Cynthia de Oliveira

Anatomia foliar de plantas de alfavaca-cravo cultivadas sob malhas coloridas

In the present research, the effect of spectral control of light was evaluated on anatomical characteristics of Ocimum gratissimum L. leaves. The plants were cultivated during four months under black, red and blue nets with 50% of shade, and full sunlight. Plants grown under full sunlight showed higher leaf thickness, higher stomatal density and higher density of no-glandular and glandular trichomes on the adaxial epidermis. Plants cultivated under colored nets did not show differences in leaf thickness or leaf area. Plants maintained under red net had the lowest stomatal density in adaxial epidermis, as the plants cultivated under blue and red nets exhibited the largest leaf area. The plants maintained under red net showed the smallest stomatal density and the smallest non-glandular and glandular trichomes density in the adaxial epidermis. Such results show that the spectral quality and intensity of light can be modulated during the cultivation of Ocimum gratissimum L. plants in order to obtain desirable anatomical characteristics.

Mecanismos anatômicos e fisiológicos de plantas de aguapé para a tolerância à contaminação por Arsênio

This work aimed to evaluate the anatomical and physiological characteristics of Eichhornia crassipes in response to arsenic stress. Plants of E. crassipes were grown in Hoagland hydroponic nutritive solution under greenhouse conditions at five arsenic levels: 0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 1.0 and 2.0 mg L-1 during 20 days. The plants showed an increase in photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, transpiration and Ci/Ca rate, as well as in the activity of all the enzymes in the antioxidant system, with higher activity in the leaves than in the roots, in all the treatments with arsenic. The anatomical characteristics observed on the leaves of the plants under higher arsenic levels showed an increase in stomatal density, stomatal index and spongy parenchyma thickness. Root anatomy showed no toxic evidences at any arsenic level; changes in the xylem and phloem characteristics were exhibited by the roots in the arsenic treatments, but no damage was caused to its structure and function. Thus, stress caused by arsenic intoxication at the levels tested, is not evident on E. crassipes plants, and the mechanisms of tolerance of E. crassipes are associated to anatomical and physiological changes.

Rare Earth Elements in the Soil Environment

Rare earth elements (REE) are a homogenous group of 17 chemical elements in the periodic table that are key to many modern industries including chemicals, consumer electronics, clean energy, transportation, health care, aviation, and defense. Moreover, in recent years, they have been used in agriculture. One of the consequences of their worldwide use is the possible increase of their levels in various environmental compartments. This review addresses major topics concerning the study of REE in the soil environment, with special attention to the latest research findings. The main sources of REE to soils, the contents of REE in soils worldwide, and relevant information on the effects of REE to plants were explored. Ecological and human health risk issues related to the presence of REE in soils were also discussed. Although several findings reported positive effects of REE on plant growth, many questions about their biological role remain unanswered. Therefore, studies concerning the actual mechanism of action of these elements on cellular and physiological processes should be further refined. Even more urgent is to unveil their chemical behavior in soils and the ecological and human health risks that might be associated with the widespread use of REE in our modern society.

Bioaccumulation and effects of lanthanum on growth and mitotic index in soybean plants.

Rare earth elements such as lanthanum (La) have been used as agricultural inputs in some countries in order to enhance yield and improve crop quality. However, little is known about the effect of La on the growth and structure of soybean, which is an important food and feed crop worldwide. In this study, bioaccumulation of La and its effects on the growth and mitotic index of soybean was evaluated. Soybean plants were exposed to increasing concentrations of La (0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 µM) in nutrient solution for 28 days. Plant response to La was evaluated in terms of plant growth, nutritional characteristics, photosynthetic rate, chlorophyll content, mitotic index, modifications in the ultrastructure of roots and leaves, and La mapping in root and shoot tissues. The results showed that the roots of soybean plants can accumulate sixty-fold more La than shoots. La deposition occurred mainly in cell walls and in crystals dispersed in the root cortex and in the mesophyll. When La was applied, it resulted in increased contents of some essential nutrients (i.e., Ca, P, K, and Mn), while Cu and Fe levels decreased. Moreover, low La concentrations stimulated the photosynthetic rate and total chlorophyll content and lead to a higher incidence of binucleate cells, resulting in a slight increase in roots and shoot biomass. At higher La levels, soybean growth was reduced. This was caused by ultrastructural modifications in the cell wall, thylakoids and chloroplasts, and the appearance of c-metaphases.

Lead tolerance of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes Mart. - Pontederiaceae) as defined by anatomical and physiological traits

This study aimed at verifying the lead tolerance of water hyacinth and at looking at consequent anatomical and physiological modifications. Water hyacinth plants were grown on nutrient solutions with five different lead concentrations: 0.00, 0.50, 1.00, 2.00 and 4.00 mg L-1 by 20 days. Photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance and the Ci/Ca rate were measured at the end of 15 days of experiment. At the end of the experiment, the anatomical modifications in the roots and leaves, and the activity of antioxidant system enzymes, were evaluated. Photosynthetic and Ci/Ca rates were both increased under all lead treatments. Leaf anatomy did not exhibit any evidence of toxicity effects, but showed modifications of the stomata and in the thickness of the palisade and spongy parenchyma in the presence of lead. Likewise, root anatomy did not exhibit any toxicity effects, but the xylem and phloem exhibited favorable modifications as well as increased apoplastic barriers. All antioxidant system enzymes exhibited increased activity in the leaves, and some modifications in roots, in the presence of lead. It is likely, therefore, that water hyacinth tolerance to lead is related to anatomical and physiological modifications such as increased photosynthesis and enhanced anatomical capacity for CO2 assimilation and water conductance.

Características fisiológicas de microtomateiros fitocromo-mutantes

Objetivou-se, neste trabalho, caracterizar aspectos fisiologicos de microtomateiros (Lycopersicon esculentum P. Miller cv. Micro-Tom) fitocromo-mutantes. A cultivar Micro-Tom e os mutantes aurea (deficiente na biossintese do cromoforo dos fitocromos), atroviolacea (atv) e high pigment1 (hp1;ambos superexpressam eventos mediados por fitocromos) foram cultivados em condicoes controladas de luz e temperatura e caracterizados no estagio de floracao. O mutante hp1 obteve as maiores taxas de fotossintese potencial e de conteudo de carotenoides. O mutante aurea manteve taxas de fotossintese potencial similares a cultivar Micro-Tom, mesmo expressando o mais baixo conteudo de clorofilas, e tambem expressou o maior conteudo de nitrogenio entre os demais microtomateiros. Os mutantes aurea e hp1 obtiveram os menores conteudos de acucares soluveis totais. O mutante atv expressou o maior conteudo de clorofilas e tambem a menor razao clorofila a/b.

Alterações anatômicas de bananeiras micropropagadas em resposta a aclimatização ex vitro

Researches about structural and physiological modifications in different stages of the micropropagation are fundamental to understand the effects of this technology to improve protocols and to reduce losses in the acclimatization. The objective of this study was to assess and to quantify the variations in the foliar anatomy of micropropagated banana plants during the ex vitro acclimatization in greenhouse. Thus, axillary buds from in vitro multiplication of Japira cultivar, were rooted in MS medium, added of NAA (1mg L-1) and agar (6g L-1), and kept at room temperature (25°C ±2°C) under 16 hours photoperiod and irradiation of 35µmol m-2 s-1, for 35 days. Subsequently, the plants were submitted to different acclimatization periods (zero, 21, 42, 63, 84 e 120 days) being the leaf anatomy of the plants evaluated by transversal and paradermal sections. A completely randomized design was used. The largest anatomical alterations it were verified after 42 days of the transplantation to ex vitro conditions, with pronounced thickness of chlorophyllian parenchyma and leaf blade, as well, as the differentiation of the majority of foliar tissues. The stomata were distributed on both sides of the leaves, with higher number on the undersurface and on leaves formed from in vitro foliar primordia.

Anatomical and physiological modifications in water hyacinth under cadmium contamination

The pollution of water bodies with heavy metals is generating increasing concern worldwide, and among those heavy metals, cadmium is one of the most toxic elements released into the environment. The present study aimed to evaluate the anatomical and physiological modifications adopted by the water hyacinth ( Eichhornia crassipes ) under cadmium contamination. The plants were grown in Hoagland solution in a greenhouse at five cadmium levels: 0.00, 3.5, 7.0, 14.0, and 28.0 μM. The net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, Ci/Ca ratio, antioxidant system enzymes activity, and anatomical traits in plant roots and leaves were evaluated. The plants exhibited increased photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration, and Ci/Ca ratios in all treatments containing cadmium. Antioxidant system enzymes displayed increased activity in the roots and leaves of plants treated with cadmium. Plants exhibited higher stomatal density and spongy parenchyma thickness under Cd contamination. The anatomical traits of the roots exhibited no evidence of toxicity or improved vascular system traits. Thus, Eichhornia crassipes demonstrated an ability to tolerate Cd by adopting changes in the anatomy, gas exchange and antioxidant system.