The prevalence of anti-lentiviruses antibodies of small ruminants was investigated in goat herds in the city of Teresina, PI, Brazil. A seroepidemiological survey was conducted involving 480 animals, apparently healthy, belonging to six rural properties. The diagnostic test was the agar gel immunodiffusion (AGID), using antigens produced from cellular cultures infected with caprine arthritis encephalitis virus (CAEV Cork). Prevalences by gender and age were estimated considering sampling fractions for each farm. A general prevalence of 4.2%, was observerved, being 4.2% for females and 3.6% for males. Prevalences were higher among older goats. Regarding the breed standard, 23.5% were of the Anglo Nubian, 5.9% of the Boer, 35.3% Anglo Nubian x Boer crossbred, and 35.3% of undefined breed. It is concluded that small ruminant lentiviruses are endemic among goat herds of Teresina.

Nas sementes de leguminosas é comum a ocorrência de dormência devido à dureza do tegumento. Sementes de bordão-de-velho (Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merr.), angico-de-bezerro (Piptadenia moniliformis Benth.), pau-ferro (Caesalpinia ferrea Mart. ex. Tul.) e sabiá (Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth.) foram submetidas aos seguintes tratamentos: escarificação com lixa, água a 80ºC por 1,0; 2,5 e 5,0min; água à temperatura ambiente (12; 24 e 48h); ácido sulfúrico concentrado (1; 5 e 10min) e álcool etílico (5; 10 e 25min), visando a quebra da dormência. De sabiá foram testados os artículos e as sementes nuas. Usou-se o delineamento inteiramente ao acaso, com quatro repetições (50 sementes/repetição). Os tratamentos com ácido sulfúrico resultaram em maiores percentuais de germinação para bordão-de-velho (98,5-99,0%) e para pau-ferro (76,5-89,0%). Para angico-de-bezerro, destacaram-se água a 80ºC durante 1,0 ou 2,5min, e ácido durante 10min (82,5; 74,0 e 87,0% de germinação, respectivamente). Maiores percentagens de germinação foram obtidas nas sementes nuas de sabiá do que nos artículos, destacando-se, com germinação de 73,0 a 93,5%, os tratamentos com água a 80ºC, com ácido 5 e 10min, e com álcool etílico por 5min. Considerando-se o custo e os riscos na utilização do ácido sulfúrico, é preferível, para quebrar a dormência das sementes estudadas, a utilização dos tratamentos com água a 80ºC, ainda que seja necessário aumento na densidade de semeadura.

In legume seeds dormancy imposed by the hard seed coat is common. Seeds of four legumes, Samanea saman (Jacq.) Merr., Piptadenia moniliformis Benth., Caesalpinia ferrea Mart. ex. Tul., and Mimosa caesalpiniifolia Benth. were scarified with sand paper; hot water (80ºC) for 1, 2.5 and 5.0 min; water at room temperature for 12, 24 and 48h; concentrated sulphuric acid for 1, 5 and 10 min; and in ethilic alcohol for 5, 10 and 25 min, to break seed coat dormancy. In M. caesalpiniifolia the treatments were applied to both articule and naked seeds. A completely randomized experimental design with four replications (50 seeds/ replication) was used. The treatments with sulfuric acid were the most effective on S. saman (98.5-99.0% germination) and C. ferrea (76.5-89%). For P. moniliformis, germination was best achieved after the application of hot water (1 or 2.5 min) and sulphuric acid during 10 min (82.5, 74 and 87% germination, respectively). For M. caesalpiniifolia, the results with naked seeds were better than with articules, the hot water, sulphuric acid (5 and 10min), and ethilic alcohol (5min) treatments being especially effective, with germination ranging from 73% to 93.5%. Due to the costs and risks when using sulphuric acid, it would be recommended the use of hot water treatments, even if some increase in sowing density becomes necessary.