RESUMO
Varronia curassavica Jacq. is a medicinal and aromatic plant native to Brazil. The essential oil of this species is valued by the pharmaceutical industry due to its bioactive substances containing anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to morpho-agronomically characterize 27 accessions of the collection of V. curassavica of the Active Germplasm Bank of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the Federal University of Sergipe. The experiment consisted of a randomized block design with three replications. The morphological characterization occurred in the field, by evaluating the variables plant height; canopy width; canopy shape; stem diameter; stem color; leaf blades width, length, and length/width ratio; leaves, petals, and sepals color. The agronomic characterization was performed using the essential oils extracted from dried leaves by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger apparatus. Leaves dry matter yield per plant and essential oil yield and content were also evaluated. The accessions showed great variation for leaves color, with different shades of green, which allowed separating them into dark green leaf and light green leaf plants. Plant height values ranged from 101.33 cm (VCUR-801) to 345.33 cm (VCUR-701). The clustering analysis of the traits revealed seven distinct groups. The accessions VCUR-103 and VCUR-001 were the most divergent, whereas the accessions VCUR-401 and VCUR-404 were the most similar. The morpho-agronomic characterization of V. curassavica accessions provides a correct description of the species by pointing out perspectives for genetic improvement, besides optimizing the conservation process. KEYWORDS: Cordiaceae. Medicinal plant. Aromatic plant. Essential oil. Domestication. Genetic breeding INTRODUCTION Brazil is rich in plant biodiversity (SOUZA et al., 2010). However, in recent years, its biodiversity has undergone accelerated destruction,mainly affecting the natural vegetation. This fact is due to agricultural expansion, fires, logging, extractivism, and uncontrolled urban growth. All these changes have posed a great threat to several plant species in the country (OLIVEIRA, 2010). An alternative for the maintenance and conservation of endangered species is the formationof collections in Active Germplasm Banks, which holds base collections for the conservation of a broad plant genetic variability, enabling biodiversity maintenance (SILVA et al., 2012). Varronia curassavica Jacq. (ex Cordia verbenacea DC.)] is a medicinal and aromatic plant native to Brazil, belonging to the Cordiaceae family (GASPARINO; BARROS, 2009). It occurs from Central America to southern Brazil (LORENZI; MATOS, 2008) in a wide range of habitats, such as beaches, restinga, forests, and cerrado (WANDERLEY et al., 2002). V. curassavica has stood out both in folk medicine and in the pharmaceutical industry, mainly due to the anti-inflammatory substances present in its essential oil (PASSOS et al., 2007; PARISSOTO et al., 2012; PIMENTEL et al., 2012). The effectiveness of V. curassavica is recognized by the National Sanitary Surveillance Agency (ANVISA). The plant is included in the List of the Unified Health System (SUS) and the National List of Medicinal Plants of Interest to the Unified Health System (RENISUS) (BRASIL, 2011). Due to its therapeutic properties, several studies have been developed aimed at the selection Received: 14/05/18 Accepted: 20/11/19
Varronia curassavica Jacq. é uma planta medicinal e aromática nativa do Brasil. O óleo essencial desta espécie é utilizado pela indústria farmacêutica por conter substâncias bioativas com propriedades anti-inflamatórias. Objetivou-se caracterizar morfoagronomicamente 27 acessos da coleção de V. curassavica do Banco Ativo de Germoplasma de Plantas Medicinais e Aromáticas da Universidade Federal de Sergipe. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados com três repetições. A caracterização morfológica foi realizada em campo, por meio da avaliação da altura da planta; largura da copa; formato da copa; diâmetro do caule a 10 cm do solo; cor do caule; largura, comprimento e relação comprimento/largura das lâminas foliares; e cor das folhas, pétalas e sépalas. A caracterização agronômica foi realizada a partir dos óleos essenciais extraídos de folhas secas por hidrodestilação em aparelho Clevenger. Foi avaliado o rendimento de massa seca das folhas por planta e o teor e rendimento do óleo essencial. Grande variação foi observada entre os acessos para a coloração das folhas, as quais apresentaram diferentes tonalidades de verde, sendo possível separá-las entre plantas com folhas verde-escuro e plantas com folhas verde-claro. Para a variável altura de planta, os valores variaram de 101,33 cm (VCUR-801) a 345,33 cm (VCUR-701). Sete grupos distintos foram formados na análise de agrupamento realizada a partir dos caracteres avaliados. Os acessos VCUR-103 e VCUR-001 foram os que se mostraram mais divergentes, enquanto que os mais semelhantes foram os acessos VCUR-401 e VCUR-404. A caracterização morfoagronômica dos acessos de erva-baleeira permitirá a realização de uma correta descrição da espécie, apontando perspectivas para o melhoramento genético, além de possibilitar a otimização do processo de conservação.