With the objective to analyze the genetc variability in natural populations, 14 accesses of Manihot had been studied pseudglaziovii, collected in the state of the Paraíba, in the microregion Curimataú Paraibano, beyond an access of M. esculenta Cranz (cassava) and a natural hybrid between these two species. Five plants of each access had been multiplied through statue and after that cultivated in an experimental area in standardized conditions, to have a homogeneous exteriorizacion of each genotype. The otimizaçãocion of the protocol of extraction of the DNA of some accesses of maniçoba and of two similar species of forager interest and to verify the genetic variability through the amplification with molecular markers RAPD saw PCR. Two methods of extraction of the DNA had been tested. The extraction protocol using detergent CTAB made possible to get clean products, less viscous and oxidized. In the analysis of genetic variability they had been used in a total of 10 starters (primers), and only 3 had produced bands, starter OPD2, OPD3 and OPD8 presented greater percentage of polymorphism followed of the OPD2, with values of 30,7% and 42,8%, respectively. These primers can discriminate molecular differences between the accesses of maniçoba and two similar species.

The selection of rhizobium strains tolerant to salinity and temperature stress, typically of semi-arid regions, enhances the chance for introducing and establishing the air nitrogen fixing bacteria and cowpea association successfully, resulting in grain yield increases. Effects of factors, such as tolerance to different NaCl concentrations (1%, 2% and 3%) and two levels of high temperature (39º C and 42º C). were studied on seventy-six rhizobium strains isolated from cowpea root nodules in order to identify the relation to the origin region and their growth habit in YEM solid culture medium. In general, it was observed that bacteria from the "Sertão" region were more tolerant to high temperatures. On the other hand, results for the salinity study showed that as the salt concentration increased, the percentage of tolerant strains decreased. About 40% of the strains were able to grow in a culture medium with 1% of NaCl. At 2% of NaCl concentration, 17% of the total strains could grow and, from this amount, 15% came from the "Sertão" region and 24% from "Zona da Mata" region. At 3% NaCl concentration, only 12% of the strains were able to grow. From the 76 strains, around 10% were tolerant to high temperatures and to the NaCl levels used, one of them from the "Agreste" region, four from the "Sertão" region and 2 from the "Zona da Mata" region".

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.

With objective to study the effect of the powder of neem (Azadirachta indica L.) dryness and green leaves on the quality of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) seeds, was installed an experiment in the technology of seeds laboratory of the ESAM-RN. Was utilized seeds drip-gold cultured originated of Sierra of honey municipality, submitted four doses (0,25; 050; 0,75; 1,0g) by fifty seeds of powder of neem dryness and green leaves. The experiment was in completely randomized design with eight replications in a factorial arrangement 2 x 4 + 1. The values were submitted variance analyses and compared through tukey test with 1% probability used SISVAR program. NPDL and NPGL caused no toxic effect to seedlings as evaluated through first count of emergenced seedlings, germination rate and dry matter loss in seedlings.

Aiming at to verify the rooting of blackberry cuttings, obtaining more information about the propagation of this fruitful, was realized the present research, using cuttings with 10 cm of length and treated with indolbutiric acid in dust, in the doses of 1000, 3000 and 5000 mg.L-1, more a witness treatment (0 mg.L-1 IBA). The material utilized was collected in the Bank of Germplasm of FCAV - Unesp. The evaluations, realized 25 days after the installation of the experiment, were: percentage of cuttings with leaves; percentage of cutting survival; percentage of rooting; length and medium number of rootings. In the conditions that the experiment was done, can be conclude that the cutting is a viable method to propagate the blackberry and there are not necessity of the use of the growth regulator.

The 20th century was marked by great discovers, which had a deep impact on plants resistance against pest insects. In this context, high studies were developed about cucurbitacins, an important group of secondary substances produced by plants. These substances are mainly produced by the Cucurbitacea family and act against the insects like allomones, imposing an obstacle to the herbivory. However, some insects, mainly defoliators beetles of the Luperini tribe (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), defeated these defenses of the plants and used them as alimentary stimulants and/or in the defense against natural enemies. The action mode of cucurbitacins against the target-insects opens possibilities of its application in the plants breeding, aiming the resistance against insects as well on its utilization in toxic baits or trap cultures.

The use of water of inadequate quality is pointed out as one of the causes of failure inseedling production. Absence of indication of salinity tolerance for West Indian Cherry (Malpighia emaginata D.C), an experiment was carried out in randomized block design, with the objective of studying the effects of 6 level of eletrical conductivity of irrigation water (ECw) varying from 0.5 to 5.5 dS m-1 on the formation of seedlings of West Indian Cherry utilizing clone BV1 as rootstock and clone BV7 as graft. The irrigation water of desired ECw was prepared maintaning equivalente proportion of 7:2:1, among Na:Ca:Mg, respectively. The water growth of rootstock was evaluated at 50 days after application of treatments and of grafted seedlings at 15 and 50 days after grafting. The water with ECw of 5.5 dS m-1 does not affect the adequability of rootstock for grafting neither the sprouting of graft at the time of transplanting.

With The effect of replacing conventional corn-soybean based diet by maniçoba hay on the performance and carcass quality of colonial broiler chicken was evaluated. The economical viability of the diet with maniçoba hay was also evaluated. It was used 160 naked-neck chickens with 28 days of age that were distributed according to a completely randomized design, with four treatments, four repetitions and 10 broilres in each experimental unit (five females and five males). The treatments consisted of substituting 0, 5, 10 and 15% of the basal diet for maniçoba hay. It was evaluated feed intake, final weight, weight gain, feed:gain ratio, absolute and relative weigth of the nobles cuts, abdominal fat pad and visceras eatable (heart, gizzard and liver) and relative gross margin (MBR) in relation to the prices of maniçoba hay, prices of others ingredients and those related to chicken live weight. Two males and two females per repetition were slaughtered at 70 days of age. The feed intake with Maniçoba hay diets had no significant effects on the final weight, weight gain, feed:gain ratio, abdominal fat, absolute and relative weight of the noble cuts, while the substitution levels had influenced the feed intake, the absolute and relative weight of gizzard. The MBR reduced when 15% of replacement was used. Utilization of 10% of replacement can be viable, mainly when ingredients prices are elevated or colonial broiler market price is low.

The physical and chemical characteristics of quixaba fruits (Sideroxylon obtusifolium Penn.) the chop 2003/2004, harvested in Santa Terezinha region of State of Bahia, Brazil. It was used 450 fruits harvested at random the following physical and chemical analyses: pH, Soluble Solid (SS), Total Acidity (TA), ratio SS/TA, density, diameter, length, and volume of the fruits and pulp yield. The following average values were obtained: 24.13º Brix; pH 4.35, TA 0.4%, ratio SS/AT 63.32 and poor pulp yield (20.89%), which is compensated by the high fruit productivity per plant. The chemical analysis of quixaba¿s fruits presented desirable characteristics for industrialization. The Quixabeira is an alternative of native fruit for exploration in Semi-Arid region. Index terms: Native fruits, Semi-arid region, Quixabeira

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.