RESUMO Dois ensaios de campo foram conduzidos nos municípios de Monteiro, PB, e Surubim, PE, Brasil, no ano agrícola de 1992, com o objetivo de se avaliar a pulverização eletrostática frente à convencional, na cultura do algodoeiro, em duas fases de desenvolvimento das plantas, aos 30 e 80 dias após a germinação, sob condições de sequeiro. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos casualizados, com cinco repetições e esquema de análise fatorial (23 x 32 + 1) sendo 23 representando os fatores pulverização, pressão e faces da folha (superior e inferior); (32): posição e altura da planta (1): testemunha. A cultivar foi a CNPA precoce 1, plantada no espaçamento de 1m entre fileiras, com 50.000 pl/ha. Para a coleta das populações de gotas, utilizaram-se etiquetas hidrossensíveis e, para a sua caracterização, empregou-se um analisador de imagem, o Optomax V. A análise dos dados de gotas/cmM2 e a percentagem de área coberta demonstraram que na face superior das folhas do algodoeiro não houve diferença significativa entre as pulverizações estudadas, porém a pulverização eletrostática apresentou maior número de impactos na face inferior, possivelmente pela atração da gota carregada eletricamente pelo objeto de tratamento; entretanto, tal procedimento não permite uma difusão sistemática desta técnica para o cultivo do algodão, nas condições em que se realizaram os ensaios.

RESUMENSe han seleccionado los epipediones de dos suelos representativos de la zona de Tableros Costeros de Brasil, dedicados mayoritariamente al monocultivo de la caña de azúcar. Estos fueron enmendados con torta de caña de azúcar (T), de relación C/N = 19,33, en dosis de 10, 20 y 30 t ha -1 , (T 1 , T 2 y T 3 ), respectivamente; la enmienda con vinaza de caña (V), de relación C/N = 32,17, fue de 30, 60 y 90 m 3 ha -1 , (V 1 , V 2 y V 3 ), respectivamente. Dichas enmiendas se incorporanon al suelo sin compostaje previo. Fueron incubados en condiciones controladas de temperatura y de humedad en el laboratorio según el método de Gucker durante 39 dias; los 27 primeros sin encalar y hasta el final del proceso añadiendo 2 t ha -1 de CaCO 3 . En ambos suelos, el tratamiento T 3 no mostró diferencia con el testigo, antes y después de encalar, encontrán dose mayor actividad biológica en las enmiendas de 10 y de 20 t ha -1 . Con vinaza, en ambos suelos, la dosis de 90 m 3 ha -1 fue la de menor actividad biológica, también muy próxima a la del testigo. En ninguno de los casos se ha observado inhibición de la actividad biológica. Los suelos fueron caracterizados, después de incubar, con el fin de relacionar la posible influencia de estas enmiendas orgánicas en la fertilidad de los suelos.Palabras-claves: mineralización, enmienda orgánica, materia orgánica, incubación STUDY OF BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY IN NORTHEAST BRAZIL'S COASTAL TABLELAND SOILS TREATED WITH ORGANIC RESIDUE: STILLAGE AND SUGAR CANE SOLID RESIDUE ABSTRACTEpipedons of two representative soils from "Coastal table lands" of Northeastern Brazil cultivated with sugar cane were selected for the study. These soils were fertilized with 10 (T 1 ), 20 (T 2 ) and 30 (T 3 ) t ha -1 of solid sugar cane residue (C/N=19.33) and 30 (V 1 ), 60 (V 2 ) and 90 (V 3 ) m 3 ha -1 of stillage (C/N=32,17). The fertilizers were incorporated without previous composting. After incorporation, samples were incubated under controlled conditions of temperature and humidity in laboratory according to Gucker's method for 39 days. The soil samples received lime treatment (2 t ha -1 CaCO 3 ) 27 days after fertilizer application. In both soils, treatment T 3 did not significantly differ from control before and after liming. Greater biological activity was observed under 10 and 20 t ha -1 of sugar cane solid residue treatment. In both soils, 90 m 3 ha -1 of stillage induced minimum biological activity, very close to control response. In no case was inhibition of biological activity due to treatment observed. After incubation, some soil parameters were characterized to associate sugar cane organic fertilizers with soil fertility.

The removal of lint from cotton seeds is mainly carried out through chemical delinting, but it is an expensive procedure and requires high technology. The objective was to evaluate the physiological quality of Gossypium hirsutum L. seeds delinted by flaming using a thermal delinter prototype. Cotton seeds BRS 286 were flamed in nine settings intensities and compared to chemical delinting and seeds with lint. We analyzed the water content, germination, first count, germination speed index (GSI), length and dry mass of roots and shoots. Using a completely randomized design and the means were compared by Scott-Knott test at 5% probability. In evaluating, the germination percentage did not differ between treatments with chemical and thermal low intensity delinting compared to the control. In vigor tests were observed higher mean values of the chemical treatment to the other treatments, except in GSI test and root dry weight when subjected to thermal delinting of low and medium intensity. The delinting made through the prototype enables efficient results, as well as the chemical delinting with sulfuric acid, without affecting germination and vigor when flamed with low and middle intensity, regardless of the number of active burners.