Metabolic response induced by abiotic elicitors in Anacardium othonianum seedlings.

Applying elicitors in plants growing under natural conditions change the metabolic content of volatile compounds extracted from their tissues. Here, we have investigated how abiotic elicitors influence the volatile composition of the ethyl acetate extract of Anacardium othonianum seedlings propagated in vitro and ex-vitro cultures. Abiotic factors such as salicylic acid, silver nitrate, light quality, and cultivation mode affected the composition of volatile compounds in ethyl acetate extract of A. othonianum leaves seedlings. GC/MS analysis demonstrated that α-tocopherol was the main metabolite in cultures added with chemical elicitors, reaching 22.48 ± 4.06% in the case of 30 µM salicylic acid. Higher concentrations of salicylic acid decreased the amount of α-tocopherol. The addition of AgNO3 had a linear effect on α-tocopherol. Thus, the production of this metabolite indicates that salicylic acid and AgNO3 elicitors positively affect α-tocopherol production at specific concentrations helping to understand how plant culture can be better manipulated.

Multifunctional potential of endophytic bacteria from Anacardium othonianum Rizzini in promoting in vitro and ex vitro plant growth.

Anacardium othonianum Rizzini, a cashew tree native to the Brazilian Cerrado, is economically important due to its applications in the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. However, A. othonianum yields a crop with low productivity due to a number of factors, such as nutritionally poor soils, drought and losses due to pests and diseases. Brazil is one of the nine largest cashew nut producers worldwide, and sustainable technologies are needed to increase the productivity of this crop. In this context, the use of endophytic microorganisms could promote plant growth and provide protection against phytopathogens. In this study, the isolation of the root endophytic community of A. othonianum led to the characterization of 22 distinct bacterial strains with multifunctional traits for plant growth promotion. The results of in vitro assays to assess auxin synthesis, phosphate solubilization, phosphatase and siderophore production and biocontrol against Fusarium oxysporum led to the selection of Acinetobacter lwoffii Bac109 and Pantoea agglomerans Bac131 as the most promising strains. The reinoculation of the Bac109 and Bac131 strains onto A. othonianum seeds showed that the treatment containing a mixture of these strains was the most effective in promoting increases in the biometric parameters of early plant growth. Thus, this study highlights the biotechnological potential of a consortium of A. lwoffii Bac109 and P. agglomerans Bac131 for future applications in sustainable cashew cultivation.

Bioindicator potential of Ricinus communis to simulated rainfall containing potassium fluoride.

BACKGROUND: Fluoride pollution is a global problem because of its high phytotoxicity. Fluoride is released in air, water and soil through industrial processes, where it damages various plant species. Ricinus communis is widely distributed in Brazil, India and China and has been extensively used as a phytoremediation species in heavy metal-contaminated soils. However, few studies regarding the effect of air pollutants on R. communis have been published, and no information about the exposure of this species to fluoride is available. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of fluoride on R. communis morphoanatomical and physiological responses using simulated rainfall containing potassium fluoride (KF). METHODS: Young plants at approximately 10 days after emergence were treated daily with KF using simulated rainfall at 0, 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mg L-1, for 37 consecutive days. Chlorophyll a fluorescence, gas exchange, anatomical characteristics and fluoride accumulation in the roots and leaves were evaluated after this period. RESULTS: No visual or anatomical symptoms were observed for the first three treatments. Necrosis and chlorosis were visually evident after the 37th day of KF application at 4.5 mg L-1, followed by changes in parenchyma tissues, cell collapse and phenolic compound accumulation at the end of the experiment. No damage was observed in terms of photosynthetic photochemical and biochemical stages. Maintenance of physiological characteristics in the presence of fluoride accumulation in roots and leaves were shown to be important fluoride biomarkers. These characteristics suggest that R. communis is tolerant to 1.5 and 3.0 mg L-1 KF, and is anatomically sensitive at 4.5 mg L-1 KF.

Quality of adzuki bean seeds desiccated with flumioxazin and subjected to storage / Qualidade de sementes de feijão azuki dessecadas com flumioxazin e submetidas ao armazenamento

Production and storage environments influence the physiological and sanitary quality of seeds. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the herbicide flumioxazin applied as a preharvest desiccant and storage on the physiological and sanitary quality of adzuki bean seeds. A randomized block design was used in a split-plot scheme, with four replications. Plots consisted of five doses of the herbicide flumioxazin (20, 25, 30, 35, and 40 g ai·ha-1) and subplots consisted of two evaluation times (harvest and six months after harvest). Two controls, with no herbicide application, were tested for each evaluation time. The physiological seed quality was maintained with doses from 25 to 35 g·ha-1 of flumioxazin. Increasing herbicide doses reduced the electrical conductivity of seeds. The increased doses also reduced the percentage of normal seedlings in the first germination count after six months of storage and caused seedling vigor loss. The storage of adzuki bean for six months reduced its physiological quality, leading to losses in germination and seed vigor. Storage and increasing doses of the desiccant flumioxazin reduced the incidence of the pathogens Rhizopus, Cladosporium, and Fusarium in the seeds. The increased doses of this herbicide reduced Aspergillus incidence. Penicillium incidence was not affected by treatments.(AU)

A qualidade fisiológica e sanitária de sementes é influenciada pelo ambiente de produção e de armazenamento. Neste trabalho objetivou-se avaliar os efeitos do herbicida flumioxazin aplicado como dessecante em pré-colheita e do armazenamento sobre a qualidade fisiológica e sanitária de sementes de feijão azuki. Foi adotado o delineamento experimental em blocos ao acaso, em esquema de parcelas subdivididas. Nas parcelas foram alocadas as cinco doses do herbicida flumioxazin (20, 25, 30, 35 e 40 g i.a·ha-1) e nas subparcelas as duas épocas de avaliação (colheita e 6 meses após a colheita), com quatro repetições. Foram testados dois tratamentos sem aplicação do herbicida para cada época de avaliação. Nas doses entre 25 a 35 g·ha-1 de flumioxazin observou-se a manutenção da qualidade fisiológica das sementes. Em doses crescentes reduziu-se a condutividade elétrica das sementes. O aumento das doses reduziu a porcentagem de plântulas normais na primeira contagem da germinação, após seis meses de armazenamento, e causou perda no vigor das plântulas. O armazenamento de feijão azuki durante seis meses reduziu a qualidade fisiológica, causando perdas na germinação e vigor das sementes. O armazenamento e o aumento das doses do dessecante flumioxazin reduziram a incidência dos patógenos Rhizopus, Cladosporium e Fusarium nas sementes. O aumento das doses reduziu a incidência de Aspergillus. A incidência de Penicillium não foi afetada pelos tratamentos.(AU)

Métodos de superação de dormência em sementes de croada (Mouriri elliptica Mart) / Dormancy breaking methods in croada (Mouriri elliptica Mart) seeds

Sementes de croada (Mouriri elliptica Mart.) Melastomataceae, espécie frutífera nativa do cerrado, foram submetidas aos seguintes tratamentos, visando a superação de dormência: pré-resfriamento a 5° C por 7 dias; pré-aquecimento em estufa com circulação de ar a 40º C por 7 dias; escarificação química em ácido sulfúrico concentrado por 5 e 15 minutos; imersão em água fervente por 5 e 15 minutos; imersão em ácido giberélico a 100 e 200 mg L-1 por 48 horas; imersão em água destilada por 24 e 48 horas; escarificação mecânica com lixa nº 80 na parte superior e oposta ao eixo embrionário e testemunha (sementes sem tratamento prévio). Quatro repetições de quinze sementes foram colocadas para germinar sobre papel umedecido com água destilada ou nitrato de potássio a 0,2 por cento, em temperatura de 30º C em presença de luz. Foram realizadas contagens diárias do 2º dia após a implantação do experimento até a estabilização da porcentagem de germinação, que acorreu no 60º dia. A germinação foi mais rápida em sementes pré-embebidas em ácido giberélico (em substrato umedecido com água ou com solução de nitrato de potássio 0,2 por cento), pré-embebidas em água por 24 horas, em substrato umedecido com água, e pré-embebidas em água por 48 horas ou escarificadas mecanicamente e colocadas para germinar em substrato umedecido com água. Taxas de germinação mais elevadas ocorreram em sementes pré-embebidas em ácido giberélico a 100 ou 200 mg L-1, em substrato umedecido com solução de nitrato de potássio 0,2 por cento.

Croada seeds (Mouriri elliptica Mart.) Melastomataceae, a fruit-bearing species native of the cerrado (savannah-like vegetation), were submitted to the following dormancy breaking methods: pre-cooling at 5° C for 7 days; pre-heating in a oven air circualtion at 40º C for 7 days; chemical escarification in concentrated sulfuric acid for 5 and 15 min; soaking in boiling water for 5 and 15 min; soaking in gibbereli acid at 100 and 200 mg L-1 for 48 hours; soaking into distilled water for 24 and 48 hours; mechanical escarification with a sandpaper number 80 at teh upper aprt and opposed to the embryonary axis and control (seeds without any previous treatment). The seeds were put to germinate on a "germitest" type paper moistened with destilled water or 0.2 percent potassiun nitrate. Daily counts between the 2nd day after the establishment of the experiment till the stabilization, which took place on the 60th day, were performed. Seeds germinated faster when they were pre-soaked in gibberelic acid, independent of if placed to germinate on a water-moistened substrate or with a soultion of 0.2 percent potassiun nitrate, pre-soaked into water for 24 hours, on a water-moistened substrate, or independent of the substrate, and, pre-soaked into water for 48 hours or mechanical escarification and put to germinate on a water-containing substrate. Higher germination rates occurred in seeds pre-soaked into 100 or 200 mg L-1 gibberelic acid, on a substrate moistend with a 0.2 percent potassiun nitrate containing solution.