Embryonic dormancy in seeds of Bactris gasipaes Kunth (peach-palm)

Bactris gasipaes is a domesticated palm whose fruits are of great importance for the Amazonian people and whose heart of palm is also receiving economic interest in other brazilian and Latin America regions. The aim of this study was verify embryonic dormancy and its correlation with first cataphyll emergence in B. gasipaes seeds collected from four plants at Manaus city and four others at Coari city, both in the Amazonas state, Brazil. After extraction and cleaning, some of the seeds (4 replications of 25 per plant) were sown in a seedbed with a sawdust and sand mixture as substrate, and embryos (4 replications of 10 per plant), after extraction, were inoculated into half strength Murashige and Skoog cultures. Were used 100 seeds and 40 embryo per treatment. Whole seed and embryo germination varied between the different source plants and locations, with the greatest difference observed for the emergence of first cataphyll from seeds in the seedbed. For the most part of variables, results of seed and embryo were positively associated, namely, as one went up the other also, and vice versa. These results suggesting that, at least in part, seed dormancy in Bactris gasipaes is associated with embryonic dormancy. © 2017, Associacao Brasileira de Tecnologia de Sementes. All rights reserved

Influences of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on growth and secondary metabolite accumulation in Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer adventitious roots cultured in air-lift bioreactors

AbstractThe present study relates to different polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) which were used as elicitors to enhance biomass accumulation and ginsenoside production in Panax ginseng. Adventitious root cultures of ginseng were elicited with oleic and linolenic acid at 0, 1, 5, 10 or 50µmol/l concentrations respectively. Elicitors were added to the medium of adventitious roots on the 40th day of culture and roots were harvested on day 47. Cultures supplemented with oleic acid decreased root biomass and ginsenoside accumulation. Cultures supplemented with 1µmol/l linolenic acid enhanced ginsenoside accumulation, without the decrease of adventitious root biomass. Linolenic acid enhanced the biosynthesis of both protopanxatriols (2.95±0.048mg/g DW) and protopanxadiols (5.66±0.043mg/g DW) compared to that of control at (1.41±0.002mg/g DW) and (1.58±0.006mg/g DW) respectively. No changes in polysaccharides and phenolics content have been noticed upon elicitation with PUFAs. This is the first report on linolenic acid as an elicitor for ginsenoside accumulation in ginseng adventitious root cultures

Hiperidricidade: uma desordem metabólica Hyperhydricity: a metabolic disorder

A hiperidricidade, anteriormente chamada vitrificação, é considerada uma desordem fisiológica, bioquímica e morfológica decorrente do acúmulo anormal de água no interior das células e tecidos. As plantas cultivadas in vitro estão, indubitavelmente, sob contínua condição de estresse, os quais resultam em alterações metabólicas características do estresse oxidativo. Anatomicamente, plantas ou brotos afetados frequentemente apresentam-se inchados, com coloração verde claro, folhas translúcidas e com aparência de vidro, baixa relação número de células/área celular e hipolignificação. Alterações fisiológicas que ocorrem nas principais vias metabólicas, incluindo fotossíntese, respiração e transpiração, resultam em redução de eficiência dessas vias metabólicas. Os distúrbios morfológicos, fisiológicos e bioquímicos são desencadeados por fatores físicos, relacionados ao ambiente dos recipientes de cultivo e consistência do meio de cultura ou por fatores químicos como os componentes do meio de cultura, em especial dos reguladores de crescimento em altas concentrações. A hiperidricidade ocorre em vários níveis de severidade, chegando a resultar na perda irreversível da capacidade morfogênica e o estabelecimento de um estado neoplásico das células, no entanto, na maioria dos casos, a hiperidricidade é considerada reversível. Esta revisão foca o conhecimento atual sobre o fenômeno da hiperidricidade abordando aspectos morfológicos, fisiológicos, bioquímicos e a reversibilidade do processo.<br>The hyperhydricity, formerly called vitrification, is considered a physiological, biochemistry and morfologic disorder due to abnormal accumulation of water inside the cells and tissues. Plants grown in vitro are undoubtedly under continuous stress condition which results in metabolic changes characteristic of oxidative stress. Anatomically plants or shoots affected often become swollen, with pale green, translucent sheets, glass-like, low relative number of cells / cell area and hipolignification. Physiological changes occur in major metabolic pathways including photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration resulting in reduced efficiency of these metabolic pathways. Morphological, physiological and biochemical disorders are triggered by physical factors related to the environment of cultivation vessels and consistency of the culture medium or by chemical factors such as culture medium components, especially the growth regulators in high concentrations. The hyperhydricity occurs at various levels of severity, reaching result in irreversible loss of morphogenic capacity and the establishment of a state of neoplastic cells, however, in most cases hyperhydricity is considered reversible. This review focuses on the current knowledge about the phenomenon of hyperhydricity addressing morphological, physiological, biochemical, and reversibility of the process