Ariana Mota Pereira

Action of abscisic and gibberellic acids on senescence of cut gladiolus flowers

The gladiolus flower is classified as insensitive to ethylene. Thus, the signals that initiate senescence are poorly understood. This study evaluated the role of abscisic and gibberellic acids on postharvest senescence of 3 cultivars of cut gladiolus flowers (Gladiolus grandiflora Hort.). Stalks were harvested and placed in test tube containing 100 mL distilled water or an aqueous solution of abscisic acid (100 and 150 µM ABA), gibberellic acid (100 µM GA3), and fluridone (1 mM) for 24 h. Subsequently, flower stalks were placed in a test tube with distilled water, and the following variables were determined: stem longevity, fresh weight change, water uptake rate and transpiration rate during the vase life, as well as membrane stability index and lipid peroxidation in 5 stages of flower development. In another experiment, the florets were removed by cutting down the pedicel. After removal, florets were placed in a beaker containing 10 mL distilled water or the following solutions: 100 or 150 µM ABA; 100 µM GA3; 1 mM fluridone; and 100 µM ABA + 100 µM GA3, followed by immersion in distilled water after 24 h in each treatment. Fresh weight change and transpiration rate of florets were assessed every 24 h. Abscisic acid is involved in the induction of senescence-related events in gladiolus flowers, such as high loss of membrane stability and abnormal flower opening. GA3 regulates the action of ABA in the maintenance of cell membrane and opening of gladiolus flowers.

Urease activity according to the different inhibitors

The objective of this study was to evaluate NBPT, zeolite and humic acid in different concentrations as inhibitors of the activity of the enzyme urease. The activity of the urease enzyme was quantified by the methods proposed by May and Douglas (1976) and Witte and Medina-Escobar (2001). For this reason, two experiments were conducted in a completely randomized design in split plots, in which the incubation periods are the plots and the fertilizers with the inhibitors at the different concentrations are the subplots with three replications. Fifteen fertilizers based on NBPT-coated urea, humic acid and zeolite were used in different concentrations. The two methods of analysis used in the experiment confirmed the efficiency of NBPT in inhibiting the enzymatic action even at low concentration, with 0.02% (m/m) being sufficient to inhibit urease, with no difference between inhibitor concentrations. The addition of humic acid reduced the activity of urease after 36 hours of reaction when the activity of the enzyme was evaluated by the method proposed by May and Douglas (1976). Zeolite did not influence the activity of the urease enzyme when analyzed by the May and Douglas method (1976).

Carboidratos e carotenoides totais em duas variedades de mangarito

The objective of this work was to evaluate the composition of carbohydrates and carotenoids in mother rhizomes and small cormels of the dwarf and giant mangarito (Xanthosoma riedelianum) varieties. Rhizome samples collected during the crop cycle and 90 days after storage were evaluated for carbohydrate and total carotenoid contents. Rhizomes showed an increase in the carbohydrate content, and the mother rhizome of the dwarf variety had linear increases in the carotenoid content, during cultivation. Storage reduces carbohydrate and total carotenoid contents in all rhizomes.