Marlova Benedetti

Técnica para o estudo da anatomia da epiderme foliar de batata

Even though potato (Solanum tuberosum) is an economically important crop, information about leaf characteristics of anatomical structure has not been well studied. Studies of leaf epidermis have significance for basic fields as ecology and physiology and for applied fields as plant pathology and breeding. The objective of this research was to identify a fast and easy technique to prepare semi-permanent slides for studying the anatomy of potato leaf epidermis. Para dermal free hand cut, Jeffrey method, potassium hydroxide and epidermal fingerprint on glass slide techniques were evaluated. Semi-permanent slides were prepared from the longitudinal section of main leaflets from the medium portion of potato plants. An adequate study of all evaluated clones was only possible with the epidermal fingerprint technique. The epidermal fingerprint on glass slides is a fast preparing, low cost and easy implementation technique, which enables to evaluate a high number of potato plants in a short period of time.

Efeito do CO2 e etileno no período de dormência de minitubérculos de batata cv. Macaca

ABSTRACT Effect of CO 2 and ethylene on the dormancy period of potatocv. Macaca minitubers The effect of CO 2 and ethylene treatments were evaluated onthe dormancy period of ‘Macaca’ minitubers produced in greenhouseduring two growing seasons. Minitubers were treated soon afterharvesting. The treatments were suffocation with ethylene (1000 mLL -1 ) during 72 h; CO 2 (20 %) during 72 h; calcium carburet (200 gm -3 ) during 72 h; and 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) (1 mL L -1 )during 24 h (only for second season); and immersion with 2-cloroetilfosfonic acid (840 mg L -1 ) during 5 s. Control minitubers did notreceive any treatment. The experiment was a factorial (seasons xtreatments) in a randomized design, with four replications of 15minitubers. Respiration and ethylene production were evaluated everyweek. Sprout number and percentage of sprouted tubers wereevaluated every 15 days to obtain the area under progression curve.Minitubers produced during the first season presented shorterdormancy than those produced during the second season. First seasonminitubers presented an increase in respiration rate during storagethat was clearly related to sprouting. CO