Curcubita pepo L) on helmints infections in naturally infected goats, submitted to an original therapeutic protocol, were used 40 goats males, of Moxotó race with age varying of six and twelve months, divided in four groups and distributed in the following way: three corresponding to each treatment and a group control, where placebo was used. The administered doses were from 45g/10kg of corporal weight to the leaves of melon of São Caetano, 4,5g/10kg for crumb of the purgative potato and 19g/10kg for crumb of the pumpkin seed, for three consecutive days. In intervals of 30 days feces parasitological exams were accomplished (Gordon & Whitlock, 1938). After 30 and 60 days of treatment, a mean reduction of 63.06% and 2,70% was observed for melon of São Caetano treaty group, 63,9% and 72,32% for purgative potato treaty group and 87,31% and 24,00% for the pumpkin seed treaty group, respectively.

Processing tomato is the most important vegetable crop of the Brazilian agribusiness and few researches have been conducted to evaluate the tolerance of this crop to saline stress. In this study, the effects of five levels of salinity of the irrigation water (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 dS m-1) and three equivalent proportions of Na:Ca:Mg (1:1:0.5, 4:1:0.5 and 7:1:0.5) were tested on the emergence and vigor of processing tomato, cultivar IPA 6. Seeds were sowed in expanded polystyrene tray (128 cells) and each tray received 1 L of water after sowing. The trays were piled and, four days after sowing, they were placed on suspended supports in a greenhouse. Irrigation was accomplished daily from the fifth day after sowing. Only dry weight of shoot and root was affected by sodium proportions, while linear reductions of the speed of emergence, stem length and the dry weight of shoot and root were observed with increasing salinity. Root was more affected than shoot by salinity and relative growth ratioincreased with salinity levels on the 14-21 days after sowing period, indicating that the crop showed a certain increase of salinity tolerance with the time of exposure to salts.

The mesquite (Prosopis juliflora), jucá (Caesalpinia ferrea), white popinac (Leucaena leucocephala) and tamar ind (Tamarindus indica) are useful species for the Brazilian semi-arid region because are sources of wood, f i rewood, fruits, forage and others products. Measuring plant height (y) i n t rees may not be an easy task, but canopy (x) and stem diameter (z) can be more eas ily evaluated. This work¿s object ive was two-fold: evaluate the growth of related species , in the f i r s t two years of age , and obtain l inear equations to est imate y from x or z, and x from z, in those species. A randomized complete block design with four t reatments (trees) and eight replications was used. The values for x, z, and y were measured biannually from October/2003 to March/2005. The species had different growth in te rms of plant height and stem and canopy diameters. Twenty-four months after the transplantation, the highest growth regarding these t rai t s was observed i n the mesquit e (as wel l as jucá, as the plant height ). The bes t equations(based on the R2 value) to est imate y in mesquite, jucá, white popinac and tamarind are: y = 0,33 + 0,05 z, y = 0,70 + 0,06 z, y = 0,64 + 0,04 z and y = 0,06 z, respectively. The equations to estimate x from z are: x = 1,47 + 0,03 z, x = 0,55 + 0,05 z, x = 0,04 z e x = 0,05 z , respectively,for the same species.

The irrigation practice, in a lot of situations, is the only way to guarantee agricultural productivity and economic and social development, especially in the semi-arid region of the Northeast Brazil that is characterized by rainfall irregularities. The objective of the present work was to quantify qualitatively the lands of the farm Agreste, located in the Microrregião do Alto Piranhas, Itaporanga - PB, in classes of potential aptitude for irrigation. For this was taken in consideration the soil characteristics and the available water resources. In the farm 16.80 hectares (3.29% of the lands) can be used for irrigation with restrictions. 144.96 hectares (28.38% of the lands) are irrigable, but only for special use. Finally, 349.04 hectares (68.33% of the lands) are not inapt for irrigated agriculture.

Considering the Sumé Irrigated Perimeter revitalization process the present work aims, throughout the soil chemical characterization of the area diagnostic the soil situation and offer subsidies to allow an adequate soil management. On the experimental area (33 plots totalizing 33 ha) soil samples were collected at 0-20 cm depth and characterized chemically. The obtained results were statistically using classical descriptive statistical techniques. With the exception of the organic matter, the others chemical properties are in adequate levels for the crop development. It is recommended, however, the incorporation of organic matter in the area soils. No salinity or sodicity hazards were founded in the analyzed soil samples. Different variation coefficients were observed on the analyzed chemical properties.

In aim to evaluate the nutritional value of shrimp meal its proximate chemical analyzed and a metabolism trial were done. The analyses performed on shrimp meal were dry mater (DM), ash, crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), crude fiber (CF), gross energy (GE), calcium (Ca), and phosphorous (P). In the digestibility trial sixty broilers with fourteen days old were allocated in a completely randomized experimental design composed by three treatments, four replicates and five broilers per experimental unit. Treatments were a reference standard diet and two trial diets with 30 or 40% of substitution on the reference standard diet. Shrimp meal analyses resulted in 91.81 % DM, 16.31 % ASH, 66.01 % CP, 17.31 % EE, 9.38 % CF, 4726.51 kcal/kg GE, 4.70 % calcium and 1.44 % phosphorus in dry matter. Digestibility coefficient of DM from diets and shrimp meal does not differ but values for EE digestibility differed. In the levels of 30 and 40 % inclusion the mean calculated values of Apparent Metabolizable Energy (AME) for shrimp meal were 3,690 and 3,800, for AME nitrogen corrected (AMEn) the values were 3,478 and 3,554 kcal/kg, respectively.

This study evaluated the effect of different temperatures and light conditions on Ocimum basilicum L. seed germination. The treatments were the temperatures of 20ºC, 25ºC and 30ºC and two different light expositions (constant dark and 8h of light plus 16h of dark). The tested variables were first count germination and germination percentage. The treatments consisted of 200 seeds, with four replications of 50 seeds each, sown on filter of paper for 14 days on germination chamber. The completely randomized design was used and the averages compared by Tukey test at 5% probability. The specie of Ocimum basilicum is positive photoblastic and temperature of 30ºC was the best condition for seed germination.

An experiment was carried out at Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), Mossoró - RN, for screening the effect of substrate for germination of seeds and seedling growth of Moringa oleifera Lam. It was utilized a completely randomized design with four treatments (substrates: T1= 75% sand + 25% bovine manure, T2= 100% washed sand, T3= 75% sand + 25% worm castings and T4= 75% sand + 25% sawdust) and four replications of 25 seeds. The seeds were sown in the substrates contained in wooden boxes (7,5 cm long x 23,5 cm wide x 39 cm deep). Each box was filled with approximately 6 kg of substrate. The substrates were irrigated once a day (until the tenth day), then twice a day until the end experiment (19 th day). Seedling height, root length, number of leaves, whole seedling fresh and dry matter weights, germination velocity index and germination percent were evaluated. It was concluded that the mix 75% sand + 25% worm castings was the most suitable for the initial growth of moringa and the substrate containing 100% sand provided the best germination index for this species.