ABSTRACT Chromium is present in the tannery sludges worldwide making it a problem for agriculture. This study aimed to evaluate whether humus functions as a chromium stabilizing agent when using tannery sludge in the substrate of conilon coffee seedlings (Coffea canephora) and to determine what effects there are on leaf development and anatomy. Treatments consisted of a fixed dose of tannery sludge (30% of volume) on substrates of conilon coffee seedlings with different proportions of humus and subsoil (T-10, T-20, T-30, T-40% of humus). Information for the evaluation of leaf anatomy and seedling development was collected at 180 days after the planting of cuttings. From the phenological point of view, the treatments that best promoted seedling quality were T-30 and T-40. However, the greater the amount of humus in the substrate the greater the absorption of chromium by plants, which directly affected the organization of epidermal cells and leaf mesophyll. In addition, intense cytoplasmic degradation, ultrastructural changes in chloroplasts and mitochondria, and an increase in autophagic vacuoles were observed. We conclude that increasing the amount of humus in substrate with tannery sludge provides higher quality coffee seedlings, despite promoting greater absorption of chromium by plants and the consequent major intracellular disturbances.

RESUMO: A variabilidade genética é a base para o progresso genético em café. Este estudo teve como objetivo, avaliar o potencial de caracteres morfoagronômicos e anatômicos foliares em estudos de variabilidade genética entre cultivares de Coffea canephora. Dez genótipos foram distribuídos em um experimento seguindo delineamento em blocos ao acaso com três repetições. Foram detectadas diferenças significativas entre os genótipos pelo teste F (P < 0,05) para 13 dos 15 caracteres avaliados. Esses resultados evidenciaram a heterogeneidade entre as cultivares estudadas, o que é essencial para a composição da base genética e avanço dos programas de melhoramento. O teste de Scott e Knott detectou as diferenças entre os genótipos, separando-os em quatro grupos. Os caracteres anatômicos foliares apresentaram as maiores variações. Cinco, dentre os sete caracteres anatômicos foliares, apresentaram estimativas de herdabilidade superiores a 80% com destaque para a densidade estomática (95,69%) e comprimento do poro estomático (92,72%). Correlações positivas foram observadas entre caracteres morfoagronômicos e anatômicos foliares. A análise de agrupamento, considerando a distância de Mahalanobis como medida de dissimilaridade (D²), apontou a distinção de dois grupos de genótipos. A inclusão de caracteres anatômicos foliares na caracterização de genótipos de C. canephora pode auxiliar os melhoristas de plantas na melhor discriminação entre genótipos e maior segurança na seleção de clones para geração de novas cultivares.

ABSTRACT: Genetic variability is the basis for coffee genetic breeding. This study evaluated the potential of leaf anatomy and morpho-agronomic traits in studies of genetic variability in C. canephoracultivars. Ten genotypes were distributed in randomized block designs with three replicates. Significant differences among genotypes were detected by F-test (P < 0.05) for 13 of 15 evaluated traits. These results evidenced the heterogeneity of the studied cultivars, which is essential in composition of genetic basis in breeding programs. The Scott-Knott test detected variability among genotypes, grouped into up to four mean groups. Leaf anatomy traits presented the largest variations. Five out of seven leaf anatomy traits presented heritability higher than 80%, with emphasis on stomatal density (95.69%) and stomatal pore length (92.72%). Positive correlations were observed among morpho-agronomic and anatomic traits. Cluster analysis used the Mahalanobis general distance (D2) as a measure of genetic dissimilarity and divided the genotypes into two distinct groups. The inclusion of leaf anatomic traits to characterize C. canephoragenotypes may assist plant breeders with better genetic discrimination and with greater security in plant selection when composing cultivars.

ABSTRACT Tropical forests are the most diverse on the planet, and it is essential to understand how plant species adapt to the environmental differences inherent in this environment. This study describes the wood anatomy and hydraulic architecture of Bathysa cuspidata and Bathysa nicholsonii in two remnants of the Atlantic Forest through a paired analysis of the hydraulic system related to taxonomic and environmental aspects. Samples were collected non-destructively, processed following techniques of wood anatomy. Sympatric species differ taxonomically in Bathysa cuspidata showed vessels either solitary or radial multiples of 2 to 4 elements, septate fibre-tracheids with thick walls, and larger rays with sheath cells. At the same time, B. nicholsonii has a higher vessel frequency, septate fibre-tracheids with thin walls, narrower rays, vessels with smaller diameters. Although each species’ hydraulic system shows acclimatization variations to different sites of occurrence, the structural differences in wood ensure the segregation between the species in each site. Our results corroborate the relevance of the anatomical wood anatomy studies as a subsidy for a better definition of morphologically similar taxa and show structural aspects aimed at survival in the Atlantic Forest. This data combination has often been neglected in understanding biodiversity in the tropics.

ABSTRACT External factors can interfere with the structure and biological activity of plants. Nevertheless, the susceptibility of plants to specific environmental conditions varies, which raises many questions about the behavior of medicinal plants when grown in urban areas. This study aims to detect possible changes induced by exposure of Eugenia uniflora L. to an urban environment, with emphasis on variation in external and internal leaf structure and differences in the production of its main metabolites. We compared leaves of E. uniflora cultivated in forest and urban sites and analyzed them for structural plasticity and characteristics indicative of stress in the urban environment. The leaves of the urban site revealed necrosis and reddish spots, higher stomatal density, smaller stomata and more numerous crystals and secretory glands, as well as evident storage of starch, lipids, and mucilage. The presence of numerous crystals had a high plasticity index and great potential as anatomical marker for evaluating the effects of the urban environment. Visual symptoms and anatomical changes were efficient at diagnosing stress in E. uniflora, while characteristics of the urban site, such as temperature, heat and pollution, are thought to be responsible for the observed variation and may influence your medicinal characteristic.

Abstract: This study aims to identify phenolic compounds in dichloromethane and methanolic extracts of the rhizome of Renealmia nicolaioides collected in the North Region of Brazil. Two known diarylheptanoids, 1,7-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-(1E)-1-hepten-3-one (1), and 5R-1,7-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1E-hepten-5-ol (2), and a new one (1R,2S,5S)-2-hydroxy-1,7(p-hydroxyphenyl)-centrolobine (3), as well as one flavonoid, 3-metoxi-quercetin (4) were isolated by chromatographic procedure and identified by spectroscopic techniques (1H and13C NMR, HRMS and CD). The acetyl derivative of 2 was used to confirm its structure. All four compounds are reported for the first time for this genus, and this is the first occurrence of compound 1 as a natural metabolite. The results reported here are unprecedented for the genus Renealmia.

RESUMO O vinhático (Plathymenia reticulata Benth) é uma das espécies nativas do Brasil, de interesse econômico e ambiental. Sua propagação tem sido realizada por sementes, entretanto, o difícil acesso às matrizes, os intervalos longos de frutificação e dificuldade de armazenamento destacam a importância de técnicas que permitam a propagação clonal da espécie. Estudos conduzidos com minicepas de vinhático, advindas de mudas produzidas por sementes têm demonstrado que, embora as minicepas apresentem boa brotação, o enraizamento das miniestacas é muito baixo. Com isso, objetivou-se neste trabalho, avaliar a produção de mudas de vinhático por miniestaquia, utilizando diferentes técnicas de manejo para induzir o enraizamento. Foram realizados dois experimentos em casa de vegetação, sendo que, no primeiro, as minicepas foram obtidas a partir de mudas produzidas via semente de progênies de onze matrizes, das quais se promoveu a coleta sucessiva de miniestacas, sendo estas submetidas a diferentes concentrações do regulador de crescimento AIB (0, 2.000, 4.000, 6.000 e 8.000 mg.L-1). No segundo experimento foi utilizado o manejo de luz (sombreamento na base da brotação e sombreamento total da minicepa) e de nutriente, com aplicação de nitrogênio (4 g.L-1 de ureia) nas minicepas. As miniestacas produzidas foram avaliadas quanto à capacidade de enraizamento e anatomia na base da miniestaca. No primeiro experimento verificou-se uma variação de sobrevivência e tolerância à poda apical entre as progênies das matrizes analisadas, com destaque para progênie da matriz DOM, que apresentou o maior percentual na primeira coleta (88,2%), e uma sensibilidade das progênies NELI, ZE1 e ZE2 aos efeitos do manejo e às condições ambientais no minijardim clonal. O vinhático respondeu de forma positiva à coleta sucessiva de brotações, com aumento do número de brotações produzidas a partir do quarto mês de coleta (210 dias). Não houve efeito significativo no enraizamento de mudas de vinhático quando submetido a concentrações crescentes de AIB, nem quanto ao tipo de manejo de luz e nitrogênio utilizados para estimular o enraizamento de miniestacas. Não foram observadas barreiras anatômicas ao enraizamento dos clones nos diferentes tipos de manejos avaliados.

ABSTRACT Vinatic (Plathymenia reticulata Benth.) is one of the native species of Brazil, of economic and environmental interest. Its propagation has been carried out by seeds, however, the difficult access to the matrices, long intervals of fruiting and difficulty of storage, emphasize the importance of techniques that allow the clonal propagation of the species. Studies conducted with vinatic minitumps, coming from seedlings have shown that although the ministumps show good sprouting, the minicutting rooting is very low. The aim of this study was to evaluate the production of vinatic seedlings by minicutting using different management to induce rooting. Two experiments were carried out in a greenhouse and, in the first experiment, the minitumps were obtained from seedlings produced from progenies of eleven matrices, from which the successive collection of minicuttings was promoted, these being submitted to different concentrations of the IBA growth regulator (0, 2.000, 4.000, 6.000 and 8.000 mg.L-1). In the second experiment, light management (shading at buds base and total shading of minitump) and nutrient were used, with nitrogen application (4 g.L-1 urea) in the minitumps. The minicuttings produced were evaluated for rooting capacity and anatomy at the base of the minicuttings. In the first experiment there was a variation of survival and tip pruning tolerance among the progenies of the matrices analyzed, with emphasis on progeny of the DOM matrix, which presented the highest survival percentage in the first collection (88,2%), and a sensitivity of NELI, ZE1 and ZE2 progenies to the management in the clonal minigarden. Vinatic responded positively to the successive collection of sprouts, with an increase in the number of sprouts produced from the fourth month of collection (210 days). There was no significant effect on rooting of vinatic plants when submitted to increasing concentrations of IBA, nor on the type of light and nitrogen management used to stimulate the minicuttings rooting. No anatomical barriers were observed to the rooting of the minicuttings in the different managements evaluated.

ABSTRACT Secretory structures are formed by many types of plants and are present on numerous different organs. Among the many types of known secretory structures, colleters are predominant on plants of the Rubiaceae. One remarkable characteristic of secretory tissues is the export of exudates; however, the precise mechanism involved in this process is still unclear. To better understand the mechanisms of exudate externalization it is necessary to understand the ultrastructure and dynamics of the outer cell wall of the secretory structures during the secretory process, and so we investigated these aspects of the colleters of Bathysa nicholsonii. The outer cell wall (OCW) exhibits multiple layers: a basal polysaccharide rich layer; a cuticular membrane, which is subdivided into arborescent and reticulated layers; and a thin cuticle proper. The structural organization of the OCW is changed during secretion passage, which is mainly related to the development of a secretion accumulation site on the polysaccharide rich layer. Secretion dynamics is driven by the organization and disruption of the secretion accumulation site. The results show that the OCW of the colleters of B. nicholsonii is a dynamic structure with an active role in secretion externalization via constant structural reorganization directly related to secretion passage.

This work describes, analyzes and compares the wood anatomy of Alseis pickelii from two distinct sites in Tropical Dry Forest. One site is an exploited forest that was disturbed by deforestation whereas the other site is preserved and has not been logged since selective logging in the 1960's. For the evaluation of wood anatomy, plant material was processed following standard techniques for light microscopy and histochemical tests. The results indicated that A. pickelii did not vary qualitatively between the two sites. The histochemical tests indicated the presence of prismatic crystals and starch in radial parenchyma of samples from both sites. Some quantitative parameters differed significantly between the two sites including: vessel frequency; vessel length and lumina area; intervessel pits; diameter, lumina, length and wall thickness of fibres; and radial parenchyma width. In general, these quantitative parameters had higher values in the samples from the exploited site, suggesting an adjustment to the more severe drought conditions there. Quantitative anatomical differences in the samples from the two sites show the influence that environmental conditions can have on wood anatomy. The observed anatomical characteristics may also be useful for taxonomic and ecological studies of this species and genus.

ABSTRACTPsychotria is the largest Rubiaceae genus and one of the most abundant in the Atlantic Rainforest of Rio de Janeiro State. The present work aims to characterize and compare the wood of nine of these species. ThePsychotria wood were characterized by: slightly distinct growth rings; diffuse porosity; solitary vessels or on radial multiples of 2-6 or clusters of 3-5 vessel elements, with terminal and lateral simple perforation plates and vestured and alternate intervessel and vessel-ray pits; septate fiber-tracheids; and rare axial parenchyma. Although, the wood anatomy of thePsychotria may be considered homogeneous, the statistical analyses, based on qualitative and quantitative features, allowed the segregation of the species and indicated the importance of habit (arboreous or shrubby) on the wood anatomy of the species. It is worth mentioning that the sampling was realized in only one studied site (Ilha Grande), which contributed to the conclusion that the wood characteristics are more related to the specificities of each studied taxon than to with environmental variations.

Lipid bodies [lipid droplets (LBs)] are lipid-rich organelles involved in lipid metabolism, signalling and inflammation. Recent findings suggest a role for LBs in host response to infection; however, the potential functions of this organelle in Toxoplasma gondii infection and how it alters macrophage microbicidal capacity during infection are not well understood. Here, we investigated the role of host LBs in T. gondii infection in mouse peritoneal macrophages in vitro. Macrophages cultured with mouse serum (MS) had higher numbers of LBs than those cultured in foetal bovine serum and can function as a model to study the role of LBs during intracellular pathogen infection. LBs were found in association with the parasitophorous vacuole, suggesting that T. gondii may benefit from this lipid source. Moreover, increased numbers of macrophage LBs correlated with high prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production and decreased nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. Accordingly, LB-enriched macrophages cultured with MS were less efficient at controlling T. gondii growth. Treatment of macrophages cultured with MS with indomethacin, an inhibitor of PGE2 production, increased the microbicidal capacity against T. gondii. Collectively, these results suggest that culture with MS caused a decrease in microbicidal activity of macrophages against T. gondii by increasing PGE2 while lowering NO production.

O presente trabalho teve por objetivos caracterizar morfologicamente os grãos de pólen e estudar a divergência genética entre os acessos, com base nos caracteres morfopolínicos. Sete acessos representantes de espécies domesticadas, semidomesticadas e silvestres de Capsicum (C. annuum var. annuum, C. chinense, C. baccatum var. pendulum, C. frutescens, Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum, C. baccatum var. baccatum e C. parvifolium) foram cultivados em casa de vegetação e no florescimento, grãos de pólen foram coletados e fixados. Posteriormente, os grãos de pólen foram acetolisados e descritos com base em 13 características polínicas (eixo polar e equatorial em vista equatorial; razão entre eixo polar e equatorial; eixo equatorial em vista polar; espessura da exina, sexina e nexina; lado do apocolpo; índice de área polar; comprimento e diâmetro do poro e do colpo). A análise da divergência genética entre os acessos foi realizada utilizando a distância Euclidiana Média Padronizada e a análise de agrupamento pelo método de Ward. A análise dos componentes principais (ACP) foi outro método de análise multivariada utilizado. Pelos métodos de Ward e ACP os acessos foram agrupados em dois grupos de acordo com classificação dos complexos gênicos já descritos para o gênero. De acordo com essa classificação, o gênero Capsicum compreende três grupos principais: C. annuum, C. chinense e C. frutescens formam o complexo annuum; C. baccatum e C. pratermissum formam o complexo baccatum; e C. eximium, C. cardenasii e C. pubescens formam o complexo pubescens. A variável largura do poro foi a mais discriminante para o estudo morfopolínico de Capsicum spp.

This study characterised pollen grains morphologically and studied the genetic divergence between accessions based on morphopollinic characters. Seven accessions, including domesticated, semi-domesticated and wild species of Capsicum (C. annuum var. annuum, C. chinense, C. baccatum var. pendulum, C. frutescens, Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum, C. baccatum var. baccatum and C. parvifolium), were cultivated in a greenhouse and their pollen grains collected and fixed during flowering. The pollen grains were acetolysed and described based on 13 pollinic characteristics (polar and equatorial axes, in an equatorial front view; ratio between polar axis and equatorial axis; equatorial axis in a polar view; thicknesses of the exine, sexine and nexine; apocolpus side; polar area index; length and diameter of the pore and colpus). The genetic divergence analysis between the accessions was based on the standardised average Euclidean distance, and the grouping analysis was based on Ward's method. PCA (principal component analysis) is another multivariate method that was used. Based on Ward's method and PCA, it was possible to group the accessions into two groups, and the groups formed correlated with the classification of the gene pool complexes already described for the genus. According to this classification, the Capsicum genus comprises three major groups: C. annuum, C. chinense and C. frutescens form the annuum complex; C. baccatum and C. pratermissum form the baccatum complex; and C. eximium, C. cardenasii and C. pubescens form the pubescens complex. The variable width of the pores was the most discriminating in this morphopollinic study of Capsicum spp.

The success of sexual plant reproduction is directly influenced by specific interactions between the pollen and pistil. Light, fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy techniques were used to evaluate the steps of pollination in sour passion fruit plants (Passiflora edulis Sims). In the compatible interaction, pollen tubes grow through stigma projections towards the ovary. The pollen grain surface was found to be spheroidal and to consist of heteroreticulate exine with six colpi. Furthermore, analysis in vivo of pollen-pistil interactions indicated that stigmas of flowers 24 hours before anthesis are unable to discriminate compatible (genetically unrelated) and incompatible (genetically related) pollen grains. Taken together, these results provide insight into the cellular mechanisms underlying pollination in passion fruit plants.

In this work, the structural and ecophysiological alterations (chlorophyll a fluorescence and photosynthetic pigments), and quantification of Cr, Pb and Zn in the leaf limb, petiole and younger and older roots of water hyacinth from the lower, medium and upper Paraíba do Sul river (PSR) and Imbé river were evaluated. The plants from the medium and upper PSR (more industrialized and populated regions) exhibited lower turgid cell in the root cortex, less root hairs and leaf epidermis, chloroplasts with plastoglobules and increased stroma volume. Higher concentrations of metals were observed in the younger and older roots from the medium PSR plants. The results suggested that the plants from more anthropized regions were able to maintain the maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) which was a result from the metabolic fitting, increasing the non-photochemical quenching, reducing total chlorophyll/carotenoids and leading to the structural modifications.

RESUMO Aspectos da micromorfologia e da anatomia foliar de Galium hypocarpium, Guettarda viburnoides e Posoqueria latifolia (Rubiaceae) do Parque Nacional do Itatiaia-RJ foram analisados por microscopia óptica e eletrônica de varredura, com o objetivo de fornecer subsídios para a taxonomia da família, bem como auxiliar na compreensão da relação dos caracteres com o ambiente de Floresta Atlântica. As espécies observadas apresentam superfície adaxial sem ornamentações cuticulares e fino filme de cera. A superfície abaxial de G. hypocarpium apresenta cutícula estriada enquanto P. latifolia apresenta ornamentações cuticulares apenas nos estômatos. Tricomas tectores são observados em ambas as superfícies, exceto em P. latifolia. G. viburnoides, que possui superfície abaxial coberta por tricomas unisseriados contendo cristais prismáticos. Células secretoras com conteúdo lipídico são observadas na epiderme abaxial de G. hypocarpium. As espécies estudadas são hipoestomáticas com estômatos do tipo paracítico e sistema vascular em feixes do tipo colateral envolvidos por uma bainha parenquimática; esta se prolonga até a epiderme adaxial, em G. viburnoides. As espécies estudadas mostram, em sua maioria, aspectos anatômicos mesomórficos, de acordo com as condições ambientais encontradas na Floresta Atlântica e ainda mecanismos de defesa diversos, como tricomas tectores e estruturas secretoras, correlatos ao ambiente em que vivem. Rubiaceae (Rubiaceae ItatiaiaRJ Itatiaia RJ varredura família cera G P superfícies prismáticos parenquimática mostram maioria mesomórficos diversos vivem

ABSTRACT Aspects of leaf anatomy and micromorphology of Galium hypocarpium, Guettarda viburnoides and Posoqueria latifolia (Rubiaceae) were analyzed through light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy in order to provide support for the family taxonomy and to assist in the understanding of the relationship between the environmental features of the Atlantic Forest. The tested species showed ornamented cuticle and thin film of wax adaxial surface. G. hypocarpium abaxial surface presented striated cuticle, while P. latifolia cuticular ornamentation was present only in the stomata. Trichomes were observed in both surfaces, except for P. latifolia. and G. viburnoides, which presented abaxial surfaces covered with uniseriate trichomes containing prismatic crystals. The studied species are hypostomatic with paracytic stomata and collateral vascular system surrounded by parenchymatic bundle sheath cells; except for G. viburnoides, whose bundle sheath extends to the adaxial epidermis face. Secretory cells with lipid content were observed in the abaxial epidermis of G. hypocarpium. The species showed mostly mesomorphic anatomy, several defense mechanisms such as trichomes, and secretory structures related to the environment of the Atlantic Forest. Rubiaceae (Rubiaceae Forest G P crystals face