Climatic Variation on Gas Exchange and Chlorophyll a Fluorescence in Tabebuia roseoalba and Handroanthus heptaphyllus (Bignoniaceae)

Abstract: Climatic variation throughout the day influences the ecophysiological performance of plants at different growth stages and phases. Therefore, this work aimed to evaluate the effect of climatic variation on ecophysiological aspects of T. roseoalba and H. heptaphyllus at different hours of the day and indicate the ideal time for measuring ecophysiological variables in these species. The research was carried out in a greenhouse at the forest nursery of the Federal University of Paraíba, Campus II, in the municipality of Areia, Paraíba state, Northeastern Brazil. The experimental design was completely randomized, consisting of 10 evaluation times throughout the day (from 8 am to 5 pm), with 1 h hour interval between each evaluation. Temperature and air relative humidity inside and outside the greenhouse were evaluated to understand the effect on gas exchange (net assimilation rate of CO2, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, internal concentration of CO2, and vapor-pressure deficit) and chlorophyll a fluorescence (initial, maximum, and variable fluorescence, photochemical quenching, and electron transport rate). Data were submitted to canonical correlation analysis and principal component analysis to verify the relationship between climatic and ecophysiological variables. For both species, higher correlation was found between internal and external relative humidity with all the ecophysiological variables analyzed, except for initial fluorescence. Thus, climatic factors influenced the photosynthetic performance of T. roseoalba and H. heptaphyllus plants, and 8 am to 9 am is indicated for carrying out ecophysiological evaluations in both species.

Temperature and light under the physiological potential of seeds of Handroanthus impetiginosus / Temperatura e luz sob o potencial fisiologico de sementes de Handroanthus impetiginosus

H. impetiginosus belongs to the Bignoniaceae family; it has a great potential for economic exploitation and can be used in landscaping of urban areas, reforestation, recovery of degraded areas, and folk medicine. The experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of light and temperature regimes on the germination and vigor of Handroanthus impetiginosus seeds at the Seed Analysis Laboratory of UFRPE/UAG. The seeds were subjected to light regimes: white, far red, red, and no light at 15°C, 20°C, 25°C, 30°C, 35°C, and 40°C, using a completely randomized experimental design in a factorial scheme (4 × 6), with four repetitions of 25 seeds. The different light regimes did not influence the seed germination of H. impetiginosus. The highest germination percentage (92%) and germination speed index (7.94) were obtained at temperatures 28.2°C and 29.2°C, respectively, both under red light. The longest seedling length was also obtained from the seeds subjected to red light regime at 25°C. The temperatures of 15°C and 40°C inhibited the germination of H. impetiginosus seeds. H. impetiginosus seeds are classified as neutral photoblastics, and constant temperatures of 28.2°C and 29.2°C provided maximum germination.

H. impetiginosus, pertencente à família Bignoniaceae, apresenta grande potencial para exploração econômica, podendo ser utilizado no paisagismo de áreas urbanas, reflorestamentos, recuperação de áreas degradadas e na medicina popular. O experimento foi conduzido no Laboratório de Análise de Sementes da UFRPE/UAG com o objetivo de avaliar o efeito dos regimes de luz e temperatura na germinação e vigor de sementes de Handroanthus impetiginosus. As sementes foram submetidas aos regimes de luz: branca, vermelho distante, vermelho e ausência de luz sob as temperaturas de 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 e 40°C, sendo utilizado o delineamento experimental inteiramente ao acaso, em esquema fatorial (4x6), com quatro repetições de 25 sementes. Os diferentes regimes de luz não influenciaram na germinação de sementes de H.impetiginosus. A maior porcentagem de germinação (92%) e índice de velocidade de germinação (7,94) foram obtidos nas temperaturas 28,2 e 29,2°C, respectivamente, ambos no regime de luz vermelha. O maior comprimento de plântula também foi obtido de sementes submetidas ao regime de luz vermelha na temperatura de 25ºC. As temperaturas de 15ºC e 40ºC inibiram a germinação das sementes de H. impetiginosus. As sementes de H. impetiginosus são classificadas como fotoblásticas neutras e as temperaturas constantes de 28,2 e 29,2°C proporcionaram máxima germinação.