Abstract The Southern Brazilian Highlands are composed by a mosaic of Mixed Ombrophilous Forest (MOF) and grassland formations, an interesting landscape for the study of population structure. We analyzed the genetic diversity within and among populations of the MOF-endemic bromeliad Vriesea reitzii by genotyping seven nuclear microsatellite loci in 187 individuals from six populations. We characterized levels of genetic diversity and assessed the genetic structure among populations. Vriesea reitzii populations showed high levels of genetic variation (number of alleles 28 - 43, allelic richness 3.589 - 5.531) and moderate levels of genetic differentiation (FST = 0.123, RST = 0.096). The high levels of genetic diversity may be explained by species life-history traits, such as habit and mating system. The moderate structure may be a product of the combination of ancient and contemporary gene flow, resulting from the expansion of the forest in the Holocene, and/or due to facilitated dispersal mediated by the MOF’s mosaic landscape. The genetic results indicated no imminent threat to this bromeliad. However, the species is highly associated with the MOF, putting landscape conservation at the center of conservation efforts for the species’ maintenance.

Bromeliaceae is a morphologically distinctive and ecologically diverse family originating in the New World. Three centers of diversity, 58 genera, and about 3,140 bromeliad species are currently recognized. We compiled all of the studies related to the reproductive biology, genetic diversity, and population structure of the Bromeliaceae, and discuss the evolution and conservation of this family. Bromeliads are preferentially pollinated by vertebrates and show marked variation in breeding systems, from predominant inbreeding to predominant outcrossing, as well as constancy in chromosome number (2n = 2x = 50). Autogamous or mixed mating system bromeliads have a high inbreeding coefficient (F IS), while outcrossing species show low F IS. The degree of differentiation among populations (F ST) of species ranges from 0.043 to 0.961, which can be influenced by pollen and seed dispersal effects, clonal growth, gene flow rates, and connectivity among populations. The evolutionary history of the Bromeliaceae is poorly known, although some studies have indicated that the family arose in the Guayana Shield roughly 100 Mya. We believe that genetic, cytogenetic, and reproductive data will be essential for diagnosing species status and for assisting conservation programs.

O objetivo principal deste trabalho foi testar o efeito de extratos de plantas silvestres da família Solanaceae disponíveis na região do Vale do Rio Pardo, RS, sobre o pulgão-da-couve (Brevicoryne brassicae), praga agrícola de significativa importância. Nove espécies tóxicas de Solanaceae estão disponíveis na região de estudo: seis pertencem ao gênero Solanum, uma ao gênero Brugmansia e duas são cultivadas e pertencem ao gênero Nicotiana e Capsicum. A fim de determinar a capacidade de repelência e o efeito inseticida, foram testadas as seguintes espécies: B. suaveolens (trombeteira), C. annuum var. variegated (pimenta-de-jardim), N. tabacum var. virginia (fumo), S. aculeatissimum (joá-bravo), S. americanum (erva-moura), S. diflorum (tomatinho), S. fastigiatum var. acicularium (jurubeba), S. fastigiatum var. fastigiatum (jurubeba) e S. sisymbriifolium (arrebenta-cavalo). Para obtenção dos extratos foram utilizadas folhas, flores e frutos aplicando-se duas técnicas distintas de elaboração: decocção do material fresco e extração a frio do material seco. Quanto à capacidade de repelência dos extratos, os tratamentos utilizando material fresco de S. fastigiatum var. acicularium (frutos verdes e maduros, 2,5% e 5% de concentração) e S. diflorum (frutos verdes e maduros, 2,5% e 5% de concentração) demonstraram maior eficácia. Nos testes sobre a biologia do inseto os tratamentos mais eficazes como inseticida foram S. fastigiatum var. fastigiatum e var. acicularium (folhas a 10% de concentração).

The objective of this study was to test the effect of plant extracts from Solanaceae available in Vale do Rio Pardo region, RS, on the aphid Brevicoryne brassicae, agricultural pest of significant importance. Nine toxic Solanaceae species are available in the area of study: six are wild belonging to the genus Solanum, one to the genus Brugmansia, and two are cultivated and belong to the genus Nicotiana and Capsicum. To determine the repellency capacity and the insecticide effect, the following species were tested: B. suaveolens (trombeteira), C. annuum var. variegated (pimenta-de-jardim), N. tabacum var. virginia (fumo), S. aculeatissimum (joá-bravo), S. americanum (erva-moura), S. diflorum (tomatinho), S. fastigiatum var. acicularium (jurubeba), S. fastigiatum var. fastigiatum (jurubeba) and S. sisymbriifolium (arrebenta-cavalo). The extracts were obtained from leaves, flowers and fruits applying two different extraction techniques: infusion of fresh material and cold extraction of dry material. Regarding the repellency of the extracts, the treatments using fresh material of S. fastigiatum var. acicularium (green and ripe fruits, 2.5% and 5% concentrations) and S. diflorum (green and ripe fruits, 2.5% and 5% concentrations) had the highest effectiveness. The most effective treatments as insecticides affecting survival and reproduction were S. fastigiatum var. fastigiatum and var. acicularium (leaves, 10% concentration).